Bird on a Wire: Latest news from Audubon California

Colombia's Ecological Wonders | Unique San Diego Wetlands | Climate-Smart Seagrass Model | Protecting Managed Wetlands | Young Birder Takes the Lead | Social Community | California Condor

 

Colombia's Ecological Wonders | Unique San Diego Wetlands | Climate-Smart Seagrass Model | Protecting Managed Wetlands | Young Birder Takes the Lead | Social Community

Colombia's Ecological Wonders: A Working Lands Exploration What do Cali, Colombia and California's Central Valley have in common? More than you might think! Working Lands team members, Ian and Xerónimo, recently traveled over 3,500 miles to visit our Audubon Americas partners in the region to share knowledge, conduct important avian science, and of course, enjoy the incredible birds of the beautiful South American country, including 50 lifers. Now, imagine being a migratory Greater Yellowlegs, one of several species that make the long journey along the Pacific Flyway from California to Colombia and beyond. Instead of boarding a plane for your long flight to Colombia, you are the plane, but you only weigh about as much as 40 marshmallows. Your weight on the day you take flight is crucial because your primary fuel and water source consist of the fat stores you accumulated at your last stopover.  Upon arriving in Colombia, Ian and Xerónimo were able to indulge in local foods such as buñuelos (fried corn dough) and arepas (ground maize dough stuffed with various fillings). But migratory shorebirds don't have the luxury of exploring local cuisine upon landing. That's why coordinating our conservation work across the hemisphere to protect birds across their lifecycle is so critical. Explore our shared work to protect birds and habitats from the lush cloud forests of Cali to the surrogate wetlands of California here.

White-booted Racket-tail perches on a branch in Colombia. Photo: Ian Souza-Cole/Audubon California.

Building Anew Along the Shores of San Diego County Down south in sunny San Diego County, Mission Bay used to be a 4,000-acre complex of wetland habitats, providing important resources and shelter for Indigenous communities and many species of coastal birds. Today, only 40 acres of wetland remain.  Thirty miles to the north, Buena Vista Lagoon, historically a tidal influenced ecosystem, was transformed into a freshwater habitat due to rapid industrialization, ultimately destroying the marshes in the area that depended on the tides. Find out how local Audubon chapters and their amazing partners are working to restore these vital places, reconnecting communities, honoring tribal knowledge, and enhancing habitat for endangered birds like the Ridgway's Rail here.

Buena Vista Lagoon. Photo: Sydney Walsh/Audubon.

Powerful New Model for Climate-Smart Seagrass Restoration What might our beautiful bays across California look like in future climate change scenarios? Our newest tool answers just that.  We're proud to present the San Francisco Bay Eelgrass Habitat Suitability Model, an exciting new resource for conservationists and restoration practitioners that highlights future-resilient locations within the bay best suited for restoration of eelgrass, a linchpin species for long-term bay health. This unassuming seagrass is a power player in the marine food web and bay ecosystems, as well as a critical defender against some of the worst effects of climate change. Test the model here and read more about this innovative project here.

Surf Scoters. Photo: Eric Reuter/Audubon Photography Awards.

Audubon California Co-sponsors Bill to Protect Drinking Water and Save Our Last Managed Wetlands Did you know that California has lost over 90% of our historic wetlands, a critical habitat for the millions of birds that migrate along the Pacific Flyway? Our remaining managed wetlands, along with flooded agricultural fields, support 60% of California's migratory birds. That's why we're proud to co-sponsor Assembly Bill 828, which will help protect clean water accessibility for some of our state's most vulnerable communities and preserve our dwindling managed wetland acreage. Learn more and take action here.

Buena Vista Lagoon in Southern California. Photo: Sydney Walsh/Audubon.

Young Birder Takes the Lead on SoCal Bird Count in Wake of Extreme Weather "That day, the waves were still really big. Along the path from Marina Park to the National Park Visitor Center, concrete benches were pulled out of the ground and tossed aside, as if they were driftwood."- Sara Breshears, Ventura County resident and Audubon volunteer. As Californians brace for another week of storms, we took a look back on the extreme weather events we experienced in the Southern California coast just a few months ago. Though the rogue wave postponed the Ventura Christmas Bird Count (CBC), we were inspired by the leadership and optimism of 16-year-old birder and wildlife photographer Max Breshears who took the helm as a count leader for the first time.  Meet Max and read more about the count here.

Black-bellied Plover. Photo: Alecia Smith/Audubon California.

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Broad-billed Hummingbird by Ayla Qureshi (@aylas_nature_photography)

Artful Gifts for California Condor Lovers Colorado-based artist Isa Catto grew up birding in the Virginia woods adjacent to the Potomac River, wielding an Audubon checklist and pair of binoculars gifted by her godfather and lifelong bird enthusiast, Edward Harte. "I know my birding laid the foundation for being an artist," she says. "It made me more observant, and I developed patience… I learned about color and nuance and how the animal world wields hue and camouflage." See how this philosophy has been beautifully brought to life in her newest collection, created in collaboration with Audubon and The Birdsong Project, to celebrate the joy birds bring to our lives and bring attention to the message they have about the environmental threats we all face. California Condor Standard Notebook and more from Isa Catto's newest collection can be found here.

California Condor Standard Notebook by Colorado-based artist Isa Catto.

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