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Rerun: The migrating birds of Bear Divide, with Ryan Terrill: Tonight, Weds., 8 June, 7:30 p.m.
[Posted by Chuck Almdale]
Ryan Terrill was sick last night and couldn’t give SMBAS his presentation. However, he is scheduled to do it tonight for Los Angeles Audubon, which is a rescheduling of the LAAS program from last month.
Wednesday at 7:30 pm, 8 June.
Details are here: https://www.laaudubon.org/events/2022/s7sc4ob3326fr9k9qvma2gdqh71kz9-4ytgg-r3pes
Direct link is: https://bluejeans.com/453589711/5731
Fortunately for SMBAS, Richard Crossley, bird field guide writer and one intimately familiar with Bear Divide and the entire project, had tuned in to watch his friend Ryan. When Ryan didn’t appear, Richard volunteered to speak impromptu about the Bear Divide project and the migration patterns of passerines in general. [Hint: They don’t just fly at night but also look for food in the early morning. Find their food and you’ll find them.] It was very interesting to all. If we recorded it we’ll put it on the blog. I didn’t time it but I’d guess it was 30-45 minutes long.
The migrating birds of Bear Divide. Zoom Evening Meeting reminder, Tuesday, 7 June, 7:30 p.m.
You are all invited to the next ZOOM meeting
of Santa Monica Bay Audubon Society

(Photo Jung Yi, Sep’19).
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The Migrating Birds of Bear Divide, with Dr. Ryan Terrill.
Zoom Evening Meeting, Tuesday, 7 June, 7:30 p.m.
Zoom waiting room opens 7:15 p.m.
Bear Divide, in the San Gabriel mountains, has been recently found to host spectacular morning flights of migratory birds in the spring. For the past 4 years, birders have been counting migratory birds at Bear Divide, and over the past two years, the Bear Divide Migration Count has been intensively surveying this location to learn more about this unique phenomenon. Join count organizer Ryan Terrill to hear about this site, what kinds of birds use it, and what has been learned so far about this fantastic bird migration location.

Dr. Ryan S. Terrill grew up birding in California, and after graduating from U.C. Santa Cruz received his Ph.D. from Louisiana State University, for his study of the evolution of molt strategies in birds. He is a co-author of the Field Guide to the Birds of Bolivia, and the recent description of the Inti Tanager [see below], a new genus and species of bird to science, as well as 24 other publications in peer-reviewed journals. He is active in the academic ornithology and the California birding communities, and has dedicated much of his past 4 springs to surveying morning flight of spring migrant birds at Bear divide.

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and ornithologists visiting Peru and Bolivia over many decades. Daniel Lane
Link to prior announcement here.
To reiterate a few rules:
- If I checked your Covid card last month, I won’t check it again.
- For all others, bring your covid card. Yes, I have a list.
- Trip has a few openings. Send me an email if you want to be on it.
- Email to Chuck: misclists@verizon.net.
- Masks are not required but are appreciated.
- Temperature likely to be in 60’s.
- Expect “A dyssymylacyon of bryddys!
The prior rules, still in force
- Registration required, max. 30 people. No drop-ins, please.
- Bring your Covid-19 Vaccination Record Card and a photo ID card. They will be checked. If you do not have two shots and a booster recorded on your card, you must wear a mask while you are with the group.
- If we checked your Covid card last month, we won’t check it this month.
- Bring your own binoculars and telescope. Sharing of equipment not recommended, do so at your own risk.
- All Field Trips are designed to maximize your safety, while also enjoying birds. CDC Guidelines are followed. Participants are encouraged to observe safe distancing, and face coverings are required for those who are not fully vaccinated (2 shots + booster) for Covid-19.
- Participation in social activities, such as field trips, comes with an inherent risk of exposure to infectious disease. Prospective participants should self-evaluate or discuss with their doctor if their participation merits this risk. If you’re sick or experiencing any symptoms that indicate you might be sick, STAY HOME.
- The 10am Children & Parents Walk is NOT reinstated.
- For general questions or help registering, contact Chuck: misclists@verizon.net
- Additional information on our permanent Covid-19 blog page:

[Posted by Chuck Almdale]

I’m a big fan of birding guide books. In lieu of a paid guide and a whole lot cheaper, they can get you to the right places to find birds, rather than driving aimlessly around crashing into things while looking around for birds instead of watching the road. Not all good birding spots can be easily found on the web, not all web sites give you succinct directions and descriptions, and not all areas have great web reception. A book in hand is worth two on the web. Or maybe four. Our neighbor chapter Pasadena Audubon Society (PAS) lives in a birdy area where the migrants pass through in aerial rivers, with valleys and rivers and parks and reservoirs and mountain forests and meadows. A book to birding this area would be very useful to residents and visitors alike, and voilà! now one exists.
According to one local birder: “I just bought a copy yesterday at the California Botanical Garden in Claremont and did not realize it was hot off the press. Quite a bit pricier ($35) at the garden than online ($20).”
If you’re a die-hard “if it’s not on the web it doesn’t exist” person, here’s a link to SMBAS’ on-line bird-finding guide for Los Angeles County with 81 sites spread over seven pages. It’s getting a bit out-of-date.
Here’s the PAS message:
Pasadena Audubon is pleased to announce the publication of their all-new Birding Guide to the Greater Pasadena Area. The Guide gives detailed descriptions of 30 of the region’s top birding hotspots, along with background on the area’s ecology, seasonal species distribution charts, birdability access ratings of the locations, profiles of the notable introduced species, and much more.
For more info about the book, as well as a list of stores in the Pasadena/Los Angeles area that stock the book, visit https://www.pasadenaaudubon.org/birding-guide .
The Guide is also available online from Buteo Books, at https://www.buteobooks.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=15274 .