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Field Notebook
The Life of a KBO Nest-Searcher
by Nicholas Kronick Named after the abundance of camas lilies dotting the meadow blue through the long days of June, Lily Glen offers a fine sight that comes alive in the summer. This May-July, my field partner and I spent our days here with the purpose of locating and monitoring the nests of a local […]
Field Note from Whiskeytown National Recreation Area by Jim DeStaebler, Point Count Program Field Technician
I’m at the last point count station of the day, near the saddle of a ridge, at the top of a draw. The mature mixed conifer-oak forest is humid and dark after a late spring rain. And it’s quiet, in contrast to the dry live oak and manzanita chaparral nearby. As I start the count, […]
Volunteers from Humboldt State University help KBO recapture Yellow-breasted Chats returning from Mexico with valuable data
Introduction by Sarah Rockwell: We described the start of the Yellow-breasted Chat geolocator project in a previous blog post (CLICK HERE TO VIEW). Geolocators are lightweight devices designed to track a birds’ whereabouts by recording daily light levels. These novel data can then be used to determine migratory routes and wintering grounds—we need to know […]
NOVEMBER TALK AND WALK: ADVENTURES IN BIRDING THE KLAMATH BASIN
It is hard to say what I enjoyed more. Was it the photographs Mel Clements showed us depicting the seasons of the Klamath Basin accompanied to music at the evening talk? Was it being in the Butte Valley with master birding guide Frank Lospalluto pointing out the 10 or so Golden Eagles? Or was it […]
Faces in the Dark – a field day tale
Faces in the Dark by Claudia Strijek I stood outside the barbed-wire fence that guarded the historical barn from vandals, camera and binoculars in hand. The fence was also protecting a family of barn owls. I had seen one of the adults fly into the upper loft through an opening on the west side the […]
The Old Ones – a field day tale
The Old Ones By Claudia Strijek The old ones were here when the erupting earth spewed forth a fire river. They saw the red and orange molten rock fill the valley and saw huge plumes of smoke. They stared at the changing landscape for too long and the red burned into their eyes. So now we all […]
Eyes Upon Me – a field day tale
Eyes Upon Me By Claudia Strijek I glance up haphazardly thru thin trees, binoculars in hand, looking for winged activity. My eyes meet a fierce stare only a few feet above me. I freeze in place hoping to not cause this little hunter to flush. Two small golden eyes, surrounded by spotted feathers forming a […]
Beaver Fever: From pests to restoration tools
Beavers, like humans, are engineers of their own habitats, carrying out construction projects that make more food resources and housing available to them. Recently, beavers have been recognized by land managers as playing a vital role in maintaining diverse stream and riparian habitats. The benefits of beaver impoundments in a watershed include slowing and spreading […]
