http://www.sfvaudubon.org/">San Fernando Valley Audubon Society

The San Fernando Valley Audubon Society has established a Bird Observatory (The San Fernando Valley Bird Observatory). Organized by biologist and master bird-bander, Mark Osokow, its purpose is to conduct research on birds in and around the San Fernando Valley.

Anyone interested in becoming involved in research on birds, including bird banding, contact Mark and the SFVBO at SFVBirdObservatory@sfvaudubon.org. Watch for more information on this effort in the near future.

The photos here show two male House Finches.  The House Finch is California’s most numerous bird species and is also the most variable in color.  Males range from having bright strawberry colored breasts and throats to those with dull yellowish color so restricted that they are barely distinguishable from females — even when held in the hand!  The function of this color variation in House Finches, and other species as well, remains an active area of ornithological research.

The months of April and May bring our annual Birdathon. You have probably received your pledge letter for this annual fundraiser, a sponsored birding event. The money raised covers most of our ongoing expenses and helps support our educational programs for school children, including the Sepulveda Basin Environmental Educational Program (SBEEP) based at the Sepulveda Wildlife Bird Sanctuary.

Please join us in pledging a set amount of money on the number of species to be spotted during a designated bird walk and then do come on the walk itself! Many members choose this event to honor the leader whose walks she or he has been able to enjoy.

If you did not receive a pledge form, please e-mail me at rose.leibowitz@sfvaudubon.org and I will be happy to send you a form.

BIRDATHON EVENTS

Join us and help count at one or more of these walks!
See the Calendar Section for directions and times.

Kris Ohlenkamp – Sepulveda Basin, April 4
Art Langton – Malibu Creek State Park, April 18
Caroline Oppenheimer – O’Melveny Park, April 20
Jim Moore – Butterbredt Springs, Galileo Hills, Piute Ponds, April 21
Richard Barth – Morongo Basin, April 24
Nancy Herron Knode – Descanso Gardens, May 9

Additionally, there will be four teams undertaking “Big Day” efforts on behalf of the Birdathon. The team leaders are Muriel & Allan Kotin, John & Andrew Willis, Art Langton and Jim Hardesty.

- Submitted by Rose Leibowitz, Birdathon Chair

I encourage all to attend this community workshop on the updating of the Sepulveda Basin Master Plan on Saturday, February 20, 2010.  This is part of updating the master plan (land use plan) of the entire Sepulveda Basin for the first time in over 30 years and will be important in shaping changes to the Basin.

You may want to express support for some of the ideas that I and other members of the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Areas Steering Committee are promoting or have other suggestions.  Here is a rough description of what I hope the new Master Plan will include:

The former corn maize field immediately east of Woodley Avenue and between Woodley Park and the Wildlife Reserve should become part of the Wildlife Reserve, as an enhancement and link to both Woodley Section 2 and the Wildlife Reserve; the east bank of Haskell Creek and adjoining field along the stretch from the Reserve access road (“Wildlife Way”) to Victory Boulevard should be restored as riparian habitat;  the area north of the Reserve parking to the archery range and dam wall, which is currently but unclearly defined as Wildlife Reserve, should be protected and improved as part of the Wildlife Reserve; and all water courses within Sepulveda Basin, including those now treated as drainage channels, should be managed as riparian corridors, including Hayvenhurst, Woodley and Encino Channels/Creeks.

As meetings take place, these goals will be refined and improved.

I hope you will attend and actively participate in the meeting, including writing your own comments on what you want to keep as is and what changes you hope to see.

─Muriel Kotin, SFVAS Representative to Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Areas Steering Committee

Two of our partner organizations have developed websites. Links to those sites have been added to the list in the sidebar on the right.

The first of these is Antelope Valley Audubon, organized by a group of dedicated volunteers with some support from SFVAS.

The other is the website of the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Area, established by and for the Wildlife Area Steering Committee to keep the community informed of events and projects in the basin.

Check out both of the sites, as well as all the others listed there!

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is updating the Sepulveda Basin Master Plan.

We want your input on current and future operations.

Please join us:

Saturday, December 5, 2009

10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Sepulveda Basin Garden Center

16633 Magnolia Blvd. Encino CA 91406