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Author: KBO

KBO Has Filled Five Bird Monitoring Internships

Posted by Brandon Breen, on Jan. 3rd, 2013

The Trinity River in nothern California, photo by Ian Ausprey
**These positions are now filled**
Position Title:  BIRD MONITORING STUDENT VOLUNTEER INTERNSHIPS
Stipend: $750/month and housing will be provided

Position Description

The Klamath Bird Observatory (www.klamathbird.org) is seeking five interns (April – July) to participate in the bird monitoring component of a large river restoration project in northern California. This is a fantastic opportunity to gain exposure to an array of ornithological field methods while working on a high profile restoration project in a beautiful part of the world.

Job Duties

Duties will include nest searching/monitoring, spot map surveys, and vegetation surveys. Additional duties include: managing and entering data, maintaining equipment, and completing other tasks as required. Exposure to other aspects of the project, including point count and riverine float surveys, is possible and will be contingent upon logistics and personal aptitude. Field training on protocol methodology, bird identification, and orienteering will be provided early in the field season.

Basic Qualifications

Applicants should demonstrate a strong interest in birds, natural history, and field biology, and should be prepared to work long days in the field in hot and inclement weather, follow prescribed protocols, be meticulous in collecting and recording data, be in good physical condition, work well both independently and closely with others, possess good communication skills, and have a valid Driver’s License. Applicants must be willing to work in areas rife with poison oak, Himalayan Blackberry, and biting and stinging insects, with the potential to encounter rattlesnakes, black bears, and cougars.  It is essential that the applicant be comfortable and capable of working independently both at remote sites and in developed areas where interaction with the public is likely. Desired qualifications include: experience with ornithological field methodologies, camping, and orienteering.

To apply, send cover letter (including dates of availability and whether you have a personal vehicle), resume, and contact information for three references to Jaime Stephens (jlh AT klamathbird.org). Snail mail applications are also accepted: Klamath Bird Observatory, PO Box 758, Ashland, OR 97520. Applicants will be evaluated beginning January 7th and on a continual basis until all positions are filled.

A Swan Has Sung, Remembering Rich Stallcup

By Harry Fuller, on 25 Dec., 2012 (This article first appeared on Harry’s Towheeblog)

For anybody who’s birded in the Bay Area in the past 50 years, there has always been one human name that was respected, even beloved. Rich Stallcup. Sadly he just died from leukemia. Among his many achievements was co-founding of the Pt. Reyes Bird Observatory some 48 years ago. Rich was as much bird as man, having dropped out of school at 14 to go birding. He never went back to school and he never stopped studying birds.

For those of us who had the joy and wonder of watching Rich in the field it was unforgettable. Sharp of eye and ear, softly smiling, tireless in explaining to those of us who could see only part of the picture.

I love to tell of the time I showed up for one of his field trips at Five Brooks near Pt. Reyes. Standing in the parking lot I watched him drive up, open the trunk of his jalopy, stick his head in to arrange his gear and begin calling off birds from their chips notes. Rich had 14 species, with his head in the trunk, never once glancing up.

At one time his beat-up vehicle sported a bumper sticker that read, “Let the buffalo roam, whistle back the swan.”

If only there was a way to whistle back the swan-like soul of Rich Stallcup.

One of his famous dicta: “Sure you’ve seen lots of Robins, but have you ever seen THAT Robin?”

Every living thing from grass to Grasshopper Sparrow was imbued with vitality and complexity when you got to share the vision with Rich Stallcup.

Rich’s quiet demeanor, gentle knowledge and keen love for all things wild and natural was infectious. His deep knowledge of American birds was a resource every other birder valued. When there was some disagreement over a difficult identification of some rare or puzzling bird, the ultimate, accepted judgement would hinge on, “What does Richie think?”

Dick Ashford is a friend of mine and President of the Klamath Bird Observatory, one of many institutions inspired by PRBO, one of Richie’s great contributions to bird science. Here is how Dick remembers his friend, Rich Stallcup: “I (we) lost a dear friend over the weekend. Rich Stallcup was my longtime friend and mentor, my guide into the “field of wonder” (Rich’s term for the natural world). For years, I have begun my talks with one of his quotations, “There are no experts, no masters, just students. It is as it should be”. When I called Rich to ask his permission to use it, he choked up. I am choked up as I write this. I have wonderful stories to share, and memories to keep…”

Below is an apt tribute written by Jon Winter, another wonderful birder who taught the first bird class I ever took. That would have been 1978, a night course at College of Marin.

“Rich has the soul of a poet, the mind of a scientist, and the spirituality of a shaman. This is not a combination of talents often found in a birder. If Rich hasn’t seen the vision, he sure as hell knows where to look for it while the rest of us mortals are stumbling around trying to find out what the hell it is all about. You always felt like a contact hitter when birding with Rich. You always knew at any moment he could put one out of the park. I suspect that it is the same feeling professional athletes get when they are in the same game with a Barry Bonds, a Jerry Rice, or a Michael Jordan. You know that you are in the presence of someone extraordinary; someone that has an ability that completely transcends that of an ordinary player. Rich’s influence goes well beyond just identifying birds, he has become a part of the flow of life itself, part of the essence of what animates the natural world, and he understands that world from that very unique perspective. Placed in that context, the ability to identify birds isn’t really very important, it is all rather clinical. To those who have been fortunate enough to know him, Rich leads you to a higher purpose through birding; an understanding of your spirit.”

Here’s one more memory of Rich, the consummate birder and teacher, from Doug Shaw of Santa Rosa, CA: “I remember some years back I ran into Rich with a small group of about 6 birders at Point Reyes walking back to the parking lot from the lighthouse during Fall Migration. A couple of us asked him Anything Good? and got the Rich stare. He kindly responded, “all birds are good,” which gave us a different outlook on the chasing aspect of birding. I have remembered that quote many times over the years. Also, if another birder reported some thing out at the point that was misidentified he was always very respectful and would kindly educate you rather than criticize you.”

KBO Has Filled Banding Internships for 2013

Posted on Dec. 24, 2012

**These positions are now filled**

Internship Title: Bird Banding Intern
Stipend: $750 per month; housing and transportation between field sites provided
Duration: May 1st 2013 to October 31st, 2013, minimum 3-month commitment, 6-month preferred
Project Location: Klamath-Siskiyou Bioregion of southern Oregon and northern California

BIRD BANDING INTERNSHIP positions 1 May – 31 October 2013. The Klamath Bird Observatory (www.klamathbird.org) is seeking highly motivated individuals to participate in our long-term landbird monitoring program in the Klamath-Siskiyou Bioregion of southern Oregon and northern California during the breeding and fall migration seasons. Duties and instruction will include mist netting and banding songbirds, bird survey, data quality-assurance, entry, and management, public and school group banding-outreach, and other fieldwork support as required. Non-field duties include study and discussion of banding and biology materials, equipment maintenance, and data entry. Successful candidates will have a strong interest in birds and field biology, possess a positive and constructive attitude to cooperative work toward reaching project objectives, give priority to safety considerations, work and live harmoniously in close company with coworkers, follow protocols precisely, be meticulous in collecting and recording data, be in good physical condition, possess excellent communication skills, be dedicated to study in spare time, have patience with short-notice schedule changes, be prepared to work long days in the field under (sometimes) adverse conditions (heat, cold, mosquitoes), camp at remote sites on a regular basis, and have a valid Driver’s License (non-US citizens must obtain an Oregon Driver’s License; all candidates may be asked to provide driving record copy). Additional preferred qualifications include good bird identification skills, mist net/banding experience, rough road driving and manual transmission vehicle experience. Training and operations will adhere to North American Banding Council guidelines with a focus on safe, ethical mist netting and banding and advanced ageing/sexing techniques. Rustic housing, a stipend of $750 per month, depending on qualifications and by mutual agreement, and transportation between study sites are provided. These are student volunteer internship positions and should not be considered employment. A minimum of three-month commitment required with six-month commitment preferred. These positions will involve long days filled with hard work, a lot of driving and camping, and hopefully a lot of fun. Application deadline is ongoing until the positions have been filled. To apply, send cover letter (include dates of availability), resume, and contact information for three references to BOB FREY (Email: bif<AT>klamathbird.org). For questions regarding the position email BOB FREY.

Application Deadline: Ongoing until the positions have been filled.
Interviews: Ongoing until positions filled.

Bird Counters Also Keep Eye on Climate Change

By Brandon Breen, on Dec.7, 2012

Jaime Stephens, KBO’s Research and Monitoring Director, answered questions about the response of birds to climate change for an article in the Outdoor section of the Medford Mail Tribune. As the climate changes, Jaime explained, bird distributions will shift and this will lead to new competitive interactions among species and new experiences with predators for some species. For bird species already at risk, climate change can present yet another challenge. Birds that depend on highly seasonal food resources, such as aerial insects or nectar from flowers, and long-distance migrants that depend on food being available for the duration of their migrations, also may face challenges. Read the full article online or in pdf format.

Region’s Oaks Ecologically Important

Oak habitats support more biodiversity than any other habitat in southern Oregon, but they have been slowly fading away over the past century due, in large part, to fire suppression policies that have allowed conifers to encroach upon and ultimately replace oak stands. The Klamath Bird Observatory is dedicated to oak restoration and KBO’s Jaime Stephens was interviewed by the Klamath Falls Herald and News for her work, alongside 22 partners, on the Central Umpqua-Mid-Klamath Oak Habitat Conservation Project. Read the December 4th, 2012 article titled “Region’s Oak Stands Ecologically Important” online or click here for a PDF of the article text. Oak habitat is important for many birds, including Oak Titmouse and White-breasted Nuthatch.

Birding is for the Humans

By Brandon M Breen, Klamath Bird Observatory Outreach and Communications Specialist

sunrise

Occasionally, I forget just how much fun it is to go birding. And then I venture into the woods in the morning and the forest air and peacefulness begin to creep into me and the brightness of the blue sky makes me smile and the whole scene of clear water and mossy trees and far-off forest sounds hugs me up and I literally become a different person: a person with less tension who is BAM! engaged in his surroundings. This happened to me just the other day.

I got out of my car at my birding destination at the Little Hyatt Reservoir in southern Oregon and within moments of doing so I thought, This is great. I thought that even before I arrived. I thought that as I drove on Old Hyatt Prairie Road through mountain meadows and mixed conifer woods. I was told this is Great Gray Owl Habitat. It sure looked the part, with its meadows for hunting voles and its majestic conifer limbs for majestic conifer perching.

I walked up a small hill and beheld the Little Hyatt Reservoir, spread out in front of me like a mirror filled with a beautiful upside-down forest. An Osprey leapt into the air from a dead snag and headed north. Two bright blue and white, chattering Belted Kingfishers swooped past me and out of sight into the trees, but not out of earshot. A Stellar’s Jay flew overhead.

And what’s that, at the far end of the Little Hyatt? Why, it’s a Pied-billed Grebe. Not causing anyone any trouble. And beyond him, in one of the biggest conifer trees I’ve ever seen, about halfway up, just sitting there (enjoying the view?), is a Red-tailed Hawk.

Now where are all the woodpeckers, I thought. Woodpeckers are among my favorite birds. I scanned the forest behind me for activity. It’s quiet aside from the calls of Red-breasted Nuthatches, chickadees, and Pine Siskins. Some chickadees come near me to investigate and I see, mixed in with the Mountain Chickadees, a Chestnut-backed Chickadee, a new species for me.

At the north end of the reservoir the water gives way to marsh and then finally to fields. A few Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Yellowthroats call in the marsh and I see, in the field beyond, a few flashes of blue. Mountain Bluebirds! I walk a little farther along a dirt road and then I see, rising placidly over the trees, a special bird for me, and one of the most visible birds in the continental United States, the Turkey Vulture. In my travels throughout the USA, whether I’m in Minnesota in the summer or counting birds along the Colorado River or sitting outside at a café in Oregon, I can usually spot a Turkey Vulture in flight with little effort if the weather is warm enough.

A Vesper Sparrow flushes from the grass near the road. A Northern Goshawk makes tight circles in the sky. On my way back to the reservoir I see a streak through the sky and then a flash of wings as a songbird in flight narrowly evades a Peregrine Falcon. The raptors are out today. I watch the falcon fly off, without a meal, on powerful wingbeats. I try to follow the bird, hoping to get a better look when it perches, but the falcon continues beyond the trees that line the reservoir.

Back at my car, I take one last look around. All the trees around me are alive except one tall snag. I see something perched near the top. I look through my binoculars and there it is, the Peregrine Falcon. I watch it for a while, delighted with my luck. As I’m about to leave, the falcon takes flight. It makes lazy circles above me, showing me its beautiful silhouette, its pointed wings and fan-shaped tail. And it shows me even more than that, something about richness and exhilaration.

The Hoopa Story of the Origin of the Yellow-breasted Chat

ybch

“The mythical hero Yimantuwinyai knew that salmon existed, but had been searching for them in vain until Mink came and told him that a woman had all the world’s salmon penned up across the ocean at the edge of the world. Yimantuwinyai collected some madrone berries and then journeyed to that place where she lived. Once there, he became her guest. By eating his madrone berries (which look like salmon eggs) and talking about them as if they were salmon eggs, he fooled the woman into thinking there were salmon where he came from too. This made her less wary of him. She served him salmon and eels, and he spied on her to find out where she kept them. He saw that they, along with all kinds of other fish were penned up in a lake nearby. After smoking himself in the sweathouse one evening, he ordered his flute to play music by itself so that the woman would think he was still there. Meanwhile he went out to dig an outlet from the lake. When he finished, the water and the fish flowed out in a stream which encircled the world. In front were the silversides (salmon), and leading them and all the other fish was one fish all by itself, the Salmon Leader. Yimantuwinyai said that every year when spring comes, Salmon Leader will always lead the salmon upstream. And he told the old woman who had owned and guarded the salmon that she would be called “Salmon’s Grandmother” and henceforth would eat only berries… Then Yimantuwinyai went off to teach people how to prepare (for food) the fish he had released. Salmon’s Grandmother followed behind crying for the fish. She came to Hoopa following her fish, and she still comes in the fifth month. Salmon’s Grandmother is that bird we call the yellow-breasted chat.”

This excerpt is reprinted with permission, and it also appeared in the Fall 2014 issue of Klamath Bird Observatory’s quarterly newsletter, The Klamath Bird.

Source: Steinberg, S.L., Dunk, J.R., & Comet, T.A. 2000. In Hoopa Territory. Published by Hoopa Valley Tribe.