The November issue of the Avocet Update newsletter is now available. You can also read all our back issues of the update as well as PDFs of the printed Avocet on the Avocet page.
Avocet Update online
Feederwatch Starts Soon
This winter, join FeederWatch and count birds for science! Learn more in our Avocet article and sign up here. FeederWatch is a project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Birds Canada. Photo: Curt Bianchi.
BACKYARD BIRDING IN OCTOBER
Meet the Pine Siskin, our featured backyard bird, and see who's arriving and passing through town in our latest backyard bird report. Photo: Tom Grey
An Evening With Richard Crossley
Join us for an evening with author Richard Crossley of the Crossley ID Guides! Bring your books and your questions Friday, October 28!
SCVAS Learn: Swimmers
There’s a bevy of waterbirds that can be found in Santa Clara County! In this 2-part online class Matthew Dodder will help you build your ID skills for all those floating fellows that aren’t ducks so you can visit the ponds with confidence.
Backyard Birding in September
Look for migrating birds, meet our backyard bird of the month, and enjoy our latest backyard bird report. Photo: Deanne Tucker
Autumn Seasonal Birding
Join SCVAS Executive Director, Matthew Dodder, for a free evening course to get you prepped for autumn!
In the News with Advocacy
With increasing recreational activity stretching in time and locations, our staff and volunteers have been advocating against increased access and impacts on remote habitats and sensitive ecosystems.
September Volunteer Opportunities
September’s volunteer opportunities have dropped! Whether you’re looking to just send a meaningful email, looking to talk birds with the public for a few hours, or want to contribute to our field trips, we want to get you involved!
Fall Avocet
Bay Area Bird Photographers
The Bay Area Bird Photographers (BABP) is hosting “Bring Your Own Photos” night on September 7
August OSCSP BioBlitz
Join us as we explore the North Coyote Valley with the BioBlitz Club on Saturday, August 20th!
Shorebirds lite
This is an excerpt from the SCVAS Annual Event & Auction and features a short presentation about Shorebirds of Santa Clara County that can be searched for in the July-August timeframe.
Birding Basics Class
We’re collaborating with the City of Cupertino to provide an introductory birding class to the public! Whether you’re completely new to birding or are feeling overwhelmed when you step away from your feeders, our goal is to teach you to become comfortable with the exploration of birding!
Backyard Birding in August
Enjoy the new All Around Town, our backyard bird report! Take the grosbeak challenge, learn how to identify orioles, and find out what birds have been spotted lately by our members and friends. Photo: Curt Bianchi
Merced National Wildlife Refuge eBook
Whether you have a longstanding tradition of visiting the Merced Refuge, or you’re only hearing about it now, we only have good things to say about Chuq Von Rospach’s free new ebook on the refuge, featuring fantastic photos of the birds and wildlife to be found there.
National Audubon Society Mulls Name Change
After the Seattle Audubon Chapter decided to rename themselves this year, chapters across the country are considering the future of the Audubon moniker.
Joan Morris covers the ongoing debate surrounding the Audubon name on a local and national level.
In-Person Field Trips
August trips have been posted. To help more people have a chance at getting a spot on our very popular field trips, please limit your sign-ups to 2 trips per month.
Freshly Seasoned interview
An interview with veteran birders Bob Hirt, and younger Carter Gasiorowski. They speak about how they got started, what they've learned from each other, and how the community has helped them become the birders they are.
Silent Auction Begins
Help support SCVAS’s operations by bidding in our silent art auction with original artwork by renowned local artists Jack Cole and John Muir Laws. Auction ends August 6th!