Point Reyes Peninsula Christmas Bird Count 2007
Please read all the updates
This page runs current from top to bottom with the latest news first
Reminder: Bring $5.00 cash, please do not bring large bills for your Audubon donation
Reminder: Bring cash or check to donate to the International Bird Rescue Center (IBRRC) in Cordelia- we will pass the basket at the compilation - if you are not going to the compilation, please give your donation to someone in your group
Update December 14: We are ready to go!! 200 people out in the field and 170plus at the compilation dinner at the Dance Palace in Point Reyes Station. The weather looks great. Let's hope for a great day and lots of birds and some rarities.
Update December 13: We are up to 203 participants! The dinner tally has been given to our caterer for the exact number of people that have reserved their dinner. Thank you for getting your dinner checks in on time.
You should ALL have talked with your area leader by now. If not, please contact us immediately!
Please do not wear any unnecessary scented products to the compilation. No perfumes please!!
Update December 11: We are up to 195 participants! The weather looks promising. It will be dry with temperatures in the 40's and 50's. Mild wind. Wear clothes that wick!
If you have not sent in your dinner check as of yet, then please advise us in writing of your intention to order dinner and get your check in the mail today or tomorrow (Tuesday or Wednesday!)
We will have another full house for the dinner. If you are teetering on whether you should attend or not, please do.
There are three area's that have not received their packet: J Evens, BirdPop group and R Hayden. The first two will be hand delivered on Wednesday and the last will be postaled for delivery on Thursday.
Update December 10: Some area leader packets were sent out last Friday. Some on Monday. You should be getting a call from your area leader. If you have not received one by Wednesday, please let us know. We have approximately 190 people signed up to count, but there are several areas that are lacking proper coverage. We are in dire need of a person or people who can walk an 8 mile stretch of beautiful Point Reyes National Seashore land. Without someone volunteering to bird this area, it will not get done. We will have to not cover it for the first time in 38 years. Please, someone come forward and help us. You can switch out of another territory if you would like. Call to discuss it with us.
Update regarding VOLUNTEER POSITIONS: Good news! Alice has secured 3 helpers to help with pre dinner and dinner prep. We have decided to pay for these positions out of our non-existent budget this year to give people a night off. HOWEVER, they will be leaving at 7:00 pm, so we still need post compilation help. That would be putting back the tables, chairs and clean up.
We also need someone who knows birds and is willing to pay attention to do the COUNT TALLY. We would like to book someone for this ahead of time. Please contact us.
The weather may turn on us Saturday. The weather forecast shows that it may sprinkle on Saturday. BE PREPARED. Bring extra clothes and your rain wear and booties. Bring protection for your binocs and scopes. You all know what to do. Thank you everyone and we look forward to this count and compilation, perhaps more than any others, since it will most likely be our last as compilers.
Update December 5: Alice and I compared lists and there are SEVEN people on the dinner list that did not contact David and Susan about their participation. PLEASE - read the directions below and follow them accordingly.
IMPORTANT: ALL AREAS HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED. We are still getting letters TELLING US where they are assigning themselves. This is not okay. We need more people, but please allow us to do our jobs and assign you where you are best suited and will do the count the most good. You may ASK if you can be on a certain team, but do not ASSUME you will be. Again - we appreciate your help, but as of December 1 - you are past the cut-off date, so please respect our organization. You will not be happy if you assign yourself to a team with so many people you are just a tag-a-long. Too many people in one area means that we could possibly be a detrement to wildlife - and a hinderance to the count. Thank you for understanding and please FEEL FREE to contact us for any reason.
Update December 2: Registration has gone pretty smoothly this year and the participation number is around 157 at this point. Of course, we need more people, so if you have not signed up yet, please do so. All Area Leaders have been confirmed except for one, but we have heard thru the grapevine that he is planning on being a leader.
Remember to get your dinner check into Alice and think about donating to the IBRRC, either with your dinner check or at the dinner.
Regarding Volunteers: We still have not secured help as we had planned. If you are checking in to see what type of volunteer help may be needed, then please check back in a couple days. We'll no for sure by then. Thank you very much.
Point Reyes Peninsula Christmas Bird Count 2007
The following is the invite that went out in the postal mail on October 29, 2007 - if you have counted any time within the last three years, then you are on our mailing list.
Everyone else, PLEASE read this and take appropriate action. Thank you.
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Please read this entire sheet – information is different than previous years
MAKE OUR LIFE EASIER BY READING AND RESPONDING APPROPRIATELY
Save this and make sure you have covered all information and action items
PRBO Conservation Science, Marin Audubon and the Golden Gate Audubon Societies sponsor the
39th annual Point Reyes Peninsula Christmas Bird Count
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Every year we endeavor to ensure consistent coverage of the count circle. We organize each of the 31 areas so there is a perfectly harmonious mix of skill level, gender, personality, stamina and knowledge of the habitat. We are blessed to have such an incredibly high level of participation, knowledge and devotion from our volunteers. This is you!! Each an every one of you – this is you!
Last year the number of field participants mushroomed to 213. An impressive number and the most of all the counts in North America – again. We hope you will carry on the tradition and participate again this year. The Point Reyes Peninsula CBC needs you.
Will you volunteer your time and skills?
Will you participate this year? Is there a reason why you cannot? It is important that we know either way. Each of you is important.
You MUST contact us to confirm you will count. Contacting your preferred area leader and not advising us, creates problems for us. It will cause us extra work. Do not expect your area leader to contact us for you. This is your responsibility.
When you sign up, please do so with the willingness to count even if it rains. Rain DOES NOT cancel. Be prepared for all weather.
Assignment and Leader Contact Deadlines
The deadline to register and possibly get your preferred area or December 1. On this date, we will be finalizing our area roster. We strategize based upon manpower and previous experience. Of course, you are welcome to sign up after December 1, just know that you may not get your desired area. We know life happens, so if you are not sure of your participation, then advise us of that reality as well.
The thirty-one area leaders will receive their packets approximately December 7. Expect a call or email from them around that time.
If your assigned area leader has not contacted you by December 13, contact us then - so we can investigate. We need to know!
You will not hear from us after this letter. This is the only communication you will receive this year. Your next contact is your area leader.
Day of Count Donation to Audubon – You get the American Bird magazine
Audubon requires a $5.00 tax-deductible field observer donation. All must pay except anyone under eighteen years of age.
Please bring the exact cash (no checks) and give it to your field area leader on the day of the count. Do not send it to us. Your receipt shows up in the way of your name being on the “list of participants” on the official Audubon web-site. If you do not pay, you will not be counted as an “official” participant, you will not get your name on the Audubon web-site, AND it looks bad. Folks - $5.00 is a small donation. Please make it.
Compilation Dinner and Order Deadline – We have a Dinner Coordinator
This year was going to be our last year organizing and compiling this lovely monster of a volunteer job. However, we anticipate less stress this year due to the volunteer efforts of a woman we have never met. Alice Goyhenetche is our new Dinner Coordinator. She has never participated in a CBC . Please welcome Alice and be kind in your communications with her.
Please contact her about everything having to do with the dinner. NOT US! All checks should be made payable to “Alice Goyhenetche.”
The post-count compilation dinner has become a very popular event. Our attendance hovers around 175. Once again, Pam Ferrari Catering will prepare a wonderful homemade, fresh, organic meal for us. Cheese tortellini with olive oil and pesto or marinara sauce, fresh baked local Brick Maiden crusty French bread, fresh butter or olive oil to dip, an interesting seasonal salad, big fresh baked cookie or brownies, tea and coffee. We will provide bottled sparkling water. If you prefer another beverage, you are welcome to bring it yourself.
The cost of the meal is only $10.00 each for counters and their families. (any person not volunteering, not a friend/family pays $15.00)
If you plan to attend the compilation dinner without purchasing a dinner, please advise Alice also. We need to know for seating purposes!
The absolute cut off date to register for the dinner is December 12. It is imperative that you order dinner in advance since Pam purchases fresh ingredients based upon our order. If you decide on the dinner after that day, there is still a possibility that you can enjoy the meal, however, you may have to wait until everyone that has paid on time has received dinner. If too many people do this, we will not be able to feed you as we will run out of food. We will do our best to accommodate you if you are late, but it puts us in a bad spot. Please do not procrastinate.
There is no refund after December 13, since the ingredients will be purchased. You will not receive a refund if you do not attend.
When ordering a meal(s) – please list the person(s) you are paying for. Each individual is checked in by their name, regardless of who pays.
The Dance Palace, 503 B Street, in Point Reyes Station will be open at 4:00 pm. We will serve dinner at approximately 5:15 pm.
Volunteer Positions for Compilation Dinner
We understand that after a day out in the field, you would just like to relax. We are working to make this a reality for you this year. Just in case, please check the web-site on December 1. We will post a list of volunteer positions that we will need at the Compilation Dinner.
Bring a Tax-Deductible Donation for the International Bird Rescue Research Center in Cordelia (cash or check)
This year we would like to give the IBRSC a donation on behalf of the Point Reyes Peninsula CBC. This last year, we rescued a Common Murre chick from Bolinas Lagoon. A happy story in the end as our “Bo” was released into the wild with care and rehabilitation. They have had a record number of murre chicks the last couple years, as well as other species, such as the 78 baby Ibis that you probably heard about. We toured the facility and visited Bo. They are a remarkable organization that relies heavily on volunteers and even more heavily on donations. Let us band together and donate to a worthy bird cause. Anything you can toss into the bucket is appreciated. If it is easier to make out two checks at once, perhaps you can send in your donation with your dinner check. We’ll send all cash/checks to IBRSC by 12/30/07.
Final thoughts
Please know that even though the tone of this mailing is somewhat strict – we are looking forward to communicating with and seeing you all. You must realize that a day-long event of this magnitude requires efficiency and precise organization. If we did not take this seriously and have logical reasoning for all we do, your day would not be so enjoyable and worthwhile. Each of you matters and in order to put your skills, personality and stamina to good use, we must have rules. Just imagine if 213 people showed up with no organization to bird an area as wonderfully diverse as the Point Reyes Peninsula CBC. Each of you is placed where your time and talent is deservedly needed. Imagine arriving at the Dance Palace where dinner is being served for 100 because 113 of you did not send in a check? We compile this count with much grace and finesse. We appreciate your respect in kind. Most of us do not see each other all year and look forward to the CBC’s to share intense birding and camaraderie. Let us have a fabulous 2007!
Folks, we are off for a spontaneous trip to New Zealand and will return November 17. If this paper is shy a personal note, it is because we are rushing to get this CBC started. If you were an area leader last year (2006 only) then we will assume you will be working the same area this year. We have had calls with inquiries or schedule changes – so noted and will contact all of you in earnest upon our return. Take care.
The various ways to communicate and obtain more information
Postal mail: Susan Colletta & David Wimpfheimer P.O. Box 782, Pt. Reyes Station CA 94956 (415) 663-1363
E-mail: pointreyescbc@earthlink.net Important: please put “CBC RESPONSE” in the subject line
Web site: www.calnaturalist.com Relevant CBC information will be posted in a timely manner, check in around 12/1
Dinner Checks: Due to Spam, I will not be posting Alice's personal information on the web-site - please email us at the above address for this information in a timely fashion
Take a look: www.ibrrc.org Please bring a donation; cash or check made payable to: IBRRC