Familiar Friend The Lesser Goldfinch
Naming a species a “least” this-or-that or a “lesser” such-and-such smacks a bit of disparagement. The bird exists only in relationship to a larger/greater/“better” bird. The Lesser Goldfinch’s comparator is its Spinus congener, the American Goldfinch. In this context, the Lesser Goldfinch comes up short in several ways. It measures ½” (10%) shorter and weighs…
Read MoreSummary – Oceanside (CAOV) Christmas Bird Count – 2018
A big thank you to Kirsten Winter for writing this compilation of results: The 73rd Oceanside Christmas Bird Count was held on December 29, 2018. It was a clear and cold day, breezy in the morning. A talented group of 121 birders logged 231 hours and 451 miles, and recorded approximately 29,100 individual birds –…
Read MoreBVAS Galapagos Island Birding 2019
Looking to get away and do something exciting in the New Year? Well join BVAS in 2019 for our birding trip to the beautiful Galapagos Islands. Visitors to the Galápagos Islands are intrigued by the endemic flora and fauna, geological activity, volcanic terrain, and unique human history. Accompanied by an onboard naturalist-guide, this 7-night small…
Read MoreA Message from the President
Dear BVAS Members and Friends, North County San Diego is filled with natural beauty: the ocean, lagoons, foothills, and mountains. Yet it is easy to forget how many nearby communities are “park-poor.” The Buena Vista Audubon Society (BVAS) fills this gap at its nature center and on its trail. During our school programs, Nature Guide…
Read MoreTripping the Light Fantastic
When I set out to write about a species, I start with “What is interesting about this species?” With hummingbirds, though, what isn’t interesting about them? The smallest of all birds, most of the hummingbirds seen in California weigh between 0.1 and 0.3 ounces (~2.5 – 4 grams) or less than 5 original M&Ms. Probably…
Read MoreAttention Scouts!
Here at our beautiful Nature Center in Oceanside we offer programs for all levels of scouts on a variety of subjects. Furthermore we can assist in acquisition of badges regarding animals, birds, watershed, and environmental concerns. Please contact us at the Buena Vista Audubon Nature Center or Sondra Renwanz (srenwanz@aol.com) for more information.
Read More119 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…
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