Big Island – Hawaii

Flora and Fauna – Bits and Pieces

This month the Redbud Audubon Society welcomes Hopland resident, Bob Keiffer who will present a program on the Big Island of Hawaii, “Flora and Fauna – Bits and Pieces.” Bob presented his first “Birding in Hawaii,” program last year for Redbud Audubon, this November program will focus on birds of the Big Island. Those who have seen Bob’s programs before know the photography is fabulous and the program is always interesting. We are likely to pick up even more fasc
inating information about Hawaii.

Bob will enlighten viewers of past and present successes and failures at preserving unique island species. He had the opportunity to be guided for a day by Jack Jeffrey, a retired USFWS biologist and renowned Hawaiian nature photographer. Bob visited the island in 2014, first attending a vertebrate pest management conference and then exploring the island with wife, Beth, for a week. He was able to find the island’s rarest bird – a bird that has an upper bill three times longer than the lower bill!
“The royal Hawaiian robes were made of bird feathers,” Bob notes, and “livestock did not result in a paradise island.” Find out the details at the program!

Bob was born and raised in Mendocino County and has had a long-time interest in natural resources and specifically a long-time interest in birds and mammals of the oak woodland habitats.

He followed his interest in wildlife by obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Management from Humboldt State University in 1979 and he is a certified Associate Wildlife Biologist with the Wildlife Society. Bob was the founder of the Peregrine Audubon Chapter in interior Mendocino County and has been the compiler of bird observations for Mendocino County, reporting to the North American Birds publication (Northern California region) for about 25 years.

Bob has been at the University of California’s Ag and Natural Resources Division – Hopland Research and Extension Center for over 30 years, mostly as Principal Superintendent of Agriculture. There he has introduced and presented to many visitors, classes, and groups, the topic of oaks and oak woodland habitat, wildlife, range managements, and many other topics.

Please join us for this fascinating program. As always, our programs are free and open to the public, Thursday, November 19, with refreshments at 7:00 p.m. and program at 7:15 p.m. in the Glebe Social Hall, St. Peter’s Catholic Church, 4085 Main Street, Kelseyville.

November Bird Walk

Join us at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park on Nov. 21

The field trip for November will be at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park. Meet in the parking lot at 8:45 for a 9 a.m. walk start. There should be some songbirds, raptors and wildfowl and we stroll the mostly flat, but scenic trails of the park. Don’t be surprised to see Black-shouldered Kites and Red-tailed Hawks.

Bring water and lunch to share in the Anderson Marsh Ranch House yard after the walk. Anderson Marsh State Historic Park is located on Highway 53 between Lower Lake and Clearlake. It is on the west side of the highway off of Anderson Marsh Parkway. Please be prepared to pay the $4 parking fee if you plan to park in the Ranch House parking lot. For more information, call Pat Harmon at (707) 263-4977.