Fall 2008 - Ventana Wildlife Society

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VWS’ 2nd Annual Condor Release Auction: Wings Over the World 2008 By Janet Shing, Secretary, VWS Board of Directors A few moments of silence and anticipation were followed by cheers and smiles as California Condor 251 was welcomed back to Big Sur by approximately 100 people on October 18, 2008. Attendees were delighted by the power of Condor 251’s nine-foot wingspan and his beauty as he flew along the Big Sur coast. Long-time VWS supporter Jeanne Holmquist was top bidder for the honor of officially releasing the bird (see the sidebar on this page for her thoughts on the experience). The memorable day started with a full champagne brunch by A Moveable Feast and entertainment by Easy Street, featuring Lee Durley. Ventana Wildlife Society presented an award to Assembly Member Pedro Nava for his leadership in writing and passing the Ridley-Tree Condor Preservation Act, which prohibits the use of lead ammunition in California throughout condor country. A second award was presented to the U.S. Coast Guard for their heroic efforts in rescuing eight condors from the Big Sur Condor Sanctuary just hours before it was engulfed by the Basin Complex Fire on June 22, 2008. John Moir, Santa Cruz author of Return of the Condor, spoke briefly and eloquently about the plight of the condor and the gallant effort to save and restore this endangered bird. The Wings Over the World condor release event raises funds to support VWS’ work to restore the California Condor and relies primarily on donations from individuals. Thank you to the volunteer Wings Over the World committee and to all the attendees for their support and generosity! To see more pictures from the event and learn more about how you can help restore condors to wild, visit www. ventanaws.org/wow. Condor 251 has a Special Place in Jeanne Holmquist’s Heart The highlight of this year’s Wing Over the World (WOW) event was the release of Condor 251 by longtime wildlife supporter and volunteer Jeanne Holmquist. Condor 251 is a seven-and-a-halfyear-old male hatched at the Los Angeles Zoo. He was originally released in Big Sur on December 12, 2002, but was brought in temporarily this spring because he was interfering with a breeding pair. With breeding season over it was time for him to go back to the wild. After a lively round of bidding for the honor of releasing the bird, Jeanne prevailed, and she was delighted to send Condor 251 on his way. “It was the most incredible experience! After he left the pen, he hesitated briefly, then took off and flew over to a nearby tree. As he spread his wings the light shown through, and it looked like an archangel was standing there. Then he circled the crowd three or four times as if to say, ‘Thank you for helping me.’ I’ll never forget it.” Jeanne adds that she has a special affinity for raptors and the lessons they have to teach us. “I’ve been fortunate to be able to release owls and falcons, and I also worked as a volunteer at the Alaska Raptor Center in Sitka.” Amazingly, Jeanne has a previous connection with Condor 251. When he was originally released in 2002, Jeanne also bid on and won the release opportunity. However, because she had another commitment on the release day, she gave the honors to young Jordan Hall, then a second grader. Jordan did such a great job with the release that he made the front page of the Monterey Herald! “When I realized it was the same bird, I was very excited,” says Jeanne. “I shouted, ‘That’s my bird! That’s my bird!’ ” ON THE WILD SIDE FALL 2008 8
An Update on the VWS Bird Banding Lab By Kelly Sorenson, VWS Executive Director One of Ventana Wildlife Society’s core programs is long-term monitoring of migratory songbird populations, conducted through our bird banding lab at Andrew Molera State Park. This work is part of a global effort to collect information on the health and distribution of bird populations and to document the need for conservation measures. The VWS bird banding lab has recently undergone some staffing and other changes, so I wanted to bring everyone up to date on their status. In June 2008, VWS made an organization-wide decision to move toward project names that more directly describe the work VWS does– for example “condor recovery” and “bird banding and songbird monitoring.” Overall, this shift is designed to make our mission and programs clearer to outside audiences– and to hopefully increase our ability to gain support from the public and from foundations and government agencies. Part of this shift has been a name change for the Big Sur Ornithology Lab (BSOL), which now goes by the more descriptive title of the Ventana Wildlife Society bird banding lab. It has always been difficult to explain to potential funders that BSOL was actually a program operated by VWS, and this makes the connection much clearer. The change also emphasizes VWS’ organizational commitment to long-term bird monitoring and will hopefully make it easier to raise funds for the work. It is critical that we continue to keep careful tabs on bird populations so we can identify any problems in time to take effective action. Such monitoring can, hopefully, avert the need for intensive recovery efforts such as those required for the California Condors, Bald Eagles, and Peregrine Falcons. The bird banding lab has also had some staffing changes in recent months. With the departure of Jessica Griffiths and Nellie Thorngate this fall, the program has been temporarily short-staffed, but we plan to have a new senior wildlife biologist on board by early 2009 to lead VWS’ bird monitoring efforts and conservation and research contracts. We wish Jess and Nellie the best in their new endeavors! Jess is pursuing a graduate degree and continues to work for VWS as an independent contractor. Nellie has taken a position with the ecological consulting firm H.T. Harvey and Associates. Starting in 2009, banding will be conducted two to three days a week in spring and fall and two days a week in summer, for a total of 70 days annually. Schedule details will be posted on our website. We invite everybody to come and visit on banding days, and we also hope you will continue to support this important effort. And although it’s looking a bit ahead, save May 2, 2009, for the annual VWS Birdathon, which will be combined with the Grand Opening of our new Discovery Center at Andrew Molera State Park. Next year’s Birdathon will emphasize our coordinated effort to count as many birds as possible in a 24-hour period. SAVE THE DATE May 2 and 3, 2009 Ventana Wildlife Society Open House Interactive and educational displays, discovery activities, gift and coffee shops! Located just inside Andrew Molera State Park, Big Sur - Two dates to choose from: Saturday and Sunday, May 2 and 3, 2009 - Lunch will be provided - Fun for the entire family! - More details will be available at www.ventanaws.org, in early 2009. • 9:00 am - 3:00 pm • Learn from biologists on guided nature & bird walks • Visit the bird banding lab • View California Condors Come and experience our new Discovery Center Contact 831-455-9514 for more information 9 ON THE WILD SIDE FALL 2008 www.ventanaws.org
Page 1 and 2: ON THE WILD SIDE Conserving Native
Page 3 and 4: Remembering the Big Sur Condor Resc
Page 5 and 6: The Condor Emergency Fund: Rebuildi
Page 7: Summer Programs Expand - With a Lit
Page 11 and 12: Due to the number of generous suppo

Fall 2008 - Ventana Wildlife Society

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