Bird on a Wire: Latest news from Audubon California

Top 10 Wins for Birds in 2021

 

Top 10 Wins for Birds in 2021 Dear KAREN, We are immensely proud of the victories that our Audubon community won in 2021.    Together, we restored bird habitat, secured laws, created groundbreaking conservation partnerships, led the nation on climate, advocated for outdoor access, and ensured that birds thrive. Wow, what a year! Our success would not be possible without you. We truly are stronger together. With your partnership, we will shape a bright future for birds and communities across California in 2022.  Sincerely, Sarah Rose Executive Director

Cedar Waxwing. Photo: Sandy Spicknall/Audubon Photography Awards

Bird of the Month: Mountain Bluebird The powder-blue male Mountain Bluebird is among the most beautiful birds of the West.  Learn More Mountain Bluebird. Photo: Sheen Watkins/Audubon Photography Awards Native Plant: California False Buckthorn This evergreen shrub is also known as Coffeeberry due to its berries containing seeds that resemble coffee beans.  Learn More about Native Plants Frangula Californica. Photo: Lynn Watson

Restored the Migratory Bird Treaty Act Following California's lead in protecting migratory birds in 2020, the Biden-Harris administration restored protections for birds in the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. This victory is a testament to the powerful advocacy by thousands of Audubon members over the years.  Read more

Sandhill Cranes. Photo: Jerry Black/Audubon Photography Award

Saved 100% of Tricolored Blackbird Colonies Last spring, we worked with landowners and community partners to save 100 percent—170,000 birds in total—of threatened Tricolored Blackbird colonies nesting on agricultural fields in the Central Valley. The largest colony we found was estimated to host around 30,000 birds. Read more

Tricolored Blackbird. Photo: Matt Elyash

600,000 Acres Enrolled in Grassland Bird Conservation Audubon's Conservation Ranching Program (ACR) is our key strategy to save grassland birds. We partner with ranchers to restore habitat, adopt bird-friendly management practices, and sequester carbon in soils. Audubon California's Bobcat Ranch became the first property to receive ACR certification. Now, we have 16 ranchers enrolled on over 600,000 acres across California.  Read more

Western Meadowlark. Photo: David Zieg/Audubon Photography Awards

Sonoma Creek Comes Back to Life for Ridgeway's Rails We completed the final phase of a 400 acre, first-of-its-kind climate-smart habitat restoration and demonstration project at Sonoma Creek in San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge. To our delight, the marsh is recovering. The area has filled with native plants and is providing a safe haven for Ridgeway's Rails. Read more

Ridgeway's Rail. Photo: Claudio Contreras Koob

Audubon Communities Connect Virtually and In-Person The Audubon Center at Debs Park and Richardson Bay Audubon Center sustained connections to local communities through virtual webinars about native plants, Latino Conservation Week, and bird drawing lessons. We partnered with local schools to create more equitable access to environmental education and provided in-person summer camps.

Summer Camp at Richardson Bay Audubon Center. Photo: Haymar Lim

California's Groundbreaking 30x30 Executive Order Leads Nation in Climate Action With landslide support from the Audubon network, Governor Newsom issued an executive order to protect 30 percent of California's lands and waters by 2030. The Biden administration followed our lead, making 30 by 30 a nationwide commitment. This will protect biodiversity, advance natural and working lands climate solutions, and expand access to nature.  Read more

California Quail. Photo: Rick Derevan/Audubon Photography Awards

Victory for Snowy Plovers at Oceano Dunes The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Complex is the most extensive dunes system on the West Coast, home to one of the largest breeding sites for Western Snowy Plovers. After years of advocacy by Audubon California and local Audubon chapters, the California Coastal Commission voted to phase out off-highway vehicle (OHV) access at Oceano Dunes over the next three years to protect this biodiversity hotspot. Read more

Snowy Plovers. Photo: Cynthia Herrick/Audubon Photography Awards

Nature is Our Human Right Co-sponsors Audubon California, Azul, and Latino Outdoors joined Asm. Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) to introduce a first-of-its-kind bill into the state legislature that recognizes access to nature as a basic human right. While the bill was not passed into law in 2021, it will advance in the coming year. It also set the stage for an unprecedented $1 billion investment in the state budget for our public spaces and increasing access to the outdoors.  Read more

Virtual Advocacy Day Audubon members from across the state of California met with 40 legislators to support new legislation and state budget investments to benefit birds and people. Together, we advocated for building coastal climate resilience, investing in natural and working lands to address climate change, and creating more equitable access to nature for all Californians.

Meeting with Asm. Friedman

Bombay Beach Wetland Springs Hope at the Salton Sea Building upon our ongoing monitoring and advocacy work at the Salton Sea —a critical stopover site for migratory shorebirds— the Bureau of Reclamation awarded Audubon a $700,000 grant to expand the spring-fed Bombay Beach wetland to create more habitat on the dry playa for birds and other wildlife, control hazardous dust, and create opportunities for community access. Read in English or lea este artículo en Español.

Bombay Beach Wetland. Photo: Emily Tozzi/Formation Environmental

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