Do you want to learn about bird anatomy?

Here’s a great interactive tool for learning about bird anatomy from CornellLab. It helped me learn how to identify and describe the birds I’m seeing.

Cornell Lab Bird Anatomy


Wingbars Explained

If you’re trying to see the difference between two birds, an expert birder may explain that you can look at the wingbars for help with identification. Sometimes it can be a bit baffling to see these clearly on a bird moving around in a tree. Here David Sibley explains wingbars. I hope this will help next time you’re in the field.

Wingbars Explained

Are you thinking of removing your lawn? Consider Native Plants.

Landscaping with native plants is a great alternative to lawns.  They are low water tolerant and have the added benefit of enhancing your area for our native Southern California birds.

There are some great resources to help people get started.

National Audubon Society has launched a database of plants that are great for birds. You can search by your zip code to explore the best plants for birds in your area.

https://www.audubon.org/native-plants

The California Native Plant Society has many resources to learn and explore. Check out a chapter in your local area for outdoor hikes and walks, programs, and much more.

https://www.cnps.org/chapters

And look for plants using the Calscape database.

https://calscape.org/

The Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers and Native Plants provides many materials and educational resources.

https://theodorepayne.org/

The Metropolitan Water District also has resources on native plants along with various water saving incentive programs.

https://www.bewaterwise.com/california-native-plants.html

You will love learning about plants that support our local native birds!

Drawing Birds

I’m not an artist, but I wanted to try out drawing birds. I found that drawing birds helped me to understand more about bird anatomy and how to better identify birds in the field. If you want to try out drawing birds, John Muir Laws, nature journalist and science educator, has many excellent videos to help you get started. Here’s my favorite.

John Muir Laws Explains how to draw birds

Long time Whittier Audubon member, Yosh Nakamura has passed away.

From the Whittier Daily News:

World War II hero, artist and teacher Yoshio Nakamura dies at 100, leaving ‘extraordinary legacy’ of kindness, service.

On his 100th birthday the Whittier educator and artist called for people to treat others decently. A native of the San Gabriel Valley, “Papa Yosh,” as his family called him, endured war and internment camps to become a decorated war hero, celebrated artist and beloved teacher. 

 Nakamura, whom Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn called “a one-of-a-kind American hero,” died on Saturday, Nov. 22. He was 100 years old. Hahn said she plans to adjourn next week’s meeting of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors in Nakamura’s memory.

“Through some of the darkest moments in our nation’s history and in the face of fear and discrimination, Yosh chose love and service,” Hahn said. “I had the honor of throwing a 100th birthday celebration for him in June, and it’s clear that though he may no longer be with us, he  leaves behind an extraordinary legacy and countless admirers. My thoughts are with his loved ones.”

Among Nakamura’s awards and accomplishments: earning Whittier’s first Teacher of the Year award in 1960, the Congressional Gold Medal  in 2011, the Bronze Star, and the French Foreign Legion medal in 2017. His paintings and etchings are in the Guggenheim Collection in New  York and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. 

Yosh and Grace were awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Whittier  Area Audubon Society.

Have you found a bird that needs help?

A couple of helpful articles from National Audubon. Check these out so you are prepared.

When You Should—and Should Not—Rescue Baby Birds

You Found a Bird That Crashed Into a Window. Now What?

One great resource for getting help when you find an sick or injured bird is the Rescue Directory found on the On the Feeder website. It is a nation-wide listing that includes many resources in our area. You can find it here: Wildlife Rescue Directory.

Calfornia Fish & Wildlife website has a list of rehabilitation facilities and includes answers to a list of wildlife rehabilitation facilities. https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Laboratories/Wildlife-Health/Rehab

The California Wildlife Center is a great resource. https://cawildlife.org/ Their Hotline Phone: (310) 458-WILD (9453)

Find out about Project Phoenix: Investigating Bird Responses to Smoke

Whittier Area Audubon Society is encouraging all our members to participate in an important research project by counting and reporting the number of birds seen or heard, by species, for 10 minutes each week in a location convenient to them. Eventually this information will support our efforts to maintain or improve the abundance of birds in our area by clarifying the impacts of wildfires due to anthropogenic Climate Change.

Project Phoenix is a community science project supported by the UCLA La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHMLAC). The goal is to engage communities in monitoring birds in their neighborhoods during Summer and Fall to learn more about how wildfire smoke and urban air pollution impact bird behavior and species distributions. This research will help identify the places and resources birds use when it is smoky to inform local conservation strategies and protect birds in the age of megafires. The program is open to birders of all ages and backgrounds including families and beginner birders. There is no cost to participate, and online training is available for folks new to birding. Volunteers sign up to conduct weekly, 10-minute, stationary point counts of birds at a monitoring site of their choosing – their backyard, favorite park, etc. They may contribute additional observations (e.g., from additional surveys or opportunistically) if they choose. Last year’s Project focused on monitoring birds in California for 3 months - August through October. In 2024, it is expanding to include communities in Washington and Oregon and collecting data for 5 months - July through November. Identification of species by sound may be determined using “TheCornellLab Merlin” app on your smartphone. Reporting of the data is via eBird.

Project Phoenix research goals:

  • Collect data on the presence and abundance of birds during the fire season.

  • Evaluate the impact of urban air pollution and wildfire smoke on bird distributions, and consider if these responses vary across habitats.

  • Propose local intervention strategies to help birds during acute smoke events

To participate, go to https://www.project-phoenix-investigating-bird-responses-to-smoke.org/

Owl Release at Whittier Narrows Nature Center

It was great fun to see three Great-horned Owls released back into the wild at the Whittier Narrows Nature Center on October 8, 2022. It was a family event and about 50 people attended.

The owls had been transported from Wild Wings, where they had been rehabilitated, to the Nature Center in boxes. They were released one at a time. Below is a slide show and three slow-motion videos below will give you an idea of how beautiful and powerful they are.

Although the owl below flew from the box in a few seconds, in the slow motion video below you can see how it grabbed the side of the box and then turned its head forward before taking off.

Follow up about the Poo-Poo Project

From our September Speaker Amanda Penn regarding the Poo-Poo Project led by the Teton Raptor Center to protect cavity nesters from becoming trapped in outhouses in our state and national parks.

Thank you so much for having me as a speaker last night! I wanted to follow up about local areas that may be in need of Poo-Poo Screens. I have attached a list of areas that have partnered with us. Please take a look at the areas listed under California. If you have local areas that aren't listed or just notice any unscreened vault toilets, please let me know. Feel free to share my email with the group. Also, here is some information on the

Sponsor- A -Screen program: https://tetonraptorcenter.org/sponsor-a-screen . I would be happy to send a pack of Poo-Poo stickers to you.

Action item: if you are in any of the following areas in the San Gabriel Mountains, please check for vault toilets with unscreened vents.

  • Mt Wilson

  • Chantry Flats (Off Santa Anita)

  • West Fork (Off Hwy 39 Azusa Canyon)

  • Chilao 

  • Grassy Hollow

  • Bighorn Mine Trail

  • Icehouse Saddle

  • Devil's Punchbowl / Devil's Chair

  • Fish Canyon Falls

  • Lewis Falls

  • Cooper Canyon Falls

  • Telegraph Peak / Manker Flat

  • Stoddard Peak

Remembering Bob Brooks

Our hearts go out to long-time Board Member Letty Brooks on the passing of her husband Robert "Bob" Brooks, September 5th, 2020. After his retirement from the aerospace industry he spent many hours supporting various environmental groups, especially Whittier Area Audubon Society. He was president of the Desert Tortoise Preserve Committee, a docent at Cabrillo Marine Museum, and a member of the LA Mushroom Society. We will miss his big laugh and sense of fun. Rest in peace.

Donations in his Bob’s name can be made to the environmental organization of your choice. If you wish to donate to the Whittier Area Audubon Society, you may do so here. 

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