Project Phoenix Weekly Newsletter

Weekly Newsletter

November 7, 2024

A NOTE FROM OUR TEAM

So, why birds?

This is one of the questions I am asked the most as an ecologist. There are lots of good reasons to study and protect birds. Birds exist on every continent, thriving in an incredible diversity of habitats. They serve as living, breathing examples of evolution in action, demonstrating the intimate tie between form and function that drives natural selection. Birds help us learn about the origins and rules of life on earth. Birds also provide critical ecosystem services in roles ranging from pollinators to predators, seed dispersers to scavengers, even engineers. As birds go about their day-to-day life, they help maintain the stability and resiliency of the lands we cherish. Birds are valuable environmental sentinels and of great cultural significance in communities around the world.

While there are countless reasons to protect birds, I believe birds have an intrinsic and immeasurable value – they connect us, they ground us. Maybe they even save us. I am soothed by birdsong, and I am not alone. Research has suggested that birdwatching alleviates stress, lessens feelings of depression, and bolsters our mental well-being. Our day-to-day encounters with birds, whether or not we know their names or recognize their calls, bring us joy.

Birding brings me peace. Sometimes, our world feels overwhelming, exhausting, even frightening. And although birding cannot end wars, bring justice, or solve hard problems, I do think that birding can connect people to nature, help us see beyond ourselves, and strengthen our inner resolve. I think birding can build bridges. Birds remind us that our lives, that this moment, is but a blip in the universe’s long, long story. As I watch a bird take flight, I remember that this, too, shall pass.

Sincerely,

Olivia

Olivia V. Sanderfoot, Ph.D. | Program Director, Project Phoenix

BIRD OF THE WEEK: California Scrub-Jay

With its signature blue plumage, the California Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) is a delightful bird to spot along the Pacific coast. The California Scrub-Jay was only recently defined as a distinct species of jay. In 2016, the American Ornithologist’s Union split the Western Scrub-Jay into two new species – the California Scrub-Jay and its very similar-looking cousin, the Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma woodhouseii). The decision was made in part due to the birds’ different distributions, beak adaptations, and the results of genetic analysis.

While this bright blue bird may seem hard to miss, you may hear a California Scrub-Jay before you spot it! Like other Corvids (the family that includes crows, ravens, and other jays), California Scrub-Jays are very vocal and considered to be quite intelligent as well. They communicate in both songs and calls, with close, courting pairs known to sing a melody for up to 5 minutes! There are at least 20 known distinct calls in the California Scrub-Jay vocabulary, with calls to scold predators! Their intelligence is not only demonstrated through their communication skills, but also through their incredible memory, which comes in handy when storing food. California Scrub-Jays feast on insects in the warmer months, but during fall and winter they feed on nuts and seeds. California Scrub-Jays often bury acorns, saving them to eat later on when food is scarce. Not all of these acorns are eaten, resulting in the replanting of oak trees. Next time you’re enjoying the shade of an oak tree, thank the jay who may have planted it!

We love to hear from our volunteers! What motivated you to join Project Phoenix? Click here to share your story.

VIRTUAL EVENT TONIGHT: Seminar by Dr. Olivia Sanderfoot

Our program director, Dr. Olivia Sanderfoot, is giving a virtual seminar about engaging communities to advance our understanding of air pollution impacts on birds for the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Chicago. The virtual seminar will take place today, November 7th at 6:00 p.m. CT (4:00 p.m. PST). It is free for all and anyone is welcome to attend. RSVPs are required, so register today!

FEATURED STORY: Project Feederwatch

If you just love surveying birds for Project Phoenix, but wonder what you’re going to do once data collection ends in November, have no fear! The Cornell Lab of Ornithology runs another super fun community science project that you may be interested in, and it picks up right when ours ends.

Project FeederWatch is an annual survey of birds that are found in neighborhoods across North America. The program engages community scientists in monitoring birds in November – April. After signing up, participants survey birds for as long as they like, on days of their choosing, and upload their data online – it's that easy! Despite the project’s name, you do not need to have a feeder in order to participate. All you need is access to an area that has plants, habitat, water, or food sources that attract birds. (So, basically anywhere works!) Just like Project Phoenix, Project FeederWatch is open to birders of all ages, skill levels, and backgrounds! Enrolling in Project FeederWatch is not free, but the $18 enrollment fee helps fund the project, and you will receive a bird poster, calendar, and digital access to the Cornell Lab’s Living Bird magazine.

The data collected in Project FeederWatch is used to determine winter distributions and abundances of birds across the continent. Knowing where birds are helps scientists to understand long-term trends in bird populations, learn more about the types of foods and habitats that birds use during the wintertime, and document expansions or contractions in the winter ranges of birds. At the end of each Project FeederWatch season, all of the data gathered by participants is analyzed, and the results are published in Winter Bird Highlights, which is then shared with all community scientists.

FROM OUR PARTNERS: November Events

Los Angeles Audubon Society
- Bird walks: November 8th, 9th, 10th, 15th, 22nd
Los Angeles Birders
- Virtual Seminar: November 12th
Conejo Valley Audubon Society
- Bird walks: November 9th, 13th, 16th, 23rd, 30th
Nature Nexus Institute
- Open Wetlands: November 10th
- Habitat Restoration: November 15th, 16th
Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy
- Guided Nature Walks: November 9th, 16th
North East Trees
- Adopt a Shade Tree/Board Family Day: November 16th
Bolsa Chica Conservancy
- Cyanotype with Nature: November 17th
Pomona Valley Audubon Society
- Field Trips: November 16th-17th, 23rd
Morro Coast Audubon Society
- Field Trips: November 16th, 20th, 22nd
- Virtual Community Program: November 18th
Mendocino Coast Audubon Society
- Accessible Bird Walk: November 9th
- Field Trip: November 16th

Thank you to all our partners and supporting organizations!

Project Phoenix is grateful to our partners and all the supporting organizations who help our program soar. Visit our partners page to learn more about the incredible work of these non-profit organizations – from science to conservation to outdoor recreation, these orgs are dedicated to protecting our environment for people and the birds we love.