119 Years… and Counting
December 23, 2017. I jolt awake at 3 a.m. Was that a Great Horned Owl calling? I strain to listen without getting out of bed, without opening a window. I can’t be sure. Better not count it. In vain, I try to go back to sleep. At 4:30, I finally get up even though…
Read MoreYes on Y/SOAR (Save Open Space and Agricultural Resources)
Measure Y (SOAR), a proposition on the November City of Oceanside ballot, simply requires that before agricultural, open space, or parkland can be rezoned to other uses such as dense housing or commercial, the people of Oceanside have a right to vote on the change. We all pay the costs of sprawl development – traffic…
Read MoreA Bird For All Seasons – The Western Meadowlark
While scouting the Great Falls Portage along the Missouri River in 1805, Merriweather Lewis heard an unexpected vocal fanfare from an otherwise familiar bird from the East—a bird then called the “oldfield lark” and now known as the Eastern Meadowlark. Studying it closely, though, Lewis noted a differently shaped tail; a longer, more curved beak;…
Read MoreOur Volunteers
It’s been said many times over the years, but Buena Vista Audubon is what it is because of its members, many of whom volunteer at the center, in the children’s programs, or in positions of leadership. Each year we wish old friends the best as they move on to new endeavors. And each year we…
Read MoreThe Song Sparrow – San Diego’s Reliable Crooner
Outdoors on late summer mornings, I strain to catch any hint of bird song. For those who relish the avian breeding season symphony, the end of summer represents a bit of an auditory desert. As breeding season wraps up, with no need to attract mates or defend territories, the birds quit singing. Some even head…
Read MoreA Message from National Audubon Society: Audubon vs Dept of the Interior
Below is a message from National Audubon Society David Yarnold: Today we filed Audubon v. Dept of the Interior, a landmark lawsuit in federal court to defend our country’s most important bird protection law—the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.Congress passed the Migratory Bird Treaty Act 100 years ago in response to public outcry over the mass slaughter of…
Read MorePresident’s Message: We’ve Come a Long Way!
As summer begins, it’s time to reflect on the past year. It always amazes me what Buena Vista Audubon has accomplished. Just a year ago, we became the proud owners of the Andy Mauro Preserve. Following this exciting event, we began the process of creating a plan for restoring this land to native habitat for…
Read MoreLearning from the Past, Fighting for the Future
In the early 1800s, the Passenger Pigeon held the distinction of the most abundant land bird in North America—perhaps in the world—with an estimated population of 3-5 billion individuals. (That’s billion. With a “b.”) Compare this figure to the present-day North American abundance champion, the Mourning Dove, with estimates ranging from 100-450 million. (With an…
Read MoreCity Nature Challenge: San Diego
From the San Diego Natural History Museum: Help San Diego Win City Nature Challenge, which takes place from April 27-30, 2018, is a worldwide competition to see which city can make the most observations of their local plants and animals over a 4-day period. And San Diego composes part of one of only 35 biodiversity…
Read MoreA Win for the Home Team!
In the birding world, the look-alike Empidonax flycatchers—affectionately or dejectedly referred to as “empids”—create two non-overlapping groups: those who eagerly rise to the ID challenge (not me) and those who despairingly mutter “empid” and move on (me). But one empid occupies a rarefied spot in San Diego County: the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher. The Willow…
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