Read Article
September 7, 2020

After the Fire

The day I have anticipated and dreaded has occurred. A fire broke out in the basin on September 6 at about 1:00. I could see the smoke from Sherman Oaks and I knew its location before I confirmed with Marianne and Richard Davis. They had driven to the basin and watched as the fire grew… read more
August 26, 2020

College Scholarship for SFVAS

The Audubon Society State programs, nature centers, 463 chapters and national/international partners have an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people.  The mission is to inform, inspire, and unite diverse communities in conservation action.  Since 1905, Audubon’s vision has been a world in which people and wildlife thrive. To promote the interest and career aspirations… read more
Read Article
Read Article
August 16, 2020

Non-Group Haskell Creek Cleanups – Cancelled

Sept. 16-Oct.15 Due to the devastating fire in the Reserve, the call for cleanup volunteers has been retracted -- the damage is too extensive and safety is uncertain. We will keep all parties informed as we assess the situation and determine the best way forward. Thank you for your concern and generosity. Due to the… read more
July 7, 2020

Back to the Drawing Board…

Only a few days ago, SFVAS was discussing the resumption of birdwalks, contacting leaders and getting pretty excited about a limited and careful return to our favorite pastime. Here at the website, we were sharpening our digi-pencil to write the welcome words in bright red at the top of the landing page: WALKS RESUMING! Alas,… read more
Read Article
Read Article
June 20, 2020

Can’t Bird But Got the Itch?

Did you know you can get live closeup views of Bald Eagle and Peregrine Falcon nests from the comfort of your own home? Snoop on Penguins and Avocets? Access more than a dozen webcams hosted by Cornell, some located in exotic, far-off locations? It may not equal getting out in your sunhat and binoculars, but… read more
June 10, 2020

We Stand Together

When we go out to birdwatch we bring our equipment and our knowledge, and foremost our respect for nature and our fellow birdwatchers. In recent weeks we have been made aware of the inequity experienced by our fellow enthusiasts, in the Black communities, who do not feel safe and fear encounters that quickly and easily… read more
Read Article
Read Article
May 18, 2020

A Great Season for Horned Owls

Great Horned Owls (GHOWs) are amazing creatures. These night-hunting apex predators have adapted to almost every nook and cranny of the N. American continent. They prey on just about anything that walks, crawls or flies -- as long as it isn’t more than two or three times their size. Woodley Park, home of the Sepulveda… read more
April 23, 2020

Bored? Bird!

No doubt many, if not most, of our members and friends are doing some birding – or a lot – while in forced domestication. After all, it is migration season. Even though most of the choicest migrants are seen in parks and on hikes, nevertheless the observant back-yard birder will see an itinerant stranger from… read more
Read Article
Read Article
April 4, 2020

Griffith Park Raptor Survey

In January of this year, Courtney McCammon contacted SFVAS to see if our chapter wanted to partner with Friends of Griffith Park in their 3rd season of monitoring raptor nests. Courtney partners with Dan Cooper and their data is shared with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. We were excited to learn about this program and… read more
March 17, 2020

Sometimes The Good Guys Win

Since 2007, the Mountains Recreation and Conservancy Authority (MRCA), a local public agency established in 1985 to manage, promote and protect open and wild land for public enjoyment, had its eye on 285 idyllic acres in the southern Santa Susana Mountains. MRCA works with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (SMMC) and other local groups and… read more
Read Article