September 10

Refreshments: Ruth Blakely

Main Program: The Obsidian Trail

A half-hour documentary, presented by Tom Dayak, on the prehistory of the Owens Valley region of California, as seen through the eyes of archaeologists, scholars, and Native Americans. The story is told through a montage of interviews, cutaways, animations, dramatizations, and off-camera narratives. Archaeologists have been working in Owens Valley and the surrounding region for over 50 years, trying to piece together the lifeways of its earliest inhabitants. This video helps to reveal the dynamic history of the inhabitants of the Owens Valley over the last 12,000 years.

This video was produced as part of the on-going effort to bring awareness, through Caltrans' Public Outreach and Native American Coordination programs, of the cultural resources work and research Caltrans is providing here in the Inyo-Mono Region.

Tom has lived in the Eastern Sierra for 20 years, working for Caltrans. He is currently Senior Environmental Planner.

October 8

Refreshments: Joan Benner

Main Program: A Home for the Fishes in Fish Slough

Steve Parmenter's talk will introduce the endangered native fishes of the Owens Valley and tell the story of a recent successful effort to give them a secure home. Fish Slough, a scant 15 minutes north of Bishop, is the site of three spring zones, 10 miles of waterways, and dozens of acres of wetlands. It is the site of the rediscovery of Owens pupfish and their legendary rescue from oblivion by Phil Pister in 1969. (If you don't know that story, check it out at http://www.amnh.org/naturalhistory/editors_pick/1200_read5.html) It is also the site of present-day efforts by BLM, White Mountain Research Station, and Fish and Game scientists to return native fishes to a small corner of their original habitat. Come and learn about the needs of our native fishes; hear what explosives, Hawaiian slings, and MIT engineers have to contribute to conservation; and find out the real reason why Audubon volunteers clean up that green slime on their weekend patrols.

Steve studied aquatic ecology at Santa Cruz and in Sweden. He is currently a fish biologist with the California Department of Fish and Game in Bishop, and is interested in the conservation biology of Great Basin fishes and their habitats.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

As I write this it is summer, but the local mountain trails have an autumn feel. The grasses are brown in the meadows and the odd aspen has a few gold leaves. In the valley the shorebirds are heading south, and the warblers and friends are trickling through. And fall begins another season of programs and activities for Eastern Sierra Audubon Society.

Senator Boxer's California Wild Heritage Act of 2003 was reintroduced in July. Eastern Sierra Audubon members have been active in working on this bill. This bill would protect many important wild places in Eastern California. These include additions to the John Muir Wilderness, much of the White Mountains, additions to the Hoover Wilderness, and the source of our river, The Owens River Headwaters.

The support for this legislation is broad and growing. It includes many backpackers, climbers, fisher folk, naturalists, birdwatchers, hikers, skiers, and businesspeople. Like all visionary proposals, there is opposition. And people of good intent can have conflicting opinions about what is appropriate. But as the citizens working on this have talked to local folks, it is clear that the support is substantial. Our proposal is modest; it is only a portion of the suitable acreage. Stakeholders from many walks of life have been contacted, and their input has resulted in changes in boundaries to accommodate their concerns and needs.

But why do this, some ask? Is the land not well managed by the BLM and Forest Service? This is a good question, and by and large the agency staff does a good job. But problems and threats exist. There are proposals to expand ski areas that threaten wildlife habitat. Off highway vehicle activity continues to intrude on wild places. And with our technological skills, who knows what the future will bring? Wilderness protection offers assurance that some portions of our California inheritance will remain wild.

And why should we as ESAS members be involved? Conservation biology has shown larger pieces of undisturbed habitat are more valuable than smaller isolated pieces. For some creatures, furbearers, deer, bighorn sheep for instance, bigger is clearly better. And what we don't know about natural systems is far vaster than what we do know. Keeping the landscape wild retains more of the pieces of the puzzle, and that is good. Finally, our mission as Audubon members is to advocate for wild creatures and wild places. We need to remember that chickadees, pine martens, and collared lizards will never write letters and attend meetings to advocate for their homes. That is our job.
James Wilson

EASTERN SIERRA AUDUBON BIRD-A-THON

Thank you for your support of this year's Bird-A-Thon/ IMBD. It has been a record breaker in terms of species seen (219), number of participants (41) and total money raised ($1575.80) for Eastern Sierra Audubons conservation and education efforts. You are supporting Birds in the Classroom, wildlife conservation efforts at the Lower Owens River Project and at Owens Lake, as well as many other Eastern Sierra Audubon causes. We are already planning for next year and look forward to you all joining us again.
Chris Howard, Jo Heindel, Mike Prather
ESA Bird-A-Thon coordinators

EASTERN SIERRA BIRDING TRAIL MAP RELEASED

The Eastern Sierra of Inyo and Mono counties has now joined other important wildlife areas around the United States with the release of the new EASTERN SIERRA BIRDING TRAIL MAP (ESBTM). This vehicle-based birding trail map was developed jointly by the Eastern Sierra Audubon Society, the Mono Lake Committee and the Owens Valley Committee and covers 200 miles on and off of the Highway 395 corridor from Owens Lake to Bridgeport. Birders (formerly "bird watchers") using the map are guided to 38 different birding locations where hiking trails allow even further exploration. Visitor information, directions to the sites, seasons to visit, the types of habitats and what species of birds might be seen are all provided. Varied habitats from high in the Sierra Nevada and White Mountains down to the valley floors are a rich sampler of the incredible natural diversity that exists in the Eastern Sierra. From bluebirds and blue grouse to wood ducks and warblers, there are birds and other wildlife for everyone. This is in addition to the unparalleled scenic landscapes and natural quiet. Among the fastest growing outdoor activities in America, birding is attracting visitors to rural areas and thereby supporting local economies, helping with wildlife conservation and providing low impact recreational use. Many birders plan entire vacations designed around the species of birds that they hope to see. The Eastern Sierra Birding Trail Map will attract everyone with an interest in birds and nature and will surely rank as one of the top birding trail maps in the nation. The following Eastern Sierra Audubon members played a vital role in producing the ESBTM: Tom and Jo Heindel, Jim and Debby Parker, Chris Howard, Leah and Andrew Kirk, Judy Wickman and Mike Prather. Key Mono Lake Committee staff who made this all possible were Arya Degenhardt, Bartshe Miller, Lisa Cutting, and Greg Reis. For a free copy of the Eastern Sierra Birding Trail Map contact either the Owens Valley Committee (760.876.1845 www.ovcweb.org) or the Mono Lake Committee (760.647.6595 www.monolake.org). Look on the web soon at www.easternsierrabirdingtrail.org
Mike Prather