Current Projects and Goals is regularly published about once a quarter. Its purpose is to communicate to our membership about important issues that the board of directors and committee members are involved with.
Projects and Goals September 2022
Through our Education Committee and our Conservation/Science Committee, SBAS is actively working on many projects related to our three main focus areas. This column will be updated regularly with an overview of selected current projects and goals (project list is not all-inclusive). The goals summarize what each SBAS committee is working toward with occasional opportunities for member involvement.
From the desk of Katherine Emery, Executive Director
Current Projects
Goals
Education
- Continuing to welcome the public to visit the Audubon Aviary and view the SBAS Eyes in the Sky (EITS) birds of prey every day (except Tuesday) at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Thank you, EITS leaders and volunteers!
- Continuing to provide our EITS educational live bird presentations at preschools, retirement communities, and other locations. (Contact Hannah Atkinson)
- Sharing stunning new SBAS outreach film by Michael Love, “Birds of Lake Los Carneros.” Film is free to watch and available to classrooms, community centers and others from SBAS website: https://santabarbaraaudubon.org/learning-resources/
- Schedule next set of Meet Your Wild Neighbor (MYWN) classroom presentations in at least 12 Santa Barbara and Goleta lower elementary classrooms beginning this autumn.
- Organize 8 inspirational Evening Programs this year with new Board member, Roman Baratiak.
- Provide 32 morning bird walks/field trips this year. For updates, see https://santabarbaraaudubon.org/activities/
- Communicate informative fun bird-related stories to new and experienced naturalists through SBAS Hugh Ranson’s Santa Barbara Birding column in the Santa Barbara Independent (monthly). Thank you, Hugh!
Conservation/Science
- Meeting with agency decision-makers, providing public comments, and/or authoring conservation letters to promote birds, habitat, and biodiversity protections for Santa Barbara area projects. Thank you, Conservation/Science Committee leaders and members!
- Finishing collection of 7th year of Breeding Bird Study records. Total of 189 species of birds contributed by the public over time. Thank you, BBS contributors and Mark Holmgren and Adrian O’Loghlen!
- Summarizing results from 13th year of SBAS Nest Box monitoring at Lake Los Carneros (LLC). 11 volunteers made observations at boxes and banded birds. 87 Tree Swallows (TRES) and 22 Western Bluebirds (WEBL) fledged, the second highest ever for TRES and the highest ever for WEBL at LLC. Thank you, Don Schroeder, Steve Senesac, Conor McMahon, and volunteers!
- Strengthen conservation efforts to protect local open spaces, wetlands, bird habitats, and ecosystems.
- Use scientific data to continue outreach to the City of Goleta, City of Santa Barbara, and SB County to advocate for bird and habitat protections.
- Support UCSB Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration students researching SBAS aquatic invertebrate data for Coal Oil Point Reserve and NCOS to understand and evaluate ecosystem health important to birdlife. Thank you, Ann Steinmetz and Steve Senesac!
Projects and Goals June 2022
SBAS is actively working on many projects related to our three main focus areas: conservation and science, recently combined into a single committee, and education. This column will be updated regularly with an overview of selected current projects and goals (project list is not all-inclusive). The goals summarize what each SBAS committee is working toward with occasional opportunities for member involvement.
From the desk of Katherine Emery, Executive Director
Current Projects
Goals
Education
- Celebrating new SBAS-Santa Barbara Botanic Garden “Bird Month” collaboration at the Garden in May.
- Outreaching at the new Audubon Overlook at UCSB North Campus Open Space (NCOS) in May.
- Piloting new Meet Your Wild Neighbor “bird sit” and Science Technology Engineering Art and Math “How talons work” curriculum at local schools.
- Completing providing MYWN program in 11 classrooms for 2021-2022 school year.
- Sharing recorded Evening Programs: https://santabarbaraaudubon.org/additional-resources/videos/
- Finish and share the new Lake Los Carneros (LLC) SBAS outreach film to increase awareness about the importance of birds at LLC and the critical need to protect this open space for birds and other wildlife.
- Continue to bring Eyes in the Sky raptor ambassadors to local schools. (Contact Hannah Atkinson)
- Schedule MYWN classrooms for fall 2022.
- Schedule outreach at retirement communities for fall 2022.
- Plan birding events and monthly Evening Programs for the coming year.
Conservation/Science
- Meeting with agency decision-makers, providing public comments, and/or authoring conservation letters to promote birds, habitat, and biodiversity protections associated with two projects: Heritage Ridge development in Goleta and El Capitán Entrance Improvements Project.
- Increasing Breeding Bird Study records for 7th
- Providing comments about the offshore wind power plan off the Santa Barbara County coastline with respect to impact on birds.
- Assisting UCSB Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration as it processes SBAS aquatic invertebrate data for Coal Oil Point Reserve and NCOS to understand and evaluate ecosystem health important to birdlife.
- Working on 13th year of Nest Box monitoring at LLC. 11 volunteers are making observations at boxes and banding birds.
- Strengthen advocacy efforts to protect local open spaces, wetlands, bird habitats, and ecosystems.
- Outreach to key departments within the City of Goleta, City of Santa Barbara, and SB County to advocate for bird and bird habitat protections.
- Use science to advocate for bird and habitat protections for Goleta creeks and watersheds and proposed wind turbine energy projects offshore of the Central Coast.
- Monitor breeding Tree Swallows and Western Bluebirds at LLC. 22 boxes are currently being used.
Projects and Goals March 2022
SBAS is actively working on many projects related to our three main focus areas: conservation and science, recently combined into a single committee, and education. This column will be updated regularly with an overview of selected current projects and goals (project list is not all-inclusive). The goals summarize what each SBAS committee is working toward with occasional opportunities for member involvement.
From the desk of Katherine Emery, Executive Director
Current Projects
Goals
Education
- Celebrating Great Backyard Bird Count, Feb. 18-21
- Providing SBAS outreach at local retirement communities. (Contact Dotti Pak.)
- Bringing Eyes in the Sky raptor ambassadors at local schools (Contact Hannah Atkinson.)
- Collaborating with Goleta Coast Audubon (UCSB Campus Chapter)
- Presenting monthly Evening Programs via Zoom. Recorded programs are available here: https://santabarbaraaudubon.org/additional-resources/videos/
- Host our 8th 2022 Winter Bird Count 4 Kids event.
- Celebrate new “Bird Month” collaboration with the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden in May
- Create new SBAS outreach film to increase awareness about the importance of birds at Lake Los Carneros (LLC), promote the need to protect this open space for birds and other species, and empower environmental stewardship
- Teach Meet Your Wild Neighbor curriculum to local kindergarten through 3rd grade classrooms
- Participate in the SB County Science Fair and present SBAS Joy Parkinson Award to local student
Conservation/Science
- Meeting with agency decision-makers, providing public comments, and authoring conservation letters to promote bird, habitat, and biodiversity protections
- Using science to advocate for bird and habitat protections for Goleta creeks and watersheds and proposed wind turbine energy projects offshore of the Central Coast
- Increasing Breeding Bird Study records for 7th year
- Assisting UCSB Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration as they now process SBAS aquatic invertebrate data for Coal Oil Point Reserve and North Campus Open Space to understand and evaluate ecosystem health important to birdlife
- In collaboration with SB County Parks create new educational signage at Nojoqui Falls Park featuring information about the Purple Martin population that breeds in and around the Park
- Continue to build advocacy to protect local open spaces, wetlands, bird habitats, and ecosystems
- Outreach to key departments within the City of Goleta, City of Santa Barbara, and SB County to advocate for bird and bird habitat protections
- Looking for a SBAS member and volunteer who would like to burrow into the worlds of Nest Box monitoring of breeding Tree Swallows and Western Bluebirds at LLC. This will be our 13th year of Nest Box monitoring. (Contact Steve Senesac via the Contact Us link)
Projects and Goals December 2021
SBAS is actively working on many projects related to our three main focus areas: conservation and science, recently combined into a single committee, and education. This column will be updated regularly with an overview of selected current projects and goals (project list is not all-inclusive). The goals summarize what each SBAS committee is working toward with occasional opportunities for member involvement.
From the desk of Katherine Emery, Executive Director
Current Projects
Goals
Education
- Providing SBAS outreach at local retirement communities. (Contact Dotti Pak to set up.)
- Presenting Eyes in the Sky raptor ambassadors to local schools. (Contact Hannah Atkinson to set up.)
- Preparing fall monthly Evening Programs via Zoom. Recorded programs are available here. https://santabarbaraaudubon.org/additional-resources/videos/.
- Sharing new SBAS Tree Swallow nest box video. https://santabarbaraaudubon.org/learning-resources/
- Teach newly tailored Meet Your Wild Neighbor curriculum to local kindergarten through 3rd grade classrooms.
- Bring birds and habitat lessons to older students.
- Provide 2022 Winter Bird Count 4 Kids event.
- Continue collaboration with Goleta Coast Audubon (UCSB Campus Chapter).
Conservation/Science
- Meeting with agency decision-makers, providing public comments, and authoring conservation letters to promote bird, habitat, and biodiversity protections.
- Using science to advocate for bird and habitat protections for Goleta creeks and watersheds and proposed wind turbine energy projects offshore of the Central Coast.
- Increasing Breeding Bird Study records.
- Collaborating with UCSB Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration to process aquatic invertebrate data for Coal Oil Point Reserve and North Campus Open Space to understand and evaluate ecosystem health.
- Continue to build advocacy to protect local open spaces, wetlands, bird habitats, and ecosystems. (e.g., protecting White-tailed Kites and the health of open spaces they rely on).
- Outreach to key departments within the City of Goleta, City of Santa Barbara, and SB County to advocate for bird and bird habitat protections.
- Continue reminding home owners and agencies that tree-trimming should occur during months ending in “BER” to avoid nesting season. Trim in September, October, November and December.
- Continue to monitor SB County’s only population of Purple Martins.
- Continue to work with Goleta Coast Audubon to analyze the 12th year of Nest Box monitoring data of breeding Tree Swallows and Western Bluebirds at Lake Los Carneros (LLC).
