As many folks know, once the date for the Christmas Bird Count is set, the count happens, rain or shine. But what if there is a flood? Torrential rains? How about gale force winds? Does this sort of weather lead you to believe that the count might be called off? According to many area birders, the answer is a resounding NO!

Madrone Audubon's 39th annual Christmas Bird Count held on New Year's Day had all of these conditions and more. On the sage advice of Peter Leveque, we had telephones ringing all over the county contacting area leaders and asking them to stay home if they had any doubts about the safety of their birding areas. Some areas were hazardous and inaccessible and the leaders of those areas wisely, if reluctantly, kept their teams at home. Amazingly, more than half of those who had signed up to count braved the elements to fulfill their duties as planned, flooded roadways and all.

With the exception of areas directly under water, most were counted, if only lightly. A few leaders even branched out and covered a bit of a neighboring territory if they knew that the leader was unable to make it. Dennis Beall, leader of the Austin Creek team, sounded positively exhilarated by the challenge of birding in such rough weather. Sylvan Eidelman, leader of the Seahorse (Chancellor) Ranch team, reported that it wasn't too bad until winds of over 50 mph caused him to reevaluate the situation and call it a day. Most leaders did the same, going out for a few hours and then coming in when they decided that the safety of the team might be at risk or that their return trip home might be compromised by flooding or mud slides. (See Betty Burridge's blow-by-blow account In this issue of the Madrone Leaves.)

The count wasn't what we had originally hoped for, but there were a few notable finds. We had record numbers of Red Phalaropes along the coast. The sighting of a Black Rail at Chancellor Ranch was a first for that area. Long-eared Owls on Coleman Valley Road and Ring-necked Ducks on Austin Creek were noted for the first time in several years. So there were still a few birds out there to be seen and counted. Be sure to read the next issue of the Leaves for a full reporting of the species tally and count totals.

We appreciate the CBC Stalwarts!

A big "thank you" is in order for all of the leaders who wanted to participate, whether they were actually able to lead their teams or not. This list includes, but is not limited to Sean Jeane, Dave Berman, Veronica Bowers, Gerry Mugele, Bill Payne and Jon Ferrari, Karen and Jerry Wagner, Ruth Rudesill, Ian Morrison and Betty Burridge, Mike Parmeter, Bill Lenarz, Phyllis Schmitt, Sylvan Eidelman, Rick LeBaudour and Ken Wilson, Doug Shaw, Mike Heffernon, Peter Leveque, Claire Shurvinton, Dennis Beall and Pam Conley, Carolyn Johnson, and Richard Merriss.

February General Meeting
"Rwanda and Kenya-the Great Migration and Gorillas, too"
Monday, February 20, at 7:30 PM
First United Methodist Church
1551 Montgomery Drive
Santa Rosa

End your President's Day Weekend with a photo safari to Rwanda and Kenya! In the summer of 2005 Diane and Bryant Hichwa toured seven national parks and reserves in East Africa. The trip started with a sobering visit to the Genocide Memorial in Kigali, Rwanda, followed by an exhilarating hike to observe two families of mountain gorillas in the misty Virunga Mountains. In Kenya the route was planned to visit varying habitats of plains, mountains and rainforest in order to see everything from antelope to zebras, bee eaters to ostriches-plus the Great Migration of antelope, zebras and wildebeests crossing the Mara River as they move from the Serengeti into the Mara Triangle of Kenya.

Diane and Bryant are both past presidents of Madrone Audubon. Diane is the long-time chair of Madrone's Conservation Committee, and Bryant currently serves on the Mayacamas Mountains Sanctuary Steering Committee and represents our chapter on the board of Audubon Canyon Ranch.

COMING IN MARCH: Steve Shunk presents "Hot Topics of the Birding World: Birds of Alberta's Boreal Forest and an Ivory-billed Woodpecker Update"

…to all who have made contributions in response to our end-of-the-year fund-raising letter, or have renewed as Friends of Madrone Audubon in the past few months. A complete listing of our donors will appear in a future issue of the Leaves. We very much appreciate your generosity!

Bodega Bay, December 7
Ten stalwart birders joined Betty Groce at Bodega Bay on a cold, and eventually rainy day. At lunchtime, seven of this hardy group took refuge at the Tides for hot clam chowder and warmth. In spite of this, we tallied a surprising 78 species as we continued birding until early afternoon when the wind and rain became serious. Highlights included hundreds of Brant Geese, a few dozen White Pelicans, twelve species of ducks, many Black Turnstones and Surfbirds, and four Red Knots, which of course, were NOT
red.

Howarth Park and Spring Lake, December 15
A cool, misty, but invigorating morning found eight intrepid birders, led by George Batchelder, scouting out 50 species. A few relative rarities, namely Redhead, Hooded Merganser (female) and White-throated Sparrow, highlighted the day's sightings. Other birds of note included a Red-breasted Sapsucker and a Spotted Sandpiper.

Sacramento Valley Wildlife Refuges, November 30-December 1
Madrone's annual trip to Sacramento Valley yielded 92 species spotted by 14 birders with leader Richard Hurley.

Sacramento Wildlife Refuge brags, "Over 500,000 ducks and 300,000 geese winter here." Indeed, it is difficult not to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of birds. There were hundreds of pheasants, an unusual number of Moorhens, flocks of Ibis and, of course, blizzards of Snow Geese, including three of the Blue Goose variety. After birding Sacramento and Colusa Refuges we enjoyed our annual dinner combining much congeniality with birder stories. On December 1 we birded Live Oak Cemetery and in the fields on the way to Gray Lodge saw Tundra Swans, more Ibis, and Sandhill Cranes. At Gray Lodge Refuge a rain set in, forcing us to call it a day. Next year we will bird West/North Butte Road on the way home. Ted Eliot reports it as an excellent birding route. We hope you will join us.

Shollenberger Park, December 21
Eight birders joined Andy Lacasse on a very gray, misty morning to bird Shollenberger, where we observed 64 species. Some of the highlights were newly arrived: seven Common Goldeneyes, a Common Merganser, Pintails, and Northern Shovelers. Also, several Sora and Virginia Rails were called up. Highlights were great views of three Common Yellowthroat, a Sharp-shinned Hawk drying out, and a Peregrine Falcon making a kill over the south berm.

Willowside Road and Ragle Park, December 29
A break in the winter storms allowed us a day of birding at Ragle Park and along Santa Rosa Creek. Seven birders helped Richard Hurley spot 49 species. One highlight was a House Finch that looked so orange-yellow that we thought at first that it was a different species. The water department was working at their pond at the end of the road and the gate was open, so we availed ourselves of views of many duck species, including a female Hooded Merganser.

What is it like to participate in a Christmas Bird Count with mudslides and rising waters threatening access to and within your assigned area? Think adventure!

The first challenge was getting to our territory at Bodega Bay. Two major roads (Highway 12 and Occidental Road) were closed, as was a shortcut (Willowside Road) to Guerneville Road, the one passable bridge over the Laguna de Santa Rosa. As we drove west over the still rising waters in that flood plane, I could see that water was already onto the roadbed. Hmm! Could we get back home later via this route? Who do we know in Bodega Bay that we can bunk with tonight? Never mind. Duty calls. The birds will be counted.

Next challenge was finding my team. Some were on time, but wandered off on their own, not knowing if or when we would arrive. Some were delayed by the road conditions, but everyone who was expected showed up-plus two unexpected and very valuable last minute volunteers.

Then we really had to deal with the weather. After an initial five-minute respite from the storm, driving rain and gale force winds moved in and kept us isolated in our vehicles. Almost all of the birds wisely hunkered down in whatever shelter they could find. A few stalwarts floated uncertainly on the waters of the harbor.

We developed a somewhat useful technique of placing our cars between the wind and any exposed birds, so that we could at least have a chance to look at and ID some birds through partially opened windows. Windshield wipers were occasionally useful between downpours.

Then the tide came in. Not just any ordinary high tide, but a seven footer that was predicted to be the highest of the year. It fulfilled its promise by combining with one-to-two-foot waves which, pushed by 40 mph winds, crashed onto and across harbor-rimming Bay Flat Road. We drove through by timing the waves and crossing our fingers.

We returned to Santa Rosa after lunch via Sebastopol, Highway 116 to Cotati, and then Highway 101 North to a pot of hot tea and a fire in the fireplace.

The most 'numerous' birds that we saw? First were gulls, second were Buffleheads (ducks), and third were Red Phalaropes, normally rare seabirds that are seldom seen on land. The list of the most common birds we did NOT see includes Mallard, chickadee, Bushtit, woodpecker, Robin, cormorant, thrush, Fox and Song Sparrow, hummingbird, hawk, Turkey Vulture, Killdeer, junco, kinglet, House Sparrow and House Finch.

Saturday February 18, 10:30 AM to Noon at Spring lake Park
Join Claire Shurvinton on the Great Backyard Bird Count

Meet at the parking lot off Channel Drive adjacent to the Environmental Discovery Center. Parking is $3 unless you have a regional parks permit.

The GBBC is a yearly event put on by Audubon together with the Cornell Laboratory for Ornithology. Citizen scientists are encouraged to go into their backyard, schoolyard or local park during the period of February 17-20 and make a note of the largest numbers of each species of birds seen together at one time. We will look for birds at Spring Lake Park, create a species list, and then a volunteer can submit our data to the national database. There is a bird photo contest this year, so budding photographers should bring their cameras.

Please call Claire at 527-6118 and to tell her if you plan to come and count.

If you can't make the Peewee event, you can still count the birds in your neighborhood, or on a family field trip as long as you do it within the count period (Feb 17-20). You can then enter your own data online at the bird source website. For more information on the GBBC go to www.birdsource.org.

Some of you may know that I'm a wildlife rehabilitator, specializing in songbirds. I receive calls from citizens all over Sonoma County who need help with an ill or injured bird. On December 26 I received a strange series of calls from good Samaritans with reports of "little white birds littering Highway 1."

One of the callers, a woman from Forestville, asked if she could bring me two of these little white birds she found in the redwood forest of her backyard. She thought they might be Sanderlings. Curious, I thought. I knew the storm we had just had was bad, but the situation with the birds sounded odd. By the time the lady arrived I had already received a call from WildCare in San Rafael asking if I had received any Red Phalaropes yet and did I know what was happening with them.

Pieces of the puzzle were beginning to come together. I said that I had received a few calls on our Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue hotline about little white birds all along Highway 1 from Sea Ranch to Bodega Bay and that a few of them were on their way to me, but I didn't know if they were phalaropes yet. WildCare said the birds they had received were exhausted and emaciated. We agreed that if we were able to stabilize the condition of the birds, we would transfer them to the International Bird Rescue and Research Center (IBRRC) in Cordelia. IBRRC specializes in aquatic birds and has a trained staff and state of the art facility set up to accommodate the unique needs of sea birds.

I prepared the hospital for our incoming guests, turning on the incubator and drawing up some fluids that would be administered once the birds were warm. The lady from Forestville arrived with a Huggies diaper box in hand. (People transport injured birds in everything from empty mayonnaise jars to refrigerator boxes.) We placed the box on the exam table and I carefully opened the top. All was quiet, no movement. There on the bottom of the box lined with pink Kleenex sat two little white and grey birds whose delicate faces looked as though they were just hanging on to dear life. I carefully scooped them up and placed them in the incubator. They were indeed Red Phalaropes, the only shorebird that spends most of its life out in the open sea, migrating south from the Arctic to winter in tropical waters off South America and Africa and as far north as Baja. I wished I were seeing them under happier circumstances.

Not all of the Red Phalaropes rescued and brought into rehab centers survived, but the majority of them were nursed back to health and returned to the wild to continue their journey south. During our Christmas Bird Count on January 1, I was very pleased to see a several healthy Red Phalaropes foraging in the Estero Americano. Later that week I enjoyed seeing dozens of them at Bodega Bay. They were a beautiful sight. I wished them bon voyage and hoped the rest of their journey would be smooth sailing.

What happened?
This winter, strong Pacific storms caused a "wreck" or "stranding" of the Red Phalaropes all along the coast from Washington to northern and central California. Thousands were displaced and were found on beaches, roadways, golf courses and even in residential backyards. Many could be seen foraging along the kelp line on the beach with other shorebirds, and groups were reported in small ponds inland, and in fields away from the coast. There were hundreds reported dead or dying on roadways and in fields. There is speculation that the storm was not the only cause of this stranding and the high mortality rate among these birds, but that the birds were also having difficulty finding sufficient food at sea due to warmer ocean temperatures.

Laguna Foundation Docent Training
Orientation meeting on Monday, Feb 6, 7:00-9:00 PM at the Central Santa Rosa Library Forum Room. Would you love to learn about our local wetlands? Want to share that enthusiasm with children? Consider becoming a Laguna Docent! Applications are available online at <www.lagunafoundation.org> or call Mary Abbott, 527-9277 x2 for further information.

Spring Training for Nature Guides at Spring Lake Park
WildCare announces training sessions for volunteer nature guides, Saturdays February 11 and 25, March 11 and 25, ending April 15.
Learn to guide school children-kindergarten through 5th grade--on nature walks. Training will be held in Rohnert Park and in San Rafael. Commit to volunteer six hours a month during the school year. For information and to register for training, call (415) 453-1000, ext. 21 or go to <www.wildcarebayarea.org>.

Bird Class with John Klobas. Saturday, February 11, Eagle Trek to Solano, Yolo, and Colusa Counties, 8 AM to 5 PM. Call SRJC Community Education, 527-4371, for information and registration.

Winter Wings Festival 2006, February 16-19 in Klamath Falls, Oregon. Guided tours in the Klamath Basin to see wintering waterfowl and eagles. For more information about the Winter Wings Festival, go to <http://www.winterwingsfest.org/>.

COTATI: Karen Dann, Patrick Hamilton, Rosalie Lang. GLEN ELLEN: Jeanne Wirka. GUERNEVILLE: Shirley Gantner. KENWOOD: Carolyn Vogt. LANSDALE, PA: Esther Wheeler. PENNGROVE: Melissa Ward. PETALUMA: Joni Gardner. SANTA ROSA: Kathleen & Michael Capella, Catherine Davis, Joanne Dranginis, JC.E. Etienne, Robert Hahn, Anita Lytle, Nancy Mason, Lynn McGarvey, Elizabeth Rice, William Robotka, Phyllis Schmitt, Gwendolyn Toney, Frances Wilson, Robert Yeats. SEBASTOPOL: Adrienne & Joseph Casco, Jan Ziotnick & Jeanette Lebell. SONOMA: Paul Martin, Verne & Jackolyn Stadtman, Alice Webb. VINEBURG: Charles Wallace.

Madrone Audubon Society has a very special group among our members. They participate in our activities and enjoy the fellowship of other members. They almost always respond to our calls for help. And they provide financial support through the payment of dues to Madrone. They are… well, friends. And from now on that is exactly what they will be called. The Board of Directors has decided to honor that special group of members who choose to go the extra step of paying dues to our local chapter by the name, "Friends of Madrone Audubon Society."

More than half of our Friends also pay dues to National Audubon Society. We have no quarrel with that and indeed, encourage you to do so. The magazine alone is worth the price of the dues and your money goes to support conservation, environmental and wildlife issues on a national and global level. The dues paid to Madrone, however, stay here and provide help for local activities-activities which you will find described throughout these pages of Leaves.

So we say to that special group of people, know that you are appreciated. From now on you are Friends of Madrone Audubon Society.

A Friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of Nature.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson .

BOLINAS LAGOON PRESERVE
Call 868-9244 for reservations and information

This Preserve's public season will run March 18 - July 16. Come view the nesting herons and egrets and hike the more than 8 miles of beautiful trails. Open Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 10 to 4; by appointment only Tuesdays through Fridays, 2 to 4.

Weekend Hosts. We are especially grateful to those of you who can volunteer a weekend day to help us greet visitors to the Preserve this spring and summer. In return for your gift of time, we can promise you a closer-up view of all the heronry's antics, the ponds' critters, the Preserve's workings, and an invitation to our popular Volunteer Appreciation Picnic in the fall. Please join us!

Spring Work Day. Sunday March 5, 9:30-1:00, plus a free lunch at Picher Canyon. Help us with trail work, library work, pulling weeds or cooking lunch (we provide). Bring your favorite tool for outdoor projects. Please call to register, so we can plan on enough food.

BOUVERIE PRESERVE
Call 938-4554 for reservations, or visit our website at <www.egret.org>.

Guided Nature Walks. February 4, March 18, April 1 and 22, May 6 from 9:30-1:30. Audubon Chapter members receive priority in reserving a day to hike the beautiful trails-full of spring wildflowers and many other wonders-of our 500-acre Preserve in Sonoma's Valley of the Moon. Call or go to the website to receive an application form for one of our half-day walks with a docent. Be sure to mention that you are an Audubon Chapter member.

Resource Management Days. February 13, March 13, April 10, and May 8 from 8:15-12:30. Come help clear trails, pull non-native plants, or work in the native plant garden. Bring gloves, a lunch, and lots of energy. Drinks and tools will be provided. Call ahead to register with ACR's Resource Management staff.

Hooded Merganser (fem.) 10/29 Bodega Harbor TA
Harlequin Duck (imm. fem.) 11/4 Bodega Harbor LH, DN
Blue-winged Teal (12-15) Oct. Shollenberger Park M.Ob
Greater White-fronted Goose (1) 10/30 Doran Park SB
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 10/12-11/? Inverness, Marin County RS, AW, et al Cattle Egret (30+) Oct. High School Road CL, LL, et al
White-faced Ibis (1) 10/28 Shollenberger Park ALaC
Pacific Golden-Plover (4- 5) 10/7-20 Shollenberger Park LH, et al
Bald Eagle (sub-ad.) 10/5 Russian River at Jenner AW, R.R.O.S.
Bald Eagle (imm.) 10/5 Willow Creek Road AW, R.R.O.S.
Ferruginous Hawk 10/23 Joy Road (south end) CL, LL
Rough-legged Hawk 10/29 Outer Point Reyes, Marin County CL, LL
Prairie Falcon 10/22 Las Gallinas treatment ponds BP
Common Poorwill 10/13 Sonoma Mountain T. Eliot
Lewis's Woodpecker Oct. Pine Flat Road fide KW
Bell's Vireo (eastern race) late Oct-Nov. Rhododendron garden, G.G. Park M.Ob
Palm Warbler 10/7 Las Gallinas treatment ponds BL
Western Tanager 10/30-31 Windsor residential area T. Erickson
Chestnut-collared Longspur 10/6 Bay Hill Road (heard-only, fly-by) DN Chestnut-collared Longspur 10/13-14 Nice-Lucerne cutoff, Lake County DW White-throated Sparrow 10/12 Santa Rosa residence JT

CONTRIBUTORS: Tice Allen, Sara Blauman, Ted Eliot, Tiffany Erickson, Lisa Hug, Andy LaCasse, Bob Lewis, Cindy & Leslie Lieurance, Dan Nelson, Bob Power, Rich Stallcup, Jean Tonascia, Alan Wight, Ken Wilson, Dave Woodward, and members of the Redwood Region Ornithological Society.

Red-necked Grebe (6) 1/7 Jetty areas and off Doran Beach DN, SB
Cattle Egret (231) 1/8 High count near Sebastopol LH
Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron Dec. Just north of Inverness Store M.Ob.
American Bittern (2) Dec. Spring Lake at Montgomery Drive dam M.Ob.
Northern Fulmar (casualty) 11/29 Doran Beach DF
Short-tailed Albatross (immature) 12/4 Cordell Bank offshore trip RS, DF, et al.
Tundra Swan 12/28-30 Shollenberger Park PC
Snow Goose 12/30 Wheat Creek PC
Snow Goose (prim.; over 1000) 11/15 Two miles west of Graton; flying very, very high, heading east CJ
Snow Goose Dec. Ponds just west of Bloomfield GWitt
Greater White-fronted Goose (25) Dec. Ponds just west of Bloomfield GWitt
Hooded Merganser (2) 11/20 East of Geyserville CB
Hooded Merganser (female) Dec. Spring Lake M.Ob.
Redhead (female) Dec. Spring Lake M.Ob.
Barrow's Goldeneye (2 female) 12/18 Graton treatment ponds MH
Wood Duck (2-6) Nov.-Dec. East of Geyserville CB
Mandarin Duck (2) Dec. Lake Ralphine G. Wellman
Harlequin Duck (male) 12/24 Doran Launch area, Bodega Harbor BDP, fide DF
Pacific Golden- Plover (3) 12/28 Shollenberger Park PC
Red Phalarope (1) 12/26 Spring Lake G. Wellman
Red Phalarope (1) 12/26 Shollenberger Park G. Wellman
Red Phalarope (45+) 12/29 Within Bodega Harbor (alive); many casualties along Highway 1 DN, et al.
Black Rail (3) 12/31 Shollenberger Park PC
Black Rail (6) 12/30 Waldo's Dike, south of Inverness MD
Yellow Rail (1) 12/30 Waldo's Dike, south of Inverness MD
Little Gull (1 adult) 12/4 Cordell Bank offshore trip RS, DF, et al.
Peregrine Falcon 1/8 Sebastopol; attacked Cattle Egret; injured, but alive. LH
Rough-legged Hawk 12/22 Stage Gulch Road RR
Osprey (casualty) 1/4 Found at Foothill Regional Park DS
Pileated Woodpecker 12/4 Windsor at Pool Creek; first ever in yard there SL
Red-naped Sapsucker 12/15 Bolinas lumberyard KH
Burrowing Owl 12/24-30 Wheat Creek PC
Common Poorwill 11/12 Bay Hill Road NC
Blue Jay (first for Solano County) 12/19-1/7 Just north of bridge on Rockville Road MB, BD
Northern Shrike 1/4 Pleasant Valley Road, just north of Putah Creek Road, Solano County JW, et al.
California Thrasher 12/18 Lake Ralphine, in Manzanita scrub RR
Bell's Vireo Nov.-Dec. San Francisco; Rhododendron dell in Golden Gate Park M.Ob.
Vesper Sparrow 11/14 Angel Island, at Nike Missile site DD
Clay-colored Sparrow 11/14 Bolinas; visits feeder, birdbath KH, et al.
White-throated Sparrow 12/15 Bodega Bay; Ranch Road feeder NC
White-throated Sparrow 11/23 Sonoma residence KM
White-throated Sparrow 11/21 Forestville MH
White-throated Sparrow 11/27-12/11 Paula Lane residence DN
Summer Tanager (2) male and female 1/5 Golden Gate Park, Conservatory of Flowers M.Ob.

CONTRIBUTORS: Margaret Barson, Sara Blauman, Chester Bowles, Peter Colasanti, Nancy Conzett, Barbara Dacki, David Dillen, Matthew Dodder, Mary Follis, Dea Freid, Keith Hansen, Mike Heffernon, Lisa Hug, Rod Hug, Carolyn Johnson, Shirley Leaphart, Kathy Mugele, Dan Nelson, Benjamin D.Parmeter, Ruth Rudesill, Doug Shaw, Rich Stallcup, Glo Wellman, Jim White, and Giel Witt.

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