Birders enter the electoral arena - Golden Gate Audubon Society
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the newsletter of the golden gate audubon society // vol. 105 no. 1 winter 2021
Birders Enter the
Electoral Arena
by ilana debare
S everal Golden Gate Audubon Society
members led birders from around the
country into a new kind of field work this
fall—political field work of get-out-the-vote
organizing. Auk The Vote, a new all-volunteer
initiative, mobilized over 100 birders to do
phone-banking on behalf of pro-environment
candidates during the fall 2020 campaign
season.
CONTINUED on page 3
American Kestrel, one of the birds
impacted by climate change.
Corey Raffel
that threatened every returning migrant.
Extraordinary pluck and instinct guided
each bird through endless expanses of
scorched earth—a miraculous testimony to
avian adaptation.
But a lingering question looms large.
Will there be less habitat for birds and other
wildlife?
Our GGAS supporters are habitat action
heroes, attending virtual hearings and
speaking up for living shorelines, preserving
grassland, or donning boots and restoring
habitat. We advance a growing movement
to build bird-friendly cities and convert our
parks and back yards to native plant sanc-
tuaries. Functioning habitats foster high
John Ehrenfeld
biodiversity, are resilient to sea level rise,
Sandhill Cranes. sequester carbon, and are an enduring rem-
Sandhill Cranes. edy to the climate crisis. We work hard to
tell our important story: Birds are critical to
our personal well-being.
Habitat, or the Art of The pandemic is a challenge like no other
Birding During A Pandemic and GGAS critically depends on your sup-
port. Please help GGAS continue our work
by pam young, executive director as conservation advocates and as mentors to
i
our young future environmental stewards.
n the midst of our beautiful Bay win- gerhead Shrike, furtive Plumbeous Vireo, Thank you for enjoying our online fea-
ter wonderland, the pandemic seized and camouflaged American Bittern—are tures, such as our popular Speaker Series,
our popular holiday birding celebrations welcome bright spots in a dangerous time. our thoughtful and entertaining blogs, and
from our collective grasp. After cancelling We are a robust and vibrant online birding our many online classes. One happy online
our most anticipated events, such as our community. student sang high praises: “We looked for-
Christmas Bird Counts, what are we doing Our extraordinary estuary hosts throngs ward to this class every week and found it
instead? How are we coping? of loafing Godwits, Stilts, Avocets, Willets, an enriching activity—especially in these
Birders are a sensible and compliant lot. and well over 300 species. Upland, our times of Covid-19. Thank you for your
We maintain our social distance, wear our wintering Hermit Thrushes, Fox, Golden- dedication and to the Golden Gate Audu-
masks, travel separately, and keep our own crowned, and White-crowned Sparrows, bon Society.” Your donations keep our voice
gear. Our resourceful reports and spec- and their mixed species flock companions strong. Like our feathered migrants, we’ll
tacular photos of vagrants, hybrids, and suffered daunting migration threats. Cali- persist with pluck and instinct and with
exciting discoveries—such as a rare Log- fornia’s fires engulfed four million acres your loyal partnership.
news brief
Call for Blogs Project Feeder Watch Clay Anderson Is a Local Hero Winter 2021 Classes
We want to hear from you! Do In lieu of our cancelled Christmas GGAS Eco-Education Manager Registration is now open for several
you have a stay-at-home birding Bird Count events this year, Clay Anderson has won Bay Nature of our winter 2021 classes. We’ll
essay you’d like to share? Seen any we recommend you check out Magazine’s 2021 Local Hero Award have lots more birding classes
interesting birds lately? Let’s stay feederwatch.org and learn how to and was named Environmental to offer beginning February and
connected online. Our Golden Gate create and contribute your report Educator of the Year. Please pencil March. Be sure to check out our
Birder Blog offers an opportunity about birds that you see at your in April 11 at 5:00 pm and April 13 adult education page to learn more,
for publication and outreach. Email feeder. Your reports will be part at 4:00 pm for virtual celebrations. get updates, and register today.
your essays to Melissa at mramos@ of a valuable reservoir of data for More info at https://baynature.org/ https://goldengateaudubon.org/
goldengateaudubon.org. conservation projects! local-hero-awards. education/classes.
2 THE GULL spring 2021
features
BIRDERS ENTER ELECTOR AL ARENA from page 1
Although unaffiliated with Golden Gate
Audubon, Auk was the brainchild of GGAS
members David Robinson and Laura Cre-
min. (I also helped with social media and
press outreach.) Robinson and Cremin met
through GGAS’s East Bay Conservation
Committee, which Cremin chairs.
“I’d been looking for the right fit for work-
ing on climate change and conservation,”
said Robinson, a passionate birder and long-
time gay rights activist. “When 2020 came,
I felt the election was the most important
thing we could do to address those issues.”
Talking last spring after an EBCC meet-
ing, Robinson and Cremin realized that
election work was a noticeable gap in the
Ilana DeBare
birding world. While National Audubon
Society and other birding groups are active
David Robinson and Laura Cremin.
on conservation issues, they have tradi-
tionally avoided endorsing and supporting
candidates. Auk The Vote was created to
David Robinson felt the election was the most important thing
fill that gap. Determined not to reinvent the
wheel, Auk partnered with groups such as we could do to address climate change and conservation
Flip The West and Environmental Voter
Project that already were operating phone
Odell, Jonathan Franzen, Nate Swick, and be just a 2020 one-shot. Let’s make politi-
banks to swing states. Volunteer Kristen
Caleb Crain, plus New York Audubon board cians reckon with birders as a voting bloc
Schwarz created a website that listed doz-
member Chris Cooper, the Black “Central all the time, the way they currently listen to
ens of phone-calling opportunities each
Park birder” who was threatened with arrest industry lobbyists.”
week, with sessions ranging from Phone
by a white woman last spring after asking Ultimately, we need long-established
Banking for Introverts to Spanish-language
her to leash her dog. birding groups like National Audubon to
phone banking.
Over 100 birders joined the five Auk ses- start doing electoral work on behalf of birds
Auk also organized five phone-banking
sions, calling to support pro-environment and the environment. (Other nonprofit
sessions specifically geared to birders, each
candidates in swing states. The guest speak- groups like Sierra Club do this by setting
with a guest appearance by a “celebrity”
ers provided a shot of avian inspiration, and up a sister organization that can legally do
birder—writers Jennifer Ackerman, Jenny
participants discovered that calling strang- partisan work such as endorsing candi-
ers was not as scary as they’d feared. Many dates.) For now, Auk is there to fill the gap.
returned for multiple sessions. Already, the young organization is involved
“I was really nervous about doing it,” said in its second campaign “season.”
Cremin. “But like public speaking, you get Georgia’s two Senate races led to a run-
over those fears. When I called Democratic off election on January 5th that determined
voters in Iowa, people were generally recep- control of the U.S. Senate (with Democrats
tive, and it was nice to connect back to the now the victors). Auk immediately jumped
Midwest.” into organizing December phone banks to
Chris Cooper said he was delighted to Georgia, including a partnership with Geor-
support the Auk phone-banking session, and gia Audubon chapters.
called Auk’s electoral work “long overdue.” “I hope we’ll be involved in the 2022 mid-
“If we don’t have elected officials who term elections, too,” said Robinson. “They’ll
are receptive,” he said, “we are crippled on be tremendously important for birds and
climate change, preserving habitat, safe- the environment!” Want to help Auk The
Corey Raffel
guarding environmental protections, and Vote grow and reach more birders in the 2022
the Endangered Species Act…everything midterms? Sign up at aukthevote.org or email
Red-shouldered Hawk. that matters! Which is why Auk must not aukthevote@gmail.com.
spring 2021 THE GULL 3
features
Learning from
the Feminist Bird Club
by melissa ramos
t his new year, I am reflecting on how my words and actions
can help build a more inclusive and equitable birding soci-
ety. I look to several successful examples of equitable birding groups
across the country for inspiration and hope. Perhaps the best exam-
ple of how to promote diversity in birding comes from the Feminist
Bird Club.
The Feminist Bird Club was founded in New York City in 2016
by Molly Adams. The group’s primary mission is to provide safety
and inclusivity in birding for all people. Since 2016 (and with tre-
mendous grassroots organizing efforts), FBC has expanded into
several chapters across the country and the world, including a chap-
ter in San Francisco. Alex Smolyanskaya, a former GGAS board
member, was one of the founders of the San Francisco FBC. Alex
says her experience in GGAS’s Master Birder class helped her take
the next step in her birding career. She began leading bird walks
Rick Lewis
and eventually co-founded the SF FBC chapter with fellow Mas-
ter Birders Whitney Grover (GGAS board member), Nina Bai, and
Sandhills at Dawn
Sarah Burton.
“By co-founding this FBC chapter, we helped create space where
all people would be comfortable birding,” said Alex. 5. Allow room on bird walks for birders of all different levels of
I learned a lot about equitable organizing from the Feminist Bird experience to join.
Club’s successes. Our flock at GGAS can learn a lot from FBC too. 6. Always encourage new communities to join walks, such as
Below are some tips and suggestions inspired by FBC that GGAS parents with children or Black folks who tend not to attend bird
can easily fold into our current community. Everyone can feel walks.
empowered to do some (or all) of these eight simple actions to help 7. Be gentle to new birders who may not know bird names yet or
promote more diverse and equitable birding spaces. I know I will! have access to birding books or classes.
1. Establish rules of engagement for safe and respectful conduct 8. Offer free resources (like showing folks how to use eBird or
on walks and online. offering welcomed birding advice) to new birders to help them feel
2. Use birding as a tool to provide a peaceful and meditative bird- comfortable birding.
ing experience for everyone. What does the future hold? Alex says, “We have accomplished
3. Encourage people to bird as they’re most comfortable, even if a lot but there is still work to do with inviting new communities to
that looks different from our preferences. FBC. I don’t want to say that we are done with our work.” We can
4. Express solidarity for marginalized peoples in ways that are learn so much from FBC’s tenacity and untiring mission to make
not tokenizing or burdensome. An example of this looks like speak- sure that our birding communities continue to grow and welcome
ing out against harmful comments or stereotypes. all people to experience the joy of birds.
Upcoming events
Volunteer Appreciation Celebration Birdathon Executive Director Search
Save the date for GGAS’s first ever online Please stay tuned for updates on our 2021 A committee of GGAS Board and staff have been
Volunteer Appreciation Celebration! Our virtual Birdathon events! We are brainstorming new conducting an Executive Director search since
celebration, complete with special awards and ways of conducting Birdathon during Covid-19 early fall 2020. We look forward to announcing
speeches, will take place on Thursday, January restrictions. We think you’ll enjoy some of our a new Executive Director in 2021 and we thank
28th at 7 pm. Be sure to check our website for creative ideas and fun events. Check out our our current interim ED, Pam Young, for her
more information. website in February and March for more details. service!
4 THE GULL spring 2021
speaker series
A Rainforest online
at Our Feet: Thursday, February 18
7 p.m. program
Local Wetland Zoom
Restoration in
the SF Bay Area
john zentner
In this talk, acclaimed plant ecologist John Zentner will discuss how
wetland health impacts the health of birds and wildlife. John will
guide participants through understanding different types of local
wetlands and will outline methods of wetland conservation and how
these projects are crucial to maintaining holistic and healthy ecosys-
tems that sustain all life.
John is a plant ecologist specializing in
landscape restoration. He has an under-
graduate degree from UC Santa Barbara,
Pen Waggener
and graduate degrees and certifications
from the University of Oregon and the
University of Oslo. John is the wetland
Bald Eagle.
specialist for the California Coastal
Stan Lupo
Commission and has held many other
Net Negative online
prestigious positions. Great Blue Heron.
Emissions in Thursday, January 21
7 p.m. program
California by 2030: Zoom
Can We Do It? What would US online
ellie cohen
Climate Policy Thursday, March 18
6 p.m. program
Look Like if Zoom
The latest climate science supports that the impacts of climate People and
change are hitting hard and fast, posing grave threats to human
and planetary health. We are already pushing against global tipping
Planet Mattered?
points that could unleash abrupt and irreversible damage to people basav sen
and wildlife. Our only hope for an equitable future is to enact cli-
mate policies now. Ms. Cohen’s talk hopes to inspire citizen action Please note: This talk begins at 6 pm PST. Basav Sen will discuss
to ensure California steps up its climate leadership to protect people what a progressive internationalist agenda for US climate policy
and the planet. must look like for the US to truly become a good-faith partner to the
Ellie Cohen, CEO of The Climate Center, is a leader in cata- rest of the world in addressing the climate
lyzing cross-boundary, collaborative and just solutions to climate crisis. He will examine various aspects of
change and environmental degradation. She has received numerous how the US engages with the rest of the
honors and was named one of “100 Women Taking the Lead to Save world on climate to demonstrate how US
Our Planet” in the US by the National Women’s History Project policy has always been at odds with true
Mick Thompson
(2009). global cooperation and solidarity, and to
propose what a truly internationalist cli-
mate policy might look like.
Basav Sen joined the Institute for Pol- Great Horned Owl.
GGAS’s monthly Speaker Series is now online! icy Studies as the Climate Justice Project
To sign up for email alerts with more info, email our Director in February 2017. His work focuses on climate solutions
Communications Manager, Melissa, at mramos@ at the national, state, and local level that address racial, economic,
goldengateaudubon.org gender and other forms of inequality. He is currently the Climate
Policy Director at the Institute for Policy Studies.
spring 2021 THE GULL 5
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Terry Higgins, Allan M Reed, Carolyn Reese, Bloomstein, Judith & Sarah Goorjian,
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Please know that we work hard to ensure the Kathleen Hurley, Glenn Mary Righellis, Barbara and Fran Bolton, Beth and George Gorman,
accuracy of this list. If your name has been omitted Itano, Jackie Ito-Woo, Riper, Bill Rogina, Susan Branthaver, Marie Braun, Eugene Gottfried,
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6 THE GULL spring 2021
roster
board of directors
Grimm, John Grossberg, James Mckibben, & Annette Shapiro, Kevan Vander Wahl, President
Susan Groves, Richard Helen McKinley, Paulette Sharp, Deborah Linda Vida, Bill Vlach, Eric Schroeder
Grube, Mary Gutekanst, Mac McLeod, Joyce Sharpe, Eliza Shefler, Emily Vogler, Linda Vice President and Co-Chair of EBCC
Masha Gutkin, Robert Mercado, Microsoft, Henry Sides, Judi Sierra, & Bernhard Votteri, Laura Cremin
Hall, Ralph Hammond, Jennifer Miko, William Donald Simonson, Kenneth Wahl, Mary Secretary and Co-Chair of Development
Sallie Hanna-Rhyne, Milestone, Marcheta Edith Simonson, Molly Sue Wallace, Rachel Carol Baird
Charlene Harrington, Mines, Annmarie Singer, Mira and Ralph Watson-Clark, Audrey Past President and Co-Chair of FAWR
Sally Hatchett, Sara Mitchell, Win Mixter, Sinick, Ellen Sirbu, Webb, Wendy Webster, Linda Carloni
Hayes, Lois Hayn, Ann Steven Miyamoto, Johanna Sistek, David Donna Weidenfeller,
Treasurer and Chair of Finance Committee
& John Healy, Tamra Michael Morlin, Marilyn Joel Snippen, Katharine Wendy Weikel, Helene
Bruce Mast
Hege, Judith Helder, Morris, Barbara Mowry, Snyder, Harriet Sollod, Weil, Nancy Weir,
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Hicks, Diane Hie, Ellen Karen Mullally, Robert Kevin Steen, Livia Stein, Sally Whitehead, Jane staff
Hill, Susan Hillyard, Jan Mullaney, W Murdough, Kathy Stiles, Don & Ruth Whitley, Carol Wiegel, Executive Director
Hintermeister, Joanne Masae Namba, Stiver, Lynn Strandberg, Jutta Wiemhoff, Diane Pam Young, 510.843.2222 ext. 1002
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Director of Development
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spring 2021 THE GULL 7
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2 Habitat, or the Art of Birding During 4 Learning from the Feminist Bird Club 5 Speaker Series
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backyard birder
peared, but the intensity of that gaze stayed with me. As members
of the tit family, Oak Titmice are some of the most intelligent
birds, after corvids (crows and jays) and parrots, and it shows in
their eyes.
Although Oak Titmice are year-round residents, they seem to
come and go from the yards around my home. I’m always delighted
when I hear their tsicka-dee-dee calls, high whistles, or emphatic
buzzing as they protect their territory. They’re forever bustling,
whether flitting through the pistachio tree or zooming to nearby
redwoods. When they finally stop to perch on the fence, their
upright crests make them look like tiny soldiers on a mission.
I watch pairs rustle through the trees (Oak Titmice mate for
life), often hanging upside down to forage. Sometimes one will sit
like a sentry, its dark eyes alert while its mate searches for insects.
Bob Lewis
They’re known to catch bugs in mid-air. They also feed on spiders,
berries, and seeds, and will happily visit birdfeeders.
Oak Titmouse.
Known as “the voice and soul of the oaks,” Oak Titmice prefer
The Oak Titmouse to nest in the cavities of oaks but will settle for holes in other trees,
will roost in clusters of leaves or pine needles, and even inhabit
by gail kurtz birdhouses. I wonder if they’ve taken up residence in my neighbor’s
f
redwoods, but I’m not sure.
ield guides often describe Oak Titmice as drab, nondescript, I relish these energetic birds. I worry about them too. Although
and “plain as a bird can be.” But I light up every time I see one, Oak Titmice are abundant in parts of their range (which runs from
with its downy breast, taupe-colored body, and intense black eyes. Southern Oregon through California to Baja), the population is
Its tufted gray crest makes it appear cheerful and game for any- declining due to habitat displacement and Sudden Oak Disease.
thing, like a little gray Robin Hood. I’ve decided to offer the Oak Titmice in my neighborhood a home.
The first time I spied an Oak Titmouse it was practically bound- I’ve ordered a birdhouse and a suet feeder. Hopefully soon they’ll
ing along the branch of my neighbor’s pistachio tree, gleaming eyes settle in, and I can continue enjoying these anything-but-drab
focused on the feeder below. It eventually dove down and disap- birds.
8 THE GULL spring 2021You can also read
