Jan 2014 Stanislaus Audubon

8/12/2019 Jan 2014 Stanislaus Audubon

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Valley Habitat 1

The Valley Hab itatJanuary 2014

A Jo in t Pub li cat io n of th e St an is la us Aud ubo n Soc ie ty

an d th e Yo ku ts Gr ou p of th e S ie rr a Cl ub

MODESTO'S OVERREACH INTO HISTORICFARMLAND

VIEW FROM THE CONSERVATION CHAIR: by Brad Barker

Most people don't follow local land use issues. Theytune out planning discussions. Their eyes glaze over.Many think, well, of course our local officials are in

bed with developers. That's what they do. But this atti-tude makes problems worse. Public apathy leads tooutcomes that favor players with big conflicts of inter-est, and to unfavorable outcomes for everyone else.

The City of Modesto is considering an amendment totheir General Plan. Much of it is commendable. Anincreased focus on downtown Modesto as a diversified

job center is proposed. Reduced fees for infill develop-ment would create incentives to build where city infra-structure already exists. An agricultural zone betweenModesto and Waterford is also planned. Nice.

The biggest problem with the amendment is the mas-sive expansion of the Beckwith triangle south to MazeBlvd. (Highway 132). This expansion into highly pro-ductive farmland west of Highway 99 would re-

designate about 1,800 acres for commercial and indus-trial purposes. However, some farming families have

been there for generations, and many do not want tosell.

In 1869, the year before Modesto was founded, Ger-man Baptist settlers Eben and Sarah Wood moved tothis area. "A small frame house was built for them,where they lived until 1894." [Wood Colony District ,Lowell Beachler, 2002] Their home was just south ofwhere Hart-Ransom School is today. Shortly afterEben Wood died in 1902, the area was named WoodColony. Modesto planners have said Wood Colonywill be exempt from from the proposal, but they'remistaken. The Wood Tract Subdivision map drawn in

1904 shows the subdivision spreading from BeckwithRd. down to Woodland Ave. The historic colony co-vers most of the city's proposed expansion.

Beachler's book includes descriptions from GermanBaptist settlers in the early days of the colony."Wildlife in the area was plentiful...geese flew overevery evening." There were large fields of poppies.

(Continued on page 6)

Yokuts Group of the Sierra Club Program 7p.m. Friday January 17, 2014

Indira Clark of Tyson Hill Farm

The Tyson family has farmed near the Tuolumne River just west of Waterford since 1951, uncertified organi-cally. When she married her late husband Sam Tyson in 1976, Indira also married his family farm. Indira andher family have been involved in energy, food, water, land use, and US foreign policy issues. In 1979 theywere founding members of the Modesto Certified Farmers Market. Indira and some of her children continueto grow mostly tree fruit and nuts, plus some grapes; strawberries, boysenberries, and other berries; and a few

vegetables. All, except some of the nuts, are marketed within 65 miles of their farm. Indiras parents, Ruthand Lawrence Clark, were charter members of the Yokuts Group.

College Avenue Congregational Church 1341 College Avenue - Refreshments and socializing begin at 6:45 p.m.

and the meeting starts at 7:00 p.m. -Non-members are always welcome! The program is free and open to the public.

The beautiful 2014 Sierra Club Engagement Calendars ($15) and Wall Calendars ($14) will be sold at theJanuary 17th program or you can call Doug Hardie at (209) 524-6651 to order them.


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Valley Habitat 2

Stan islaus Audubon Soc iety

RECENT SIGHTINGS OF RAREOR UNCOMMON BIRDS

MERCED COUNTY: Matthew Dodder and several other observers had a WILLETat the Merced National Wildlife Refugeon November 2. On November 20, Kent van Vuren had an adult male WHITE-WINGED SCOTER at ONeill Forebay anda SAGE THRASHER at San Luis Reservoir. Al Demartini found a MOUNTAIN CHICKADEEat Henderson Park near

Snelling on November 26.

STANISLAUS COUNTY: Harold Reeve found two unseasonable CASSINS VIREOS at Tuolumne River Regional Park onOctober 6. One of these vireos was still there, perhaps overwintering, through November 17. On October 10, John Harris hada tan-striped WHITE-THROATED SPARROW at his home east of Oakdale; a few weeks later, he had three White-throatedSparrows on his driveway. Also on October 10, Ralph Baker was at Beckwith Road when he saw a juvenile GRASSHOPPER

SPARROW that was late in its migration.

On October 27, in a restricted area of the San Joaquin River, Harold Reeve found a NORTHERN WATER-THRUSH, also seen by Ralph Baker and Sal Salerno. If accepted by the S.B.R.C., this vagrant will be a first county record,

the 313thspecies for Stanislaus County. There were also two female RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS at that location.

On November 1, Kathy Robertson found a juvenile LARK BUNTINGnear the San Joaquin River N.W.R. observa-tion platform on Beckwith Road. The bunting was st il l being found by other birders through December 4. During a surveyat the Modesto Water Quality Treatment Facility on November 10, Harold Reeve, Eric Caine and Sal Salerno had an earlyGLAUCOUS GULL and WESTERN GULL, both first-year birds. There was also a HORNED GREBE and a PACIFIC

GOLDEN-PLOVERthere.

Ed Pandolfino found a first-winter FRANKLINS GULLat the Ceres Water Reclamation Facility on November 15.David Yee had a second-cycle LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL on Gaffery Road near the Recology Plant on November16. If accepted by the S.B.R.C., the Lesser Black-backed Gull will be a first county record, the 314thspecies for Stanislaus

County.

During a field trip for the Central Valley Birding Symposium on November 22, Jim Gain and other observers had aPURPLE FINCH near Joe Domecq Wilderness Area and a VESPER SPARROW on Cooperstown Road. Jon Dunn, John Har-

ris and Sal Salerno had a female BARROWS GOLDENEYE at Ceres Water Reclamation Facility on November 26.

FRANKLIN'S GULL

John Harris

LARK BUNTING

Linda Pittman

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL

David Yee

WHITE-WINGED SCOTER

Kent van Vuren


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Valley Habitat 3

Most people who havebeen watching birds for decades

find it difficult to pinpoint precise-ly when and where such a special-ized activity actually began. Forgiants who roam the earth likeKenn Kaufmann or GuyMcCaskie, that may be impossible,for they likely started soon afterthey could point and shout,"Bird!" For lesser mortals like us,the question What was the sparkbird that started me on this path?may be answered with some exer-cise of memory. When I asked thatof myself, the illuminating mo-

ment came flying back to me.

The place: Boulder Creek,the foothills of Fresno Coun-ty. The time: the mists of the1970'syes, that era of slim re-membrance. I was sitting on arock with a friend, just watchingthe river flow. Suddenly a plump

bird, gray as the rock it landed up-on, pumped up and down twice,stepped into the roiling water, andthen disappeared into the foamyrapids as we gaped in amaze-ment. Moments later, the bird

popped up and bobbed like a cork,hopped onto a rock, shook a sprayoff and began to sing. (One of usmay have said, Far out!) That

was the first bird that moved fromthe background of nature into the

foreground of my conscious-ness. The American Dipper, myfirst favorite bird, is still a delight

to me forty years later.

The most unique feature ofa dippers life history is its inextri-

cable intimacy with swiftly mov-ing rivers, streams or creeks. Alt-

hough the dipper is a passerine, Ihave never seen one perched in a

tree or bush, but always on a rockor fallen log midstream. In fact, adipper virtually never fliesacross itshabitat, but remains entirely within it.The land of flowing waters is its

highway, dining area and home.

A dipper is superblyadapted for aquatic life. The birdhas three foraging techniques forobtaining invertebrate prey: wad-ing in the shallows and dunking its

head underwater, paddling in themiddle depths, and diving down tofeed upon sandy stream bottoms.The dipper has stubby wings that

act like flippers for underwaterflight. Its legs are strong and its

toes are rough, the better for stickingonto slippery stones. A dipper hastwice as many contour feathers asother songbirds of equal size,which increases its insulation

against frigid water. A third eyelid,known as a nictitating membrane,

protects and moistens its eye, ena-

bling the bird to see underwater.

Why does a dipper dip onland? One theory proposes that itsvigorous motions demonstrate itsfitness to potential predators. An-

other holds that it can locate preymore readily, like a mockingbird

spreading its wings over grass. Athird hypothesis is that the move-ments communicate with its ownand similar species amidst a noisy

environment. You can take your pick.

The marvel of a dippers

nest is made of intricately wovenmosses. The nests are tucked intolocations inaccessible to predatorsalong cliff outcroppings, beneath

bridges or behind waterfalls. For

one example, a creek runs underand through an earthen tunnel at

Natural Bridges in CalaverasCounty, and dippers build their nestinside that tunnel every spring. Ispent some of my most enjoyable

birding hours there a few summersago, observing and recording theinteractions of a family of three

dippers along that creek.

The American Dipper is a

hardy Sierra bird, remaining evenin the harshest winter, whereverwater courses through ice andsnow. One of the most lyrical es-says on any bird, The Water Ou-

zel, was penned by John Muir,

our collective champion of wilder-ness. Among all mountain birds,

he wrote, none has cheered me so

much in my lonely wanderings

for both in winter and summer he

sings, sweetly, cheerilyrequiringno other inspiration than the

stream on which he dwells.

Muir experienced firsthandwhat is recorded in natural history

books, the fact that both sexes of

the dipper sing year round.

(Continued on page 4)

THE SPRITE OF RUNNING WATERS by Salvatore Salerno

American Dippers Tom Grey


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StanislausAudubon Society

Board of Directors: Bill Amundsen, Ralph

Baker, Eric Caine, Lori Franzman, Jody Hall-

strom, David Froba, Jim Gain, Daniel Gilman,

John Harris, Harold Reeve, Salvatore Salerno.

Officers & Committee Chairs

President: Sal Salerno 985-1232

([email protected])

Vice President: Eric Caine 968-1302

([email protected])

Treasurer: David Froba 521-7265

([email protected])

Secretary: John Harris 848-1518

([email protected])

Membership: Revolving

San Joaquin River Refuge Field Trips:Bill Amundsen 521-8256

([email protected])

Other Field Trips: David Froba 521-7265

([email protected])

Christmas Bird Counts Coordinator; Secre-

tary, Stanislaus Birds Records Committee:

Harold Reeve 538-0885

How to Join Audubon

To become a member of the National

Audubon Society, which entitles you

to receive Valley Habitat and Audubon

Magazine, send your check for $20.00 to:

National Audubon Society

Membership Data Center

P.O. Box 422250

Palm Coast, FL 32142

Visit our web site: www.stanislausbirds.org

Valley Habitat 4


AUDUBON FIELD TRIPS

January 19 and February 15. San Joaquin River National WildlifeRefugeis huge and offers the most diverse habitats in the area, includingmixed species transitional savannas, riparian forest, oak woodlands, grassland,and seasonal wetlands. Trip leader, Bill Amundsen ( 521-8256,[email protected]), chooses the particular habitats to visit each month based onconditions and season. Meet at the Stanislaus Library parking lot at 1500

I Street. at 7:00 a.m. We'll be back early afternoon.

January 25, Merced National Wildlife Refuge. Trip leader, BillAmundsen ( 521-8256,[email protected]). In the winter this mag-nificent refuge attracts waterfowl, shore birds, and others, in the mil-lions. Meet at the Stanislaus Library parking lot at 1500 I Street at 7:00

a.m. We'll be back mid afternoon.

February 2, Modesto Reservoir/Turlock Lake. In winter these lakescan attract scores of waterfowl, grebes and the occasional loon. The

shoreline may have large numbers of shorebirds, while the surroundinggrasslands can be superb for raptors. If there is water in the Turlock Lakeoutlet canal we may be lucky enough to find Barrows Goldeneye. We

may also visit Joe Domecq Wilderness Area and Dawson Lake (time per-mitting). This is a combined trip with San Joaquin Audubonso the starttime will be later than usual. Meet at the Stanislaus County Library park-ing lot (1500 I Street) at 8:00a.m. Bring lunch. We will return to Modestomid-afternoon. Trip leader Ralph Baker. Please email Ralphat [email protected] if you plan to go or if you haveany questions.

Audubon Field Trip EmailList

If you would like to be on a group

email to advise you of allAudubon field trips, please email:

Dave Froba at [email protected].

THE SPRITE OF RUNNING WATERS (Continued from page 3)

Ornithologists propose that the dippers singing holds both breeding and

wintering territories. But now we enter that shadowy region between sci-ence and poetry where sensible folks should go more often. Whywould a

bird sing even in winter, when the need for attracting mates is done?Whysing among raging rapids, where it has little chance to be heard at adistance? Whyexpend precious energy in singing, even while foraging? IfJohn Muir concludes that dippers sing from an excess of joy, I feel its an

honor to agree.

I cant write a better conclusion than Muirs, so Ill step aside and

let him have the last words: Tracing on strong wing every curve of the

most precipitous torrents from one extremity of the Sierra to the other;not fearing to follow them through their darkest gorges and coldest snow-tunnels; acquainted with every waterfall, echoing their divine music; andthroughout the whole of their beautiful lives interpreting all that we inour unbelief call terrible in the utterances of torrents and storms, as only

varied expressions of Gods eternal love.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Valley Habitat 5

Yokuts Group of the Sierra Club

Saturday, Feb 8th

Dayhike 2B

Las Trampas Wilderness. We willhike up from Bollinger Canyon to the

Las Trampas (eastern) ridge of thisEast Bay Regional Park and continueon trails part-way down the other sideto the Eugene ONeill historic

site. The hike will be approximately7-8 miles in length, and 900 ft in ele-vation gain. For further information,including the meet-up time and place,please contact Yokuts trip leader Ran-dall Brown at 209 632-5994.

Saturday, January 11Day Hike (2A)

Weimar Institute Trails Near Auburn

(Sacramento Group, Motherlode

Chapter of the Sierra Club)Hike ~7 miles. Enjoy the easy 800

elevation gain along oak, pine andManzanita groves. Learn about thehistory of this 457-acre property.Meet 9:30 a.m. at Roseville Park &Ride (Atlantic/Eureka Road off 80).Rain cancels. Leader trainee: ImeldaLansang 916.508.4441 and mentor

leader: Jack Tolomei 916.944.4942.

Saturday & Sunday,January 18 & 19

Flatwater Paddle (Class 1)

Elkhorn Slough (Motherlode Paddling

Section)We will paddle from Kirby tothe railroad bridge on Saturday andSunday from Hwy. 1 to Kirby. This isa prime area for birds, harbor seals,and sea otters. Limit of 14.ContactLarry for information and to reserve aspot. Leaders: Larry Deckard916.207.2191, [email protected]

and Shelley Brown.

2013 Stanislaus River Salmon Festival Report

by Milt Trieweiler (Photos Below)

Our Yokut's Group of the Sierra Club had a very nice tabling

event at the Stanislaus River Salmon Festival.The weather was excellent, and the crowd was friendly and

talkative. We had many good discussions with the families attend-

ing and many crafts for the children to enjoy.

Our prize wheel was a hit again, and it helps promote our

conservation causes. We also passed out a lot of literature on the

Sierra Club.

Make sure you are a part of this Sierra Club event next year.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Valley Habitat 6

Stan islaus Audubon Soc iety & Yokuts Group of the Sierra Club

MODESTO'S OVERREACH INTO HISTORIC FARM-

LAND (Continued from page 1)

"Springtime was indescribably beautiful with all the blos-

soms from the orchards."

Modesto officials have said that a General Plan is a "reflectionof community goals and values." But the Wood Colony

piece of their proposal shows a misreading of communityvalues. Other than a few blustery spokesmen for the Cham-

ber of Commerce and the building industry, it's difficult tofind Modesto residents who would choose to rip out orchards and

pave over the very productive farmland of this historic area.

Jobs vs. farmland continues to be a false choice. We need

to be smarter. San Francisco is physically unable to expandits borders but has a booming economy. I realize we ain'tthem, but they find ways to re-invest in their city, and tore-invent whole neighborhoods.

When farmland is urbanized, fuzzy math is used to com-pute the revenues. Agricultural lands already generatewealth. The loss of farm revenues and jobs is rarely men-tioned, not just for farmers, but for packers, processors,transporters, marketers and suppliers. And, the long-termcosts to tax-payers of maintaining the new infrastructure in

new developments is rarely explained.

The American Farmland Trust released a report about theSan Joaquin Valley earlier this year. "Saving Farmland,Growing Cities" has a chart showing the percentage of landconverted to non-agricultural use that is high quality farm-land for each of the eight counties. Sadly, Stanislaus Coun-ty is the worst in the valley with 87% of new development

built on high quality farmland.

Modesto should remove all of the Wood Colony district

from their proposal. And, a more engaged public shouldmake certain they do.

Online Valley Habitat for Yokuts

Yokuts Group of the Sierra Club members who want to receive the color version of the Valley Habitat online can sent an

email to this address to opt-in: [email protected]

Type SUBSCRIBE MOTHERLODE-YOKUTS-NEWS first name last name in the body of the mesage.

EARLY BIRDERS CLASS, WINTER 2014

Salvatore Salerno is offering another Early Bird-

ers class through the M.J.C. Community Educa-tion Department. This course is designed for thebeginning or intermediate bird watcher in the

identification and enjoyment of birds.

The classroom session is on Thursday, Febru-

ary 6. The first field trip is on February 8 to

Merced National Wildlife Refuge. The second

field trip is on February 15 to San Luis Na-

tional Wildlife Refuge.

Look for Early Birders in the mailed class cata-log or online at www.mjc4life.org. For further

information, call 575-6063.

Recycle

at the 7 p.m. Friday, January17, Yokuts

Program

College Avenue Congregational Church 1341

College Avenue - Refreshments and socializingbegin at 6:45 p.m.

Recycle receptacles will be available

to capture your contributions of used house-hold batteries, used CFL Lightbulbs, old eye-

glasses, and old cellphones.

Lets all do our bit to keep hazardous stuff out

of the trash.

Eyeglasses are turned in to The Lions Club fordistribution to those who can use them.

Used Cellphones are converted to Telephone

Calling Cards for overseas military personnel.

If you have too many magazines and books,you can bring those, too. They are distributed
http://www.mjc4life.org/http://www.mjc4life.org/http://www.mjc4life.org/


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Valley Habitat 7

Yokuts Group of the S ierra Club

Yokuts Group of the Sierra Club

Management Committee

Chair Anita Young 529-2300

([email protected])

Treasurer Steve Tomlinson 544-1617

(steve.tomlinson97@gmail,com)

Secretary Maryann Hight 417-9114

([email protected])

Programs Linda Lagace 863-9137

([email protected])

Conservation Brad Barker 526-5281

([email protected])

Membership Anita Young 529-2300

([email protected])

Hospitality Candy Klaschus 632-5473

([email protected])

Publicity Dorothy Griggs 549-9155

([email protected])

Outings Randall Brown 632-5994

([email protected])

Newsletter Nancy Jewett 664-9422

([email protected])

Mailing Kathy Weise 545-5948

([email protected])

Population Milt Trieweiler 535-1274

([email protected])Fundraising Leonard Choate 524-3659

Website Jason Tyree

([email protected])

Check out our Website:

http://motherlode.sierraclub.org/yokuts

To send stories to the Habitat, e-mail:

[email protected]

Sierra Club Membership

Enrollment Form

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Yes, I want to give a gift membership!

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Contributions, gifts and dues to the Sierra Club are not tax-deductible; they support

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for a subscription to SIERRA magazine and $1 for your Chapter newsletter.

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Enclose payment information and mail to:

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Yokuts Group

F94QN09051

Link to

the

Yokuts

Web-

Yokuts Sierra Club Joins Meetup

The Yokuts Sierra Club group, along with the Delta

Sierra and Tuolumne groups have formed a Stockton-

Modesto-Sonora Meetup group that includes Sierra Club

outings and events. Its easy and free to join this Meetup,

just go to the link below and sign up. Its not necessary

to be a Sierra Club member to join. Once you sign up,

you will automatically be sent announcements of new and

upcoming Meetup events. Join the fun and get active in

the Sierra Club. http://www.meetup.com/Stockton-

Modesto-Sonora-Sierra-Club/


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Jan 2014 Stanislaus Audubon

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