The Lahontan Audubon Society

  • About
    • HISTORY & MISSION
    • STAFF & BOARD
    • EMPLOYMENT
    • ANNUAL REPORTS
  • Birds
    • AREA BIRDING GUIDE
    • CONSERVATION
    • Plants for Birds
    • Birding By Bus
    • Birding News
  • Education
  • GET INVOLVED
    • Calendar
    • Join
    • Donate
    • Volunteer
    • Shop
  • Resources
    • FAQ
    • Bird Safety & Ethics
    • INJURED BIRD? OR BABY BIRD OUT OF NEST?
    • Urban Waterfowl
  • CONTACT US
  • About
    • HISTORY & MISSION
    • STAFF & BOARD
    • EMPLOYMENT
    • ANNUAL REPORTS
  • Birds
    • AREA BIRDING GUIDE
    • CONSERVATION
    • Plants for Birds
    • Birding By Bus
    • Birding News
  • Education
  • GET INVOLVED
    • Calendar
    • Join
    • Donate
    • Volunteer
    • Shop
  • Resources
    • FAQ
    • Bird Safety & Ethics
    • INJURED BIRD? OR BABY BIRD OUT OF NEST?
    • Urban Waterfowl
  • CONTACT US

Pinyon Jay Group Survey Report 10/5/2022

10/8/2022

Comments

 
Photos by Dave Reynolds.
Report by Linda St-Cyr.  Starting from the parking lot at the top of Peavine Creek Road and hiking up, 11 Pinyon Jay followers observed 122 Pinyon Jays (a life bird for at least 3 people!) over a 2-hour period on the morning of 10/5/22.  The Pinyon Jays flew in a northerly direction in several groups from the houses below to the foothills above.  It’s interesting that the area hosts Jeffrey and Ponderosa Pines, but no Pinyon Pines.  The Pinyon Jays seem to be getting supplementary food around the houses (peanut shells were visible on the ground at the lower elevations) and they could be preparing to cache at the higher elevations although we did not actually see caching behavior.  The Pinyon Jay survey volunteers practiced submitting data to Great Basin Bird Observatory via the Survey 123 app.  An extra perk was the Golden Eagle who often appears near the peaks when we’re in this area.  See the eBird trip report for the full species list.
Comments

Pinyon Jay Community Science Training and Get Together

9/24/2022

Comments

 
Our Pinyon Jay friends are returning to their flocks and it's time for us to get back to our surveys. This month we are hosting a gathering at Rosewood Nature Study Area to train new volunteers, answer questions for existing volunteers, and get together as a community of interested birders. Please RSVP so we can plan accordingly. If you are new to the project, we will send you some information in advance to help you with the on-boarding process.
Picture
Pinyon Jays by Jeff Bleam
RSVP to the PIJA Project Gathering Here
Comments

InterMountain West Shorebird Survey - Volunteers Needed

7/2/2022

Comments

 
A group of Long-billed Dowitchers taking flight over water tall reeds or grasses in the background.
Long-billed Dowitchers by Ed Oakes
What is the Intermountain West Shorebird Survey?
Shorebirds represent a unique aspect of biodiversity that links isolated sites, often hundreds or thousands of miles apart, and thus, shorebirds are excellent indicators of environmental health across large and small landscapes.
 
Inland sites in the Intermountain West are oases for our migratory shorebirds. Our collective efforts will document changes to freshwater wetlands and saline lakes over the past 30 years by recreating the last comprehensive shorebird survey of the region in 1989-1995. By combining the efforts of professional and volunteer scientists, we will collect critical information to help sustain shorebird populations into the future, which is the purpose of the Intermountain West Shorebird Survey.
 
The project objectives are:
  • Describe the distribution and abundance of shorebirds during migration by count all shorebirds at 189 sites during the spring and fall migrations for 3-5 years.
  • Compare the current distribution and abundance of shorebirds with distributions from 1989-1995.
  • Inform future management decisions by identifying local and regional factors that influenced the abundance and distribution of shorebirds.
Ideal shorebird volunteers:
  • Have a passion for birds and time outdoors,
  • Can commit to one survey day in the spring and one survey day in the fall, and allow some flexibility for scheduling around bad weather,
  • Will be safety conscience and cooperate with field partners,
  • Can collect high quality data in the field,
  • Can count shorebirds and identify to species in breeding and non-breeding plumage, OR can assist an observer by recording data and/or providing transportation.
How can you help?
We need help collecting baseline site information (access points, observation locations, and potential hazards), designing routes and surveying sites. We will be providing more details on what information we need and how to collect it during our upcoming webinar sessions. Please fill out the online form below if you are interested in visiting a familiar or new shorebird site to help design surveys and count shorebirds during our migration windows (August 9th – 22nd and April 24th – 30th), any effort helps shorebirds count! Mileage reimbursement is available on a case-by-case basis.

Save the dates!
  • July 20th, 2022 – Shorebird Site Reconnaissance Webinar
  • August 2nd, 2022 – Survey Protocol and Training Webinar
  • August 9th-22nd, 2022: Fall 2022 Peak Shorebird Survey Window – get out and count shorebirds!

Ready to get involved?
​
Sign Up Here
Learn More
Comments

Shorebird Surveys- March 12th 2022

3/15/2022

Comments

 

Read More
Comments

Support Recovering america's Wildlife Act

2/26/2022

Comments

 
Did you know that Nevada is one of the most biologically diverse states? With 309 endemic species and subspecies, Nevada ranks 6th in endemics and 11th in total species diversity. Despite this breadth of species, Nevada had the 3rd highest number of species at risk. The most recent Nevada Wildlife Action Plan, published in 2012 listed 256 wildlife species of greatest conservation need and 22 key habitats. Thankfully, there is a bill making its way through Congress that seeks to protect and restore species of greatest conservation need. The Recovering America's Wildlife Act (RAWA) would provide over $30 million annually to support wildlife conservation, habitat management and restoration, outdoor recreation, and conservation education programs in Nevada. Species like the Greater Sage-Grouse and Pinyon Jay would greatly benefit from these funds. This bill is co-sponsored by Senator Jacky Rosen, Representative Mark Amodei, Representative Steven Horsford, and Representative Dina Titus. Please write to your congresspeople to thank them for their support of this important legislation. Use the link below to share your support.
Share Your Support of RAWA
Comments

Pinyon Jay Surveys

2/24/2022

Comments

 
Picture
Pinyon Jay, courtesy of Jeff Bleam.
Did you know that Pinyon Jay populations have declined 80% since the 1960s? Here is your opportunity to help scientists understand why this species is in decline and how we can help to conserve them. ​Lahontan Audubon Society is partnering with the Great Basin Bird Observatory (GBBO) to recruit community scientists to conduct Pinyon Jay surveys. No experience is necessary and birders of all levels are welcome. This is a great opportunity to learn about a local species and support conservation efforts. Surveys require a smartphone app or a handheld GPS.

Each month we will host a field trip where new volunteers will meet our experienced surveyors to learn the survey protocol and share their experiences.
Send us an email to RSVP. Click below to fill out our volunteer form or watch our Pinyon Jay presentation on our YouTube Channel.

Read More
Comments

Greater Sage-Grouse Need your Help

1/28/2022

Comments

 
Picture
The Greater Sage-Grouse is an icon of the west, yet the species is on the decline. The majority of their remaining habitat is on land managed by the Bureau of Land Management which is currently in the process of formally reviewing their State Sage Grouse Management Plans. Make your voice heard by submitting comments through the National Audubon's campaign or visit the BLM Scoping site for more information. Lahontan Audubon is working to develop formal comments as well and the more people who speak up in support of this species the better.

​
Submit comments in Support of Sage Grouse
Comments

December 2021 Bird of the Month- Pinyon Jay

11/30/2021

Comments

 
Picture
Photo courtesy of Jeff Bleam.
Our December bird of the month is the Pinyon Jay. Pinyon Jays are known for foraging in Pinyon pines, hence their namesake. Pinyon Jays are a larger jay, and sometimes mistaken for small crows. 

Pinyon Jays are found throughout the American West and even parts of Baja California. They are often seen in the Great Basin region due to the Pinyon trees that can be found here. Flocks of Pinyon Jays can be seen in Alum Canyon and have been recently observed on Peavine here in Reno. The Pinyon Jay is a Watch List species due to habitat loss.

Lahontan Audubon Society is partnering with the Great Basin Bird Observatory on an exciting community science project to advance our knowledge of this unique species. Join us for our upcoming free monthly meeting where you will learn all about the natural history of Pinyon Jays and how you can support conservation efforts. To register for the member meeting click below. 


View the Recording Here
For more information about Pinyon Jays and to hear recordings of their call, please visit the Audubon Field Guide entry below:
Pinyon Jays on Audubon.org
Comments

THE PELICAN-- Conservation at the Lahontan Audubon Society

10/14/2021

Comments

 

Read More
Comments

Salmonella Outbreak & Responsible BirdFeeding

2/5/2021

Comments

 

Read More
Comments

CALIFORNIA MOVES TO PROTECT IMPERILED MOUNTAIN LION POPULATIONS

4/16/2020

Comments

 

Read More
Comments

PLANTING SAGEBRUSH WITH BLM

11/28/2019

Comments

 

Read More
Comments

IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS

7/29/2019

Comments

 

Read More
Comments

SWAN LAKE NATURE STUDY AREA CLEANUP

4/27/2019

Comments

 

Read More
Comments

MINE CLAIM MARKER LEGISLATION

4/9/2019

Comments

 

Read More
Comments
<<Previous

    topics

    All
    Advocacy
    Birding By Bus
    Bird Of The Month
    Christmas Bird Count
    Citizen Science
    Conservation
    Education
    Field Trips
    Monthly Member Meetings
    News
    Online Courses
    Photography Contest
    The Pelican Newsletter
    Volunteering

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    April 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    July 2019
    April 2019
    December 2018
    December 2017
    December 2016
    September 2016
    June 2016
    December 2015

Lahontan Audubon Society
contact@nevadaaudubon.org

PO Box 2304
Reno, NV 89505-2304

Birds Photos by

Jeff Bleam
Reno Web Design
Privacy Policy
​If you enjoy birds or birding, or want to learn more about birding or about conservation, this is the place to be!
​
Lahontan Audubon Society Mission Statement: To preserve and improve the remaining habitat of birds and other wildlife, restore historical habitat, and educate the public, with emphasis on children, providing vision to all about our unique Nevada environments.
Donate
​Your Amazon purchases Support LAS when you shop here:
Shop on Amazon
Picture
Picture