Bird on a Wire: Latest news from Audubon California

Mental Health Benefits of Birding | Black Birders Week | Tricolored Blackbirds | Nature Access for All | Youth Advocacy | Mindful Bird Sit | Lights Out | Birdsong Project

 

Mental Health Benefits of Birding | Black Birders Week | Tricolored Blackbirds | Nature Access for All | Youth Advocacy | Mindful Bird Sit | Lights Out | BirdSong Project

Dear KAREN, One of my favorite ways to enjoy birdwatching or birding by ear is to visit a regional park. A few weeks ago, I was hiking in the East Bay hills and taking pictures of native plants like Sticky Monkeyflower and California Buckeye. I encountered a group of birders who were eyeing a Swainson's Thrush. I'd just spotted a flycatching bird and they identified it as an Ash-throated Flycatcher. Sure enough, we saw another one fly by with a tasty insect in its bill! It was a wonderful experience. Everyone deserves to have the opportunity to enjoy nature and the love of birding. That is why Audubon advocates for equitable access to nature for all Californians and amplifies powerful initiatives like Black Birders Week. We invite you to learn more about these important movements in the stories below. Sincerely, Gaylon Parsons Interim Executive Director Audubon California

Ash-throated Flycatcher. Photo: Clyde Dexter/Audubon Photography Awards

Bird of the Month: Swainson's Thrush The haunting callnotes of the Swainson's Thrush can be heard on clear nights during spring. Their nests are built by females and consist of a bulky open cup of twigs, moss, grass, and leaves. They are lined with soft bark fibers, lichens, and animal hair. Cozy! Read more Swainson's Thrush on Red Elderberry. Photo: Mick Thompson/Audubon Photography Awards Native Plant: California Laurel This drought-tolerant and evergreen tree has a sharp, peppery fragrance, especially when its foliage is crushed. It can grow up to 60 feet high and produces cream-colored flowers from March through May. Learn More about Native Plants California Laurel. Photo: Tim Waters

The Mental Health Benefits of Birding Curious about the connection between nature and mental health? Join Black AF in STEM and BirdNote to learn how to combine mindfulness and birdwatching to improve mental health. Bring Birds Back podcast host Tenijah Hamilton moderates this discussion with Black Birders Week organizers Sheridan Alford, Nicole Jackson, and Deja Perkins. Watch now

Mental Health Benefits of Birding. Video: BirdNote

BirdNote: Black Birders Week Series Black Birders Week returned for its third year with the theme, "Soaring to Greater Heights". This week celebrated the lifelong journeys and connections made through birding across the diaspora, organized by the Black AF in STEM Collective (@BlackAFinSTEM). They co-produced shows with BirdNote that are centered on the stories of Black birders. Enjoy listening to the upcoming and recorded episodes! Listen Now

BirdNote Schedule. Image: BirdNote

Love at First Screech: Accounts of a Wildlife Biologist Natalia Sojka is Audubon's field biologist in the Central Valley. In her first encounter with a Tricolored Blackbird colony, she shares, "there is something endearing and beautiful to watching thousands of birds go into a black-massed cacophony of screaming, nest-building, and egg-laying frenzy. For me, a wildlife biologist with an affinity for rare and misunderstood wildlife, it was love at first screech." Read more

Tricolored Blackbird Nest. Photo: Natalia Sojka

Nature Access for All California Asm. Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) has joined Audubon California and other sponsors to introduce a bill that would ensure that all Californians have safe and affordable access to nature and access to the benefits of nature​.  Read more

Nature Access for All. Photo: Canva

Audubon Youth Advocacy Week Reflection Richardson Bay Audubon Center hosted the first youth-led advocacy week with Audubon Youth Leaders. Christina Cen, Audubon's Community Conservation Fellow, shares what she learned about the art of advocating and the top community issues that young people care about in her region. Read more

AYL Members Advocate to Senator Mike McGuire's Chief of Staff Rebecca Wachsberg. Photo: Haymar Lim

Mindful Bird Sit Take a breather with birds. Enjoy this 30-minute guided mindful bird sit. A bird sit is a mindfulness practice with a focus on birds. It provides relaxation and deepens our awareness of bird ecology.  Watch Now

Bushtit. Photo: Devin Grady/Audubon Photography Awards

Lights Out for Birds Migratory birds navigate by the stars. More than 250 species migrate through San Francisco Bay, many of them small songbirds such as warblers, thrushes, tanagers, and sparrows that migrate at night. One of the best ways to provide safe passage is to turn off outdoor lights at night to prevent building collisions. Learn how Golden Gate Audubon is taking the lead with their Lights Out for Birds initiative. Read more

Lights Out for Birds. Illustration: Alex Thomlinson

For the Birds: The Birdsong Project "For the Birds: The Birdsong Project" is a historic outpouring of creativity by more than 200 artists to celebrate the music and joy that birds bring into our lives. Grammy Award-winning music supervisor Randall Poster produced this project. It raises awareness about birds and our need to protect them. Listen today and all proceeds benefit the National Audubon Society. Listen Now

"For the Birds: The Birdsong Project" Volume 1. Image: National Audubon Society

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