the

Lahontan Audubon Society •

Pelican
P.O. Box 2304 • Reno, Nevada 89505 • www.nevadaaudubon.org • 775-324-BIRD

Mission statement: To preserve and improve the remaining habitat of birds and other wildlife, restore historical habitat, and educate
the public, with emphasis on children, providing vision to all about our unique Nevada environments.

JULY/AUGUST MONTHLY MEETINGS

2010 Date: Fourth Tuesday of the month
Time: Social at 6:30 p.m. Program starts at 7 p.m.
Location: South Valleys Library
vol. 47, no. 6 15650A Wedge Parkway, Reno
Exterior door, west side of building
Directions to South Valleys Library: Take Hwy 395 to the Mt. Rose Hwy. Head west
on the Mt. Rose Hwy and take the first right turn onto Wedge Parkway, just past
Inside This Issue Raley’s shopping center. Go about one mile on Wedge Parkway and look for the boldly
designed, mustard yellow library on the right. Carpooling is encouraged.
1 Monthly Meetings
Note: There are no meetings during the summer months of June, July, and August.
2 Birds and More The next meeting will be Tuesday, September, 27, 2010. See page 5 for a list of
upcoming General Meeting topics.
3 Field Trips
2010 BIRD ID CLASSES A SUCCESS!
4 LAS News
This spring was the most successful of all of the bird identifying classes I’ve seen over
the many years I’ve been involved. Throughout the five sessions of the Birds of the
5 Avid Birder
Truckee Meadows bird ID classes, conducted by five instructors, we’ve reached 126
people that attended either the entire series, or individual sessions.
6 Birds in Town
Thanks should be extended to instructors David Jickling for his Introduction to Birds
and Birding, Jim Eidel for his session on Mountain Birds, Larry Neel for his portion
7 LAS Sales/
on Birds of Lakes and Marshes, Bob Goodman with Birds of Prey, and Alan Gubanich
Membership
winding up with Backyard Birds. All sessions were met with class enthusiasm and rapt
attention.
The new venue, Classic Residence, was able to handle the large crowds of nearly 70
people per session. And many thanks to Bonnie and Rusty Wagner for obtaining the
Submissions for the September/
October issue are due August 1, 2010
room, and their weekly preparation of it for the class. Well done!
The large attendance was greatly due to the publicity the classes received in the
The Pelican may be viewed on the LAS Reno Gazette-Journal, thanks to efforts of Kathy Oakes and Maggie O’Neill, RGJ’s
website at www.nevadaaudubon.org, Outdoor Reporter.
click on the Newsletter tab. As a result of the classes, some $2,728 was raised for LAS’s Education Fund, and
$290 in sales of the Reno Birding Guide book and the Nevada Birding Map.
And, thanks to all of the fun people that attended and for their interest in birds.
Bob Goodman
Class Coordinator

The Pelican 1
BIRDS AND MORE
Kathy Oakes 775-747-5446 oakesy@sbcglobal.net
Incubation
It’s that time of year again, when
on your birding travels you might
see a bird sitting on its nest. What
really goes on under there? Bird
eggs contain all the food and water
that the baby bird needs, but the
eggs need to be maintained for a
set amount of time at temperatures
between 94 and 98 degrees F to
develop to hatching. The parent
bird(s) provide the warmth through
a process called incubation, in
which the adult applies its body
heat to warm the eggs. Most birds
do so through one or more “brood
patches” on the abdomen. Prior to
egg-laying, down feathers are lost
from the brood patch, and the skin
of this area becomes swollen and
vascularized. Most species lose the
down feathers on the brood patch
by molting, but duck and goose
mothers pluck the down from
their abdomens (the sacrifice of
motherhood!). Some birds, such as
those in the Order Pelicaniformes
(pelicans, cormorants, boobies) and
penguins don’t develop a brood
patch on the abdomen, but transfer
heat to the eggs through their
webbed feet. You can imagine how
disadvantageous it would be for an
adult penguin to lose its abdominal
feathers during the cold incubation
season!
Birds generally lay an egg a day,
or one every other day. Although
they may sit on the eggs after the
first is laid, most don’t start active
incubation until after the clutch
is complete. This ensures that the
eggs will all hatch at about the same
time. When a bird settles on its nest
to incubate, it puffs out its breast
feathers and scoots around until the
brood patch comes in contact with
the eggs. Birds apparently sense egg
temperature through receptors in
the brood patch and regulate them
by varying the length of incubation
times, or adjusting the tightness
of the “sit.” Most songbirds have
incubation periods around two
weeks (11-17 days). The record for
un-interrupted incubation goes to
the Emperor Penguin: more than
two months (64 to 67 days)!
There is considerable variation in
the role of the sexes in incubation.
Most birds are monogamous (at
least for the breeding season). In
monogamous species, the female
may be the only one to incubate,
with the male feeding her and
standing guard near the nest. In
others, the male takes his turn
sitting on the eggs. In pigeons and
doves, only the female incubates
at night, and the male takes over
during daylight hours. Both sexes
of most woodpeckers alternate
incubation during the day, but
Female Black-chinned Hummingbird incubat-
ing on nest. Unionville, Nevada, June, 2008.
Photograph by Alan Gubanich.
only the male sits on the eggs at
night. In polygynous species (the
male mates with several females),
only the female incubates, often
without male help in feeding or
nest guarding. In polyandrous
species, such as phalaropes, where
females mate with more than one
male, the male develops the brood
patch and incubates the eggs.
The wide variation in mating and
incubation strategies is driven by
factors such as distance to food
supplies, climate, and predation
pressures. Bernd Heinrich, in his
interesting new book, The Nesting
Season, Cuckoos, Cuckolds, and the
Invention of Monogamy, provides
an entertaining discussion of the
evolution of bird reproductive
strategies.

SUBSCRIPTIONS WHERE TO WRITE:

The Pelican is the official newsletter of the Lahontan Audubon
Society and is published six times annually. Subscriptions are
paid for as part of the dues of LAS or the National Audubon
Society. LAS welcomes gifts, donations, and bequests in gen-
eral, or gifts in honor or memory of relatives and friends. Such
donations will be used as specified or, if unspecified, will be
used to support LAS education and conservation projects. All
donations are tax deductible.
Keep conservation to the forefront. Write your elected officials and
tell them how you feel:
Senator Harry Reid Senator John Ensign
400 S. Virginia St. #902 400 S. Virginia St. #738
Reno, NV 89501 Reno, NV 89501
Toll-free: 1-866-736-7343 Reno phone: 775-686-5770
Representative Dean Heller Governor Jim Gibbons
400 S. Virginia St. #502 101 N. Carson St.
Reno, NV 89501 Carson City, NV 89710
Reno phone: 775-686-5760 775-684-5670

2 The Pelican
FIELD TRIPS
Christiane Omer 775-354-2634 happycpo@aol.com
Saturday, July 3
Paige Meadows, Tahoe City
Time: 7:30 a.m.
Leader: Kirk Hardie, 775-220-8785,
kirk@tinsweb.org
Note: This is a repeat of the Paige
Meadows trip for those who couldn’t
make it on the June 26 trip. The Tahoe
Institute for Natural Science, the Tahoe
Rim Trail Association, and LAS are
sponsoring this easy hike through
verdant meadows. Enjoy a profusion
of birds and wildflowers as the group
searches for such species as Mountain
Bluebird, Red-Breasted Sapsucker,
MacGillivray’s Warbler, Black-backed
Woodpecker, and Pine Grosbeak
in Tahoe’s flower-covered alpine
meadows. Bring water, sunscreen,
and insect repellant and plan to finish
before lunchtime. Free, but reservations
are required. Call or email Kirk for the
meeting place. This is a popular trip so
please register early as space is limited.
Saturday, July 17
Birds, Bats, and Sunset on the
Truckee
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Leaders: Jim Woods, 775-720-7009,
jim.woods@charter.net, and Linda
Badzioch, 775-851-8535, lbadzioch@
pyramid.net
Join us for a sunset stroll along the
Truckee River to take in all the evening
birds, and wrap it up with the bats
at McCarran Bridge. Many riparian
birds will be there for the finding, and
the Brazilian free-tailed bat colony
that roosts under the bridge is said to
number around 80,000. So check it
out and have a summer sunset to boot.
Meet us at the Rock Park Pavilion at
6:30 p.m. Bring your binoculars, bug
spray, and a flashlight. Rock Park is
south of Greg St. on Rock Blvd.
in Sparks.
Saturday, August 7
Spooner Lake State Park
Time: 7:30 a.m.
Leader: Nancy Santos, 775-884-1570,
nancylas@att.net
Join us for an easy morning walk
around Spooner Lake State Park. We
will search the shoreline for Spotted
Sandpiper, Osprey, and area waterfowl.
The Pelican 3
Forest, sagebrush, and riparian habitats
are also found along the perimeter
of the lake, and will offer us the
opportunity to search for such species
as the Western Tanager, White-headed
Woodpecker, Green-tailed Towhee, and
Warbling Vireo, just to name a few.
More common species we can expect
to see are Steller’s Jay, Mountain
Chickadee, Hairy Woodpecker,
Western Wood-Pewee, and Yellow-
rumped Warbler. Please contact Nancy
to reserve your spot and for further
information. There is a State Park
entrance fee per vehicle, so carpooling
is recommended.
Field Trip Reports
Saturday, April 10
Damonte Ranch Wetlands
Leader: Kathy Oakes
The weather was great, the wind stayed
still, and 47 species of birds were on
hand to greet 13 delighted birders
for Saturday’s half-day visit to the
Damonte Ranch wetlands. The Marsh
Wrens, Red-winged Blackbirds, and
Yellow-headed Blackbirds joined in
three-part harmony to entertain us all.
The highlight of the trip was a
very cooperative American Bittern,
which we watched for quite a while,
first flying low over the marsh, then
standing head up in the classic bittern
pose, and then walking and hunting.
Through the scope we could see
white feathers on each “shoulder” of
the bird, almost looking like he was
wearing a short, white cape. None of
the many field guides we had among
us showed such white feathers. When
we got home, one of the participants
found mention of such plumage in
Ryser’s Birds of the Great Basin, which
states: “When defending his territory
or advertising, the male may expose
two white tufts of feathers, which are
attached to the skin on each side of the
breast near where the humerus enters
the body and beneath the shoulder
of the folded wing by which they are
ordinarily concealed. These feathers
are erected during display; as they rise
above the shoulders these ruffs spread
toward each other at right angles to
the long axis of the bird’s body until,
at their bases, they nearly meet in the
center of the back.” Wow, although
I have gotten good looks at a few
American Bitterns, I have never seen
these white feathers. This guy (we
assume from Ryser that it was a male)
was really showing off.
For a list of all 47 species observed,
please check the website.
Saturday, May 22
Virginia Lake
Leader: Jacque Lowery
On a chilly, blustery morning a group
of novice birders set out on a stroll
around Virginia Lake. The Mute Swan
was present along with untold numbers
of gulls. It was a good opportunity
to point out differing plumages of
immature and adult gulls, along with
breeding field marks. Several Common
Mergansers brought a discussion about
the wide variance of plumage between
males and females of many duck
species. In the trees along the west
side we encountered not one, but four,
male Western Tanagers very engrossed
in foraging for insects. We had very
close looks at these beautiful guys, and
there were lots of oohs and aahs. Other
sightings that produced interest and
excitement were all the cormorants,
young and adult, on the island; two
pair of nesting Snowy Egrets; a pair
of Ruddy Ducks; a lone Lesser Scaup;
and, to cap off the morning, several
good looks at a Western Wood-Pewee
on the west side.
Donors
American Avocet $50-$99
Cindy Joyce
Bonnie and Rusty Wagner
Carole and Doug Reimer
Bob and Janet Butler
Mountain Bluebird $20-$49
Debbie Fleischer
Carol Noble
Mike and Donna Margerum
Dan Mende
Randy and Debbie Pontius
Carol and Jim York
Ruby-crowned Kinglet $10-$19
Gayle Fierce-Lynch
LAS NEWS
• LAS Election Results
Annual elections for LAS Officers and Board members were
held at the May 25 General Meeting. Officers elected to one-
year terms were: Jacque Lowery, President; Alan Gubanich,
Vice-President; Jane Burnham, Treasurer; and Laura Gibson,
Recording Secretary. Linda Badzioch was elected to a new
three-year term as Board of Trustee, Seat # 6. Board of
Trustees Seat # 7 remained open at the General Meeting;
however, was subsequently filled by Kristin Szabo, who was
appointed by the Nominating Committee on June 2.
Board of Trustees Seat # 5 remains open at this time.
Anyone interested in becoming a member of the LAS
Board of Trustees to fill this empty seat should contact the
Nominating Committee, either Alan Gubanich or Jacque
Lowery. Duties of a Board Member consist of attending
Board Meetings once a month for 10 months of the year:
January through June and September through December.
The time commitment consists of about five to six hours per
month – about two or so hours to review the meeting agenda
and topics for discussion at the meeting and three to four
hours (including travel time) to attend the monthly meeting.
Meetings are held at Board Members’ homes usually on the
first or second Tuesday evening each month (although the
meeting schedule can vary to fit everyone’s schedule). You
don’t need to be an expert on birds or any special topic to be
on the Board of Trustees; just your enthusiasm will do.
• Thanks to Mary Jo, Kenn, and Alan
Many thanks to Mary Jo Elpers, who served as LAS
Recording Secretary this year. Mary Jo decided to step
down so that she can devote more time to compiling (and
publishing, we hope) her many years of research with Western
Scrub-Jays. Many thanks also to Kenn Rohrs, who served for
three years in the Board of Trustees Seat #7 and made some
terrific contributions to LAS. Although Kenn is stepping down
from the Board, he plans to continue with Birds and Books
(which he created) and also (we hope) to contribute his Avid
Birder column to the Pelican. Last, but not least, TONS of
thanks to Alan Gubanich, who stepped up to the plate and
served as Acting President since September of 2009. This is in
addition to his duties as Vice-President and his many duties as
Education Chair. As you all know, Alan will return to relative
calm (hah!) as next year’s Vice-President as well as continuing
his duties as Education Chair.
• Thanks to Our Washoe Lake Education Volunteers
Wind and cool weather – those were the dominant themes this
year during most of our LAS field trips for elementary school
kids at Washoe Lake. Despite the weather, over 750 students
from nine different schools (Grades 1 through 7), enjoyed
looking at birds, aquatic critters, and plants while learning
about wetlands, food chains, and other habitat information
in a hands-on manner that strengthens their classroom
4 The Pelican
learning. None of it would have been possible if not for the 26
volunteers who shared their expertise and enthusiasm to help
these kids experience and enjoy a day at the Lake. Together,
LAS hosted 15 field trips; one in March and the others in
May and early June. So a big THANK YOU to all of you
who participated: Sue Stevenson and Sheryl Ferguson (who
came all the way from South Tahoe), Gil and Jan Potter (from
Incline Village), Pat King, Karen Kish, David Bliss, Linda
Badzioch, Laura Gibson, Becca Sedeherly, Patti Bakker, Dave
Cunningham, John Schulte, Diane McCallister, Don Lauer,
Jim Woods, Jackie Spacek, Teresa Gubanich, Miles Becker,
Loretta Low, Kirk Hardie, Mike Leigh, John and Sue Golish,
Amy Leist, Jacque Lowery, and, of course, Terri Ozawa from
Washoe Lake State Park. And many thanks to those of you
who covered the four field trips while I was out of town. I am
grateful to all of you for your dedication of time and energy.
Along with handling “crowd control” (groups of 50 to 60
kids, and even 80 one day!) your participation allows our LAS
Education Committee to carry out its mission of educating
and hopefully inspiring young minds. You definitely make a
difference! -Alan Gubanich, Education Chair
• Avian Art and Vine Unclaimed Raffle Items
The Avian Art and Vine event was a huge success. It finished
near press time, so we will have the full report in the next
Pelican edition, but a quick note now — there were three
raffle items unclaimed: Item 39, ticket #501054; Item 3,
ticket #501026; Item 10 ticket #501823. If you have the
winning ticket(s), contact Jacque at 853-1302 or
771-7390 (cell).
Congratulations and
Welcome to Nevada’s 3rd
Audubon Chapter
LAS is excited to announce that Nevada
has a new Audubon chapter representing
the northeastern part of the state. The
Bristlecone Audubon Society, based in
Elko, became an official provisional
chapter on May 28, 2010, joining LAS in the north and Red
Rock Audubon Society in the south.
As a provisional chapter, Bristlecone Audubon needs to
recruit at least 35 new members by November 28, 2010. If you
or someone you know is interested in joining this new chapter,
please contact Pete Bradley for more information, 775-777-
2307 or pbradley@ndow.org. Bristlecone Audubon will
receive the full first year funds paid by new members.
Bristlecone Audubon’s first organizational chapter meeting
is scheduled for Wednesday, June 16, 2010, 6:30 p.m., at the
NDOW office, 60 Youth Center Road, Elko.
Congratulations and welcome Bristlecone Audubon!
THE AVID BIRDER
Kenn Rohrs 775-849-9530 karohrs@charter.net

Anthill: A Novel by
Edward O. Wilson
It is always a pleasure
to discover a book by
Edward O. Wilson,
the world-renowned
Harvard biologist and naturalist. He
is a two-time winner of the Pulitzer
Prize for general nonfiction – On
Human Nature and The Ants (with
Bert Holldobler). In Search of
Nature, Biophila, and On Human
Nature are three outstanding
examples of Wilson’s ability to write
creative and interesting nonfiction
about the world we share with so
many other interesting creatures.
LAS’s Birds & Books Reading
Group found In Search of Nature a
terrific book to read and discuss.
Anthill is Wilson’s first novel. It
is the fictional account of the life
and times of Raff Cody in southern
Alabama. Raff finds the Nokobee
Wilderness to be a special place. It
becomes his sanctuary. His father
and mother, whom he loves deeply,
have very different dreams for
him, which causes Raff no end of
uneasiness and distress. In Nokobee,
Raff discovers the wonders of ants,
which is Wilson’s specialty. Wilson
includes a fascinating segment about
LAS General Meeting Topics 2010 - 2011
September 28 – Robin Powell – Important Bird Areas of Nevada
October 26 – Kenn Rohrs – Symbolic Birds
November 23 – Sharon Shafer – The Art of Nature: Images from the
Wildlands of Southern Nevada
January 25 – Doug & Lu Canham – Birds of Midway Atoll
February 22 – To Be Announced
March 22 – Bird ID Panel Round 4
April 26 – To Be Announced
May 23 – Tony Wasley, NDOW – Mule Deer in Nevada
the most interesting aspects of ants,
how they live and work together –
and how they fight. This nonfiction
section is very informative and it
enriches Raff’s story. Watching
and learning from the ants and
other wildlife helps Raff begin to
understand himself and the world
around him.
From local schools, through
Florida State University, and
Harvard Law School, we follow Raff
as he grows from an enthusiastic boy
naturalist into a successful lawyer.
He never forgets the Nokobee
Wilderness and what the ants taught
him. The story of Raff’s growth as a
person who enjoys nature into a no-
nonsense naturalist is provocative,
fascinating, and entertaining. There
are many surprises in this story –
ones that engage us and require us to
ask tough questions about our views
about the environment and wildlife.
The critical importance of land and
our vanishing natural environment
and wildlife is the theme that flows
through this outstanding novel.
Wilson has the unique ability to
teach while spinning a great story.
His prose is lively and convincing,
never preachy. Wilson is an
exceptional storyteller.
Does Raff save the Nokobee
Wilderness? Does he give up too
much in the fight? Is his fight to save
Nokobee similar to the ant battles
he observed as a young pill bug
enthusiast? Wilson resolves these
questions honestly and realistically.
This in an exceptional story – one of
the best I’ve read. My hope is that
Wilson will again try his fine hand
at fiction.
Birds & Books
LAS Birds & Books is a flock
of readers interested in nature,
especially birds and birding. The
group meets on the third Tuesday
of the month from 7:00-8:30 p.m.
at Sundance Bookstore, 1155 W.
4th Street, #106-Keystone Square
Shopping Center. For a complete
schedule and brief description of
the selected books, go to the LAS
website www.nevadaaudubon.org
and check the Birds & Books section
of the Meetings page.
September 21
Dawn Light: Dancing with Cranes
and Other Ways to Start the Day by
Diane Ackerman
October 19
Refuge: An Unnatural History of
Family and Place by Terry Temple
Williams
November 16
A Guide to the Birds of East Africa
by Nicholas Drayson
December 21
No Meeting

The Pelican 5
Birds in Town
Alan Wallace wallacealan@sbcglobal.net
Back in the early 1900s, noted British geologist H.H. Reed
commented that the best geologist was he who had seen the most
rocks (it was a male-dominated profession back then). When
this adage is applied to the abundant bird reports this April and
May, northern Nevada must have a lot of great birders. Avian
enthusiasts erupted from the long, lingering winter in droves, not
just in the urban Reno-Sparks-Carson City areas, but also
in almost all northern Nevada towns, large and small. The
result was an impressive 189 reported species scattered across
the region.
Of course, a robust spring migration that provided a lot of
feathered eye candy didn’t hurt. If you wanted to see Western
Tanagers, Swainson’s Hawks, and Lazuli Buntings, then this
was your year. Flycatchers seemed to be everywhere during
migration, with Gray, Willow, Hammond’s, Olive-sided, and
Dusky Flycatchers, Western Wood-Pewees, and Western
Kingbirds being reported. This also led to a huge amount
of frustration and guessing as birders tried to identify these
flitting, often silent, and nearly indistinguishable birds. As
Kenn Kaufman wrote in his Advanced Birding
book, the worst way to learn the Empidonax
flycatchers is to study nonsinging birds during
migration. The tanagers were easy to identify,
though, and walks through some willow- and
cottonwood-rich areas in May could produce
a dozen tanagers and multiple Bullock’s
Orioles, Black-headed Grosbeaks, and
Yellow-breasted Chats. Adding to the colorful
array were Yellow and Wilson’s Warblers,
as well as a good number of MacGillivray’s,
Townsend’s, and Orange-crowned Warblers, Western Tanager near Lake Tahoe.
chattering Common Yellowthroats in the Photo by Kristin Szabo
wetlands, a Black-and-white Warbler in
Tonopah, a Nashville Warbler in Carson City, and a probable
Connecticut Warbler in a yard north of Reno. When one sees
a Lark Sparrow in a Nevada city, then it’s definitely migration,
and several were seen in towns and yards along with other
non-town Savannah, Chipping, Fox, Vesper, Brewer’s, and
Black-throated Sparrows, plus a few Green-tailed Towhees.
In late May, decidedly eastern Rose-breasted Grosbeaks
graced a couple of yards in Elko and north Reno, and a Summer
Tanager, common down south but rare up here, was seen
along the Carson River in Carson City. Acorn Woodpeckers
are very uncommon in Nevada, yet two appeared this spring:
one along the Carson River in Carson City and another at a
feeder in the Galena area of southwestern Reno, there joining
White-headed Woodpeckers, Band-tailed Pigeons, and
all three nuthatches. Locally breeding Black-chinned and
Broad-tailed Hummingbirds (the latter in central and eastern
Nevada) settled in for the summer, and a few Calliope and
Anna’s Hummingbirds (as well as one Costa’s) paused to feed
during migration. Spring saw the overlap of Hermit Thrushes,
which winter in the lowlands, and the very similar Swainson’s
Thrushes, which migrate through the area. Several species
delayed their departures due to the wet, cold spring.
6 The Pelican
Numerous Dark-eyed Juncos remained at some feeders in
Reno, and Golden-crowned Sparrows still could be found with
White-crowned Sparrows along the Truckee River in Reno into
the middle of May. As May drew to a close on a warm and sunny
note, Common Nighthawks arrived and began to cruise for
bugs above our towns.
Area wetlands saw a marked uptick in the number of breeding
and migrant waterbirds. New gulls included Bonaparte’s and
Franklins, with one Mew Gull, and Forster’s and Caspian
Terns darted over the water. Graceful American Avocets and
Black-necked Stilts probed the mud along with Long-billed
Dowitchers, Willets, White-faced Ibis, and a few Dunlin,
with Wilson’s and Red-necked Phalaropes swirling in the
nearby shallow water. Surprisingly, given the wet spring and
nearly ideal shoreline conditions, very few Least and Western
Sandpipers were reported.
As usual, an assortment of birds got a quick jump on the
breeding cycle as early as April Fools’ Day (which was
appropriate given the ensuing nasty weather). Canada Goose
goslings appeared at numerous ponds, and
one pair of adults opted for an old, somewhat
flimsy hawk nest high in a cottonwood (geese
sometimes choose high nest sites, even on the
tops of flat-roofed buildings, because it cuts
down on predation); that nest, unfortunately,
was unraveled by high winds. Mourning Doves
had their first hatchlings by early May, and
one pair of California Quail was seen leading
a newly fledged batch of tiny chicks a week
later. Red-tailed Hawks should be plentiful
this summer (to the horror of the local rabbit
and ground squirrel populations), based on the
large number of nests with one to three nestlings
each in early May. Great Horned Owls also had early nests
in various locations, although Rob Lowry reported on several
nestlings that fell out of a too-small nest and perished (hopefully
that poor nest-selection gene won’t be passed along).
The many contributors included Willis Allen, Carol Amos,
Mary Anderson, Meg Andrews, Melody Asher, Miles
Becker, Wendy Broadhead, Ali Chaney, Carol Colip, Alan
de Queiroz, Jim Eidel, Mary Jo Elpers, Peter Fairley, Sue
Golish, Bob Goodman, Kirk Hardie, Janet Helton, Linda
Hiller, Nancy Hoffman, Gerrad Jones, Ed Kurtz, Lisa
Lister, Jacque Lowery, Rob Lowry, Carl Lundblad, Mike
Margerum, Sue Marshall, Martin Meyers, Jill Neumann,
Kathy Oakes, Fred Petersen, Kris Pizarro, Debbie & Randy
Pontius, Melissa Renfro & John Free, Melissa Robards,
Georgia & Kenn Rohrs, Greg Scyphers, Dennis & Becca
Serdehely, Jean Sherman, Kristin Szabo, Steve Ting, Jamie
Trammell, Myra Ulvang, Bonnie Wagner, Frank Whitman,
Jim Woods, Dave Worley, and me. The deadline for the next
column is July 25. Send reports to 1050 Sumac St., Reno, NV
89509 or wallacealan at sbcglobal.net, or post sightings on the
Nevada bird listserve. Good birding!
 LAS MEMBERSHIP/DONATION FORM
Lahontan Audubon Society Membership: All funds remain in the community. Members receive The Pelican
newsletter and may elect to receive email activities notices. Please complete and mail this form with payment.

1. o LAS Renewal o New Membership o Send me a National Audubon application

2. o Individual/Family - $20/year o Full Time Student/Senior (over 62) - $15/year

LAS Donations: Please select level:

o Ruby-crowned Kinglet - $10 o Mountain Bluebird - $20 o American Avocet - $50
o American White Pelican - $100 o Golden Eagle - $500 or more

Volunteering: I am interested in receiving information about volunteering for LAS: o

NAME (please print)______________________________________________________
ADDRESS_ ____________________________________________________________
CITY__________________________ STATE_ ________ ZIP CODE_____________
PHONE________________________________________________________________
Email_______________________________________ o Include on LAS-only email list

TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED $__________ July/August 2010 issue

Make check payable to Lahontan Audubon Society and mail this form to:
Kathy Oakes, LAS Membership, 4120 Plateau Road, Reno, NV 89519

LAS SALES FORM

Price Postage TOTAL

Important Bird Areas of Nevada $19.95 $4.60 _____

Published by Lahontan Audubon Society, 2005

A Birding Guide to Reno and Beyond--Second Edition $10 $2 _____

Published by Lahontan Audubon Society, 2007

Nevada Birding Map--Second Edition $ 4 $1 _____

Published by Lahontan Audubon Society, 2007

TOTAL ORDER _____

NAME (please print)______________________________________________________

ADDRESS_ ____________________________________________________________
CITY__________________________ STATE_ ________ ZIP CODE_____________
PHONE________________________________________________________________
EMAIL_______________________________________________________________ (in case of a question regarding your order)

Make checks payable to Lahontan Audubon Society and mail with this form to:
Jane Burnham, LAS Sales, 8071 Big River Drive, Reno, NV 89506

The Pelican 7
 Printed on Recycled Paper
THE PELICAN NonProfit org.
Lahontan Audubon Society U.S. Postage
P.O. Box 2304 paid
Reno, Nevada 89505 reno, nevada
permit no. 181

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

If your mailing label is highlighted, please

renew your local LAS membership now.

LAHONTAN AUDUBON SOCIETY

Officers President Jacque Lowery nevadabird@charter.net 853-1302
Vice President Alan Gubanich renopopop@pyramid.net 857-0191
Treasurer Jane Burnham jane.burnham@sbcglobal.net 677-4178
Recording Secretary Laura Gibson gibsonrosen@sbcglobal.net 887-5614
Trustees Seat #1 to 2011 Dave Straley dbstraley@gmail.com 832-9222
Seat #2 to 2011 Gene Hansel renohansel@hotmail.com 354-2150
Seat #3 to 2012 Audrey Higashi nenemaka@yahoo.com 250-5500
Seat #4 to 2011 Kathy Oakes oakesy@sbcglobal.net 747-5446
Seat #5 to 2012 Vacant
Seat #6 to 2013 Linda Badzioch lbadzioch@pyramid.net 851-8353
Seat #7 to 2013 Kristin Szabo krs4242@gmail.com 846-0129

IBA Director Robin Powell rpowell@audubon.org 247-2798

Committee Activity/Program Alan Gubanich renopopop@pyramid.net 857-0191

Chairs Birding Classes Bob Goodman pandion36@aol..com 972-7848
Birds & Books Reading Group Kenn Rohrs karhors@charter.net 849-9530
Communications Kathy Oakes oakesy@sbcglobal.net 747-5446
Conservation Vacant
Education Alan Gubanich renopopop@pyramid.net 857-0191
Field Trips Christiane Omer happycpo@aol.com 354-2634
Hospitality Linda Badzioch lbadzioch@pyramid.net 851-8353
LAS Sales Jane Burnham jane.burnham@sbcglobal.net 677-4178
Membership Kathy Oakes oakesy@sbcglobal.net 747-5446
Volunteer Coordination Gene Hansel renohansel@hotmail.com 354-2150

Publication and The Pelican Editor Jen Martin jensieb@gmail.com 742-2582
Information “Birds in Town” Alan Wallace wallacealan@sbcglobal.net 786-5755
LAS Info Line Jacque Lowery 324-BIRD
Web Master Steve Ting scting@charter.net 849-3725