A NOTE FROM OUR TEAM

“I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” ~ L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

Autumn is my absolute favorite season. I grew up in a small Midwestern city, and this time of year my hometown dazzles in fall color. In fact, I love autumn so much, I was a bit dismayed at the idea moving to Southern California, the land of endless summer.

Much to my surprise, even here in SoCal, autumn is a triumph! The morning fog and nighttime chill are invigorating, and fall color, though subtle, is there if you know where to look. But the best part of autumn is fall bird migration. October is a time to rejoice in the return of so many feathered friends and marvel at their incredible journeys.

Birds are on the move, and we’re bound to pick up some exciting observations in our Project Phoenix surveys. Just this week, I observed a Common Yellowthroat during my survey – a first for my neighborhood list!

With fall migration in full swing – and just a few weeks left in data collection for Project Phoenix – there’s no better time for a birding adventure. You never know what you’ll find.

Isn’t that just marvelous?

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

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: Moses Aubrey

Moses first read about Project Phoenix on Instagram, in a post by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHMLAC), and he thought it was pretty cool. Later, he heard Dr. Olivia Sanderfoot, our program director, share more about Project Phoenix and realized it was a community science project he could join. Moses thought volunteering would be a wonderful opportunity to engage directly in research and learn more about the project’s findings.

Currently, Moses is a research assistant in NHMLAC’s UNLAB (Understanding Nature and Los Angeles Biodiversity), a program that aims to help underrepresented post-baccalaureate scholars gain research experience and skills. He is collaborating with and mentored by Dr. Allison Shultz, an advisor and researcher with Project Phoenix, and co-mentored by Olivia. Together, Moses, Allison, and Olivia are working on an interdisciplinary project that leverages museum specimens to learn more about air pollution impacts on birds. Moses will be measuring black carbon accumulation on bird specimens collected over the last century in Southern California. His study will follow the same methods as a recent investigation of black carbon deposition on bird specimens in the Midwest. This project will allow NHMLAC researchers to evaluate atmospheric pollution prior to the founding of the Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) in 1970 – the museum's collections predate the founding of the E.P.A. and include bird specimens that are well over 130 years old! Stay tuned for updates on this exciting project.

Outside of research, Moses loves photographing and filming birds and really any other cool wildlife, from jumping spiders to coyotes to grunion. He loves learning about the biodiversity that exists all around us. There’s always so much to learn and so much that goes unnoticed; Moses loves to help highlight that, and he believes that Project Phoenix is a great way to expand community involvement in birding! 

Scroll down for a few examples of Moses’ incredible wildlife photography!

You can connect with Moses on his Instagram (average__moe) and his iNaturalist!

Thank you so much for your contributions to Project Phoenix, Moses!

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

FROM THE FIELD: Greater Roadrunner

Project Phoenix volunteers Alan and Jess Sanderfoot observed a Greater Roadrunner in their yard this week! Check out this great video Jess took of the roadrunner checking out their garden. These birds are built for speed, and can reach speeds of 20+ miles an hour! They use their long tails to help them keep their balance when they stand and run. Greater Roadrunners are well-adapted to their desert environment; most of their water intake comes from their prey. They can even eat notoriously dangerous desert animals, such as venomous lizards or scorpions, and will even work in pairs to kill and eat rattlesnakes! Out in the desert, their streaked feather pattern helps them camouflage. To spot them, listen for their low, cooing sounds!

Thanks for sharing your sighting with us, Alan and Jess! (And, in case you're wondering, yes, Alan and Jess are our Program Director Olivia Sanderfoot's dads. Sanderfoot is not a particularly common name! Olivia’s psyched her dads are contributing bird observations to our community science project!)

WAIT, WHAT’S THAT BIRD? | Eurasian Collared-Doves vs. Mourning Doves

In our last newsletter, we mistakenly identified a pair of Eurasian Collared-Doves as a pair of Mourning Doves. Our bad! Sometimes, bird ID is a challenge, and we’re grateful to the volunteers who pointed this out to us. Teamwork makes the dream work!

These two species of doves can appear very similar, but we’ve gathered some tips and tricks to help tell them apart!

• Eurasian Collared-Doves, as their name suggests, are distinguished by a black crescent marking on the backs of their necks. This is easy to spot from behind, but sometimes can be hidden when looking solely at the front of a bird. Check the shoulder areas for signs of this marking.

• Mourning Doves have characteristic dark brown spots on their wing coverts and a black cheek “smudge” on their face/neck.

• Overall, Mourning Doves are browner in color than Eurasian Collared-Doves, with spotted wings.

Check out these side-by-side comparisons of similar species to learn more about IDing Eurasian Collared-Doves in the field!

BIRD OF THE WEEK: Lesser Goldfinch

by Caitlin O’Neil | Communications Lead, Project Phoenix

Don’t let its name fool you – the Lesser Goldfinch is anything but that! The use of “lesser” in its name is used to identify that it is the smallest of all North American finches. (Lesser Goldfinches average around four inches in length). Its small stature also earns the Lesser Goldfinch the title of smallest mimic in all of North America! During mating season, a male’s call will integrate song excerpts from other birds, including American Kestrels, California Scrub-jays, House Finches, and more. Interspersed in these songs, you’ll hear trills, wheezes, and stutters. Despite this wide variety of song, Lesser Goldfinches are still recognizable their by the tell-tale “tee-yeer” starting notes.

The Lesser Goldfinch is found primarily in California and Texas, but their range extends north into Oregon and south into Mexico, with some populations found in Central America. Along the West Coast, Lesser Goldfinches sport a black cap and greenish back, but in the eastern and lower southern regions of their range, most Lesser Goldfinches will have a black back.

Lesser Goldfinches make their homes in chaparral, open woodlands, and urban green spaces throughout the western U.S. They primarily enjoy seeds from the sunflower family, but will also eat elderberry and madrone fruit, as well as willow and oak buds.

MEET OUR PARTNERS: Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP)

Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) is a non-profit group dedicated to linking observation, research, education, and application in the Earth Sciences.

Each year, in collaboration with NASA’s Earth Science Division, ESIP hosts Ignite@AGU, a science storytelling event that encourages scientists to create a presentation that showcases their personal and professional interests. But, this is no ordinary talk! Ignite talks are limited to just 5 minutes and exactly 20 slides that change every 15 seconds. Presenters are encouraged to use humor, share their personal experiences, and incorporate vivid imagery to clearly and quickly communicate with their audience. Worried about your public speaking skills, but still want to give this a shot? Have no fear; selected speakers receive training and feedback from event staff to help them prepare.

Ignite@AGU is held as part of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) annual meeting, but you don’t need to be a member of AGU to apply. Submit your idea! Reach out to lab@esipfed.org if you have questions about the event or navigating the AGU Meeting.

Our Program Director, Dr. Olivia Sanderfoot, participated in the 2022 Ignite@AGU event, presenting her talk, “Connecting Earth Science Disciplines to Safeguard Birds.” She regards it as the most empowering and inspiring science communication experience of her career.

Learn more about Ignite@AGU or sign up today!

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.