Fresno Audubon

10/21/2026

Carry on Wisdom!

This bird was already an adult in 1956, and somehow she is still out here laying eggs like retirement is a myth. 🐦

Meet Wisdom, the legendary Laysan albatross believed to be the oldest known wild bird on Earth. Researchers first banded her leg on Midway Atoll in 1956, when she was already fully grown and sitting on an egg. That means she was not a baby back then. She was already living her bird life, raising chicks, and probably judging everyone with calm ocean confidence.

Then decades passed.

Presidents changed. Technology exploded. The world basically turned into a sci-fi movie. And Wisdom kept coming back to the same Pacific nesting grounds.

Laysan albatrosses are already incredible. They spend most of their lives gliding over the open ocean, traveling thousands of miles, then returning to land to breed. They usually lay just one egg a year, and both parents take turns keeping it warm while the other flies far out to sea for food.

But Wisdom took that normal bird story and turned it into a record-breaking saga.

At around 74 years old, she laid another egg in late 2024, possibly her 60th. Scientists estimate she may have raised as many as 30 chicks over her lifetime. That is not just impressive. That is grandmother of the ocean level iconic.

Her longtime mate had not been seen for years, but Wisdom returned and began interacting with a new male, proving her story still had another chapter.

Big takeaway: some legends do not need speed, noise, or drama. Sometimes they just keep flying across oceans and coming home.

10/20/2026

There are a few space still left for this Wednesday's bird walk at K'uik'ui Ranch (formerly Ball Ranch) 10/21/26. Register

10/16/2026

🎉 WE HAVE OUR TWO WINNERS of the September Membership Drive! Congratulations to Amy H. and Laura U! We will reach out to you via email for selection of your book prize. Thank you to all who participated. We couldn't provide the walks and classes that we do without your support!

10/16/2026

Bird of the Month Feature - American Avocet

The American Avocet is one of the most distinctive shorebirds found in California’s wetlands. Tall and elegant, it has exceptionally long blue-gray legs and a thin black bill that curves noticeably upward. During the breeding season, adults develop a striking rusty-orange head and neck, contrasting with their bold black-and-white wings and body. In winter, the head and neck become pale gray or white.

American Avocets are birds of shallow water. They are commonly found in freshwater and saline wetlands, flooded agricultural fields, shallow ponds, mudflats, and the edges of lakes. In the Central Valley, including the Fresno area, suitable wetlands can attract avocets during migration and winter, and some may remain to breed where conditions are favorable.

One of the easiest ways to recognize an avocet is by watching it feed. Rather than simply pecking at the mud like many shorebirds, an avocet often places the tip of its bill in shallow water and sweeps its head from side to side. The slightly upturned bill helps capture aquatic insects, small crustaceans, worms, and other tiny animals. Avocets may also pick prey directly from the water's surface or occasionally feed while swimming.

During courtship and nesting, American Avocets can become surprisingly territorial. Pairs usually nest on open ground near water, often on small islands, mudflats, or sparsely vegetated shorelines. The nest is little more than a shallow depression lined with bits of grass, shells, feathers, or other nearby material. A typical clutch contains three or four eggs.

Soon after hatching, the young leave the nest and begin feeding for themselves. Like many shorebirds, however, the chicks remain under the watchful protection of their parents. Adult avocets can be remarkably aggressive when defending their nesting areas and may chase away other birds or potential predators.

American Avocets are strong fliers and often travel in flocks. In flight, their large white wing patches contrast dramatically with black flight feathers, making a group of avocets particularly conspicuous as the birds turn together.

The species is widely distributed across western and central North America. Many birds breeding in the northern United States and Canada migrate south for the winter, while California supports avocets throughout much of the year. Wetland availability is especially important to the species because suitable shallow-water feeding and nesting habitat can change rapidly with rainfall, water management, drought, and development.

For Fresno-area birders, the American Avocet is an excellent reminder of the importance of Central Valley wetlands. When you see a tall black-and-white shorebird gracefully sweeping an upturned bill through shallow water, you have almost certainly found one of North America's most elegant waders, the American Avocet. Photo credit: William Brown

10/16/2026

Have a great bird photo to share?

Fresno Audubon welcomes your bird photographs! Submitted photos may be considered for use in Bird of the Month, our website, social media, and other Fresno Audubon communications. In order to make it manageable for our volunteers we kindly ask that you use the Google form below. Thank you!

10/12/2026

Highly recommended!

Join us at Merced NWR on October 17 for an evening Crane Fly-in. Would you like to learn more about the sandhill cranes that spend the winter in the San Joaquin Valley? If so, then join us for an evening Sandhill Crane Fly-In on Saturday, October 17, at 4:30 p.m. at the Merced NWR. Meet at the main entrance parking area at 4:30 p.m. for a presentation about the natural history of sandhill cranes -- the bird naturalist Aldo Leopold called "wildness incarnate." Afterwards, participants will caravan around the tour route in their vehicles to an ideal spot to get out and watch the cranes arrive as they return to refuge wetlands to roost for the night. The event should last about 2 hours. Dress for the weather. Bring mosquito repellent, along with binoculars and spotting scopes if you have them. There is no need to sign up. For more information, call our visitor center at 209-826-3517, or visit the refuge website at www.fws.gov/refuge/merced/. Photo courtesy of JFairbanks_photos.

10/12/2026

Here are some guidelines for ethical owl viewing and photography:
🦉 📷
* Don’t get too close – if the owl looks at you frequently, you’re too close.
* Stay on “the sidelines” and don’t enter an open area where an owl is hunting.
* Use binoculars or a scope for viewing and a telephoto lens for photography.
* Use a blind to minimize your presence - your car or even just hide behind a tree.
* Do not intentionally “flush” an owl.
* If you use audio recordings, minimize their impact on birds, and follow the ABA Code of Birding Ethics.
* Use discretion when sharing the location of an owl; usually it’s best to provide details only to people you can trust to treat the owl safely.
* Do not feed owls anything such mice, which may cause them to get used to people and can also result in collisions with cars and buildings.
* Avoid the use of flash photography, especially after dark.
* Eliminate noise to avoid interfering with a bird’s auditory hunting - if you’re viewing from a car, turn off the engine; if you’re with others, talk in a whisper only when necessary.

Owls are compelling creatures; there is something strongly expressive and intelligent in their eyes, and their commanding presence makes owls a favorite of birders and non-birders alike. As a result, many people are motivated to find owls in their natural habitat, and to get a closer look at these fascinating birds.

The presence of humans can be stressful for owls, so it’s important to understand more about owls and follow simple guidelines to ensure their safety.

Owls rely on hunting to feed themselves and their young, and any disruption to this hunting effort means they (or their family) may miss a meal or more. When you view owls too close, you are interfering with both the owls and their prey, and they simply can’t catch what they need to survive when humans are in the way. Even one missed meal is not easy to make up, especially when prey is scarce. If you’re watching owls hunt over an open field, stay at the edge of the field.

Info via Chicago Bird Alliance 👏

10/10/2026

From our friends at the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust :

We have important news to share from yesterday's Planning Commission hearing on the CEMEX Rockfield Expansion project: the Commission voted 3-3, resulting in a technical denial of the project.
Hundreds of people attended the meeting to voice their concerns and show their opposition to the project. It was inspiring to listen to each speaker's story about their personal connection to the river and their passion for protecting it for future generations. We'd like to thank every person who attended the meeting, spoke during public comment, or submitted written testimony. Your time, your presence, and your voices made a difference.
We also thank Planning Commission Chair Ken Abrahamian for giving every person who wished to speak an opportunity to be heard.

We are grateful to Chair Abrahamian, Vice Chair Glenda Hill, and Commissioner James Quist for voting no. We especially thank Vice Chair Hill and Commissioner Quist for making clear in their comments that a hard rock mine does not belong next to the San Joaquin River.
This is an important victory for the river and for everyone who has worked to protect it. Please share the news with your family, friends, and neighbors.
We also want to share that we recently launched a new website, stopcemexrockfield.org, where we will post updates about future actions related to the project.

This means drilling holes in the rock and blasting them apart with explosives, rather than digging sand and gravel with equipment. Read on for more information.

10/08/2026

TOMORROW October 8th the Fresno County Planning Commission hearing starts at 8:45am. If you want to continue to enjoy this prime birding area, please consider showing up.

Hearing Details
Thursday, Oct 8, 2026 8:45 am start time
Fresno County Hall of Records, 3rd Floor
2281 Tulare Street, Fresno, CA

If you are unable to attend in person please consider emailing your supervisor this evening.

--Email, phone, or write your Fresno County Supervisor, or better, send your comments to all five supervisors.

District 1—Brian Pacheco
559 600-1000
Fax: 559 600-1609
Email: [email protected]

District 2—Garry Bredefeld
559 600-2000
Fax: 559 600-1609
Email: [email protected]

District 3—Luis Chavez
559 600-3000
Fax: 559 600-1609
Email: [email protected]

District 4—Ernest Buddy Mendes
559 600-4000
Fax: 559 600-1609
Email: [email protected]

District 5—Nathan Magsig
559 600-5000
Fax: 559 600-1609
Email: [email protected]

10/03/2026

Our 2026/27 September Membership Drive was a great success. Thanks to all who have joined FAS so far. We will be announcing the two book winners as soon as we give an adequate amount of time for all hard copy checks mailed before the end of September to arrive! Stay tuned!! 📚 🏆 🎉