Godwit Days Festival Returns, Goes Virtual
You may be among the people who’ve been wondering what is happening with Godwit Days in 2021. Will it again be postponed due to Covid-19?
Well, the suspense is over! The Godwit Days Spring Migration Birding Festival will be offering a free, virtual, three-day program April 16 through 18. It will highlight some favorite species and the spots where they occur.
Most sessions will be 60 to 90 minutes in length, with breaks in between. Some will be live streamed (and also recorded for future viewing) and others will be pre-recorded and posted online.
Participants will be asked to make donations to keep the festival going, both this year and beyond. (In 2020, the festival had to cancel a mere 6 weeks before the event, after money had been spent that couldn’t be recouped.)
The complete program schedule will be posted soon at www.godwitdays.org, as will instructions on how to access the sessions. Among the sessions being planned:
· A Bird in the Hand: Banding at the Humboldt Bay Bird Observatory featuring HBBO staff and/or volunteers
· Curiosities & Oddities in the Humboldt State Wildlife Museum with Curator Tamar Danufsky
· Humboldt Birding: Past, Present & Future, A Birds & Beers Social Zoom
· Surveying Shorebirds of Humboldt Bay: Plenary Lecture by HSU wildlife professor Dr. Mark Colwell
· “The Big Hour”: Facebook Live at the Arcata Marsh with Rob Fowler of Fowlerope Birding Tours & wildlife artist Gary Bloomfield
· Bird Songs & Calls: An Identification Workshop with birder/biologist David Juliano
· Shorebird Fly-off: Facebook Live at the Arcata Marsh with Dr. Mark Colwell & Rob Fowler
· The Language of Birds: Keynote Lecture by Nathan Pieplow, blogger on recording, identifying, and interpreting bird sounds (www.earbirding.com)
· Seeking Amphibians in Del Norte County with California State Parks biologist Tony Kurz
· Tips & Techniques for Sketching Birds by Gary Bloomfield
· Spotted Owl Search with Green Diamond Resource Company staff, Rob Fowler & Gary Bloomfield
· A Tribute to Dr. Stanley Harris: Memories of HSU Ornithology Prof “Doc” Harris
Also to be posted on line during the festival: announcement of the winner of Humboldt County’s Bird of the Year for 2020, as well as winners in the 18th annual student bird art contest, cosponsored by Friends of the Arcata Marsh and Redwood Region Audubon Society (RRAS), and in the 16th annual student nature writing contest, sponsored by RRAS.
“We wanted to keep Godwit Days in the public eye after we had to cancel the April 2020 event,” says Board chair Alex Stillman. “But we needed to do it safely and without spending much money; thus, we came up with a virtual festival. I hope people will enjoy the content and donate accordingly, so that we can return in 2022 with a full-blown, in-person festival.”
Follow us on Facebook or visit www.godwitdays.org for festival updates or to make a tax-deductible contribution at any time.
Meet Kai! The first Harbor Seal pup of our busy season. He was put on watch for a couple of days on Centerville Beach...
Posted by Northcoast Marine Mammal Center on Tuesday, February 23, 2021
To detect bird nests, watch bird behavior. If a bird is carrying nest material or food to the same place in a patch of vegetation more than once, there is likely a nest in the area. Also, look for concentrations of white droppings on the ground, then check the trees or vegetation above the droppings for a nest. Actual nest structures are typically well-concealed and may not be seen if they are located in dense vegetation.
If a bird is observed repeatedly visiting a nest or suspected nest site, building or sitting on a nest, it is considered “active” with eggs or nestlings. If an active nest is found prior to work, avoid work in the area until the young have fledged. A 50-foot no-work buffer should be applied for songbirds and a 500-foot no-work buffer should be applied for raptors.
The City of Arcata would like to remind the community that early bird nesting season has begun. Humboldt Bay and its surrounding areas are home to a wide variety of bird species, so it is especially important that all community members check for active nests before trimming or removing vegetation during nesting season.
The federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act makes it illegal to pursue, hunt, capture, kill or transport any migratory bird or the parts, nests or eggs of such a bird except under the terms of a valid federal permit.
Contractors are advised to have a qualified biologist conduct nesting bird surveys prior to beginning any project that requires vegetation removal, and the Environmental Services Department has some helpful guidelines for all members of the community to follow:
Early bird nesting season lasts from Monday, February 1 to Friday, April 15. At this time, hummingbirds and birds of prey including hawks, owls, kites, eagles, vultures and falcons begin to nest. Major disturbances to vegetation, especially trees, should be avoided unless there is a thorough check for these nesting birds prior to beginning work. Weeding and mowing lawns are acceptable activities during this time.
Primary nesting season for most birds will take place Friday, April 15 until Tuesday, August 31. Disturbances to vegetation should be avoided during this time unless a thorough check for nesting birds is completed prior to beginning work. Weeding and mowing lawns are still acceptable activities during this time.
Wednesday, September 1 through Monday, January 31, 2022, is the best time to plan for tree removal, invasive plant species management, mowing and brush clearing. Please note that a tree removal permit may be required for trees of 16 inches or more in diameter at chest height.
To detect bird nests, watch bird behavior. If a bird is carrying nest material or food to the same place in a patch of vegetation more than once, there is likely a nest in the area. Also, look for concentrations of white droppings on the ground, then check the trees or vegetation above the droppings for a nest. Actual nest structures are typically well-concealed and may not be seen if they are located in dense vegetation.
If a bird is observed repeatedly visiting a nest or suspected nest site, building or sitting on a nest, it is considered “active” with eggs or nestlings. If an active nest is found prior to work, avoid work in the area until the young have fledged. A 50-foot no-work buffer should be applied for songbirds and a 500-foot no-work buffer should be applied for raptors.
For more information on vegetation management, bird safety and construction guidelines, click here or call the Environmental Services Department at 707-822-8184.
Amid everything that’s going on in the world — from the COVID pandemic to the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol — the Sequoia Park Zoo has come through with the video we all need right now. Cue the Guinea pigs' bedtime parade!
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office introduced one of the new additions at its SWAP farm via Facebook this week, asking for suggestions on what to name the little one.
The farm, located in Fortuna, provides low-risk offenders with an opportunity to help care for the animals and the property while staying out of the jail. According to the HCSO, the farm started in the 1980s produces thousands of pounds of food each year, with some being used to feed jail inmates.
Meet Kari, a rambunctious 2-year-old hound dog who gave her owner quite a scare this morning. Berti, age 75, was out...
Posted by Humboldt County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, November 24, 2020
Spearheaded by Black, the River Otter Citizen Science Project started in 1999 looks to describe the distribution and populations of otters in the coasts, wetlands and watersheds of Humboldt, Del Norte and adjacent counties. Anytime residents or visitors spot an otter at any of these locations, they can document the data by reporting it on the River Otter Citizen Science website.
Out of the hundred times Black estimates he's visited the marsh in recent months, he says he's spotted otters about 80 times, maybe due to luck or because he’s learned a lot about how to find otters and the places where they tend to gather.
Since he began visiting the Arcata Marsh at the beginning of the pandemic, Black has seen two otters with a pup (he says if there was a way to grab the DNA of the second otter, we would be able to see that the otter is the daughter of the mother otter and helping her with her newborn pup, as recent studies have shown). Black says he has seen the mother otter teach her pup where to hunt for food at different areas of the marsh.
Black has also seen a group of seven otters come through the marsh from Humboldt Bay, and a group of four hunt for food.
“It’s been really fun seeing the otters making use of the marsh,” Black says.
STERLING, Ill. (Oct. 14, 2020) – Chloe was rescued from a high kill shelter and sent to Sequoia Humane Society in Eureka, California. Her fur was so severely matted she could barely see through the hair covering her eyes. After hours of careful grooming, most of her matted coat came off in one piece. What emerged was a pretty pup ready to rock a photoshoot. She now lives with a loving forever family that gives her the pampering she deserves. Happily, Chloe’s story didn’t end there – she’s been named a finalist in the ninth annual Dirty Dogs Contest. The brainchild of pet industry leaders Wahl and Greater Good Charities, the contest donates grooming supplies to rescues and shelters nationwide. Hundreds of these unbelievable makeovers are shared in the Dirty Dogs Before & After Photo Gallery – and the Top 10 Shelter Dog Makeovers of 2020 (including Chloe) are now competing for monetary grants.
Visit the Dirty Dogs Before & After Photo Gallery (dirtydogsgallery.com) to see amazing makeovers, and learn how you can vote for your favorite.
To help bring more awareness to the Dirty Dogs contest this year, Wahl turned to animal advocate and dog dad to eleven adorable rescue pups, Lee Asher. Dog lovers are a breed all their own, and some would say Lee Asher leads the pack. He and his pooch posse have spent the last four years traveling the country hosting adoption events, and educating people on the rewards of dog rescue.
“If shelter dogs could talk they’d have amazing stories to tell; unfortunately, they can’t,” said Asher. “So I’m happy to lend my voice, and help shed some light on the importance of grooming when it comes to adoption. The dog’s appearance can completely transform, but more importantly, the dog feels healthier and happier, and their true personality can finally shine through. Sometimes, that’s all it takes to capture the heart of their new human.”
Vote for Chloe in the Dirty Dogs ContestTen of the most dramatic transformations from the gallery, including Chloe, have been selected to participate in the Dirty Dogs Contest (dirtydogscontest.com). Public votes will determine the top three winners. The animal shelters and rescue groups affiliated with these transformations will receive monetary grants to further support their efforts. First place takes home $5,000, second place receives $2,000 and third place earns $1,000. The Dirty Dogs Contest runs until Nov. 3, 2020. To vote for one of the dogs, visit DirtyDogsContest.com.
For more information on Wahl’s complete line of pet products, including grooming tips, visit WahlUSA.com, or follow @WahlPets on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.