Page 28 - Sonoma County gazette September 2018

The California Towhee’s Extraordinary Routines
By Lisa Hug
September is usually a time we get back into our regular routines. The
kids go back to school and life seems pretty “normal.” Summer is over and the holidays aren’t here yet. It’s time to get serious about our work and get some things done.
And, what bird could seem more “normal” and “serious” than the California Towhee?
The California Towhee is an unassuming bird. It scurries around the ground in suburban neighborhoods inconspicuously, scratching for seeds and insects. It is often described as plain brown and drab, especially when compared to the more ornate Spotted Towhee. However, the California Towhee has some subtleties that are often overlooked. For instance, it has cinnamon-colored feathers under
the tail. It also dons a charmingly understated matching necklace.
Photo by Julie Vader
Spring Lake Water Bark Kickoff Is September 8
The Spring Lake Water Bark, a leash-free day for dogs to swim and romp on the sand, kicks off at the Spring Lake Swimming Lagoon on Saturday, September 8. Water Bark days will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on September 8-9, 16, 22-23 and 29-30. No Water Bark will be held on Saturday, September 15 because Spring Lake will be busy with a cross country meet that day.
You might say the California Towhee is “extraordinarily normal.” Whereas, most species
of small songbird choose a new mate each annual breeding season, the faithful California Towhee is monogamous. It stays with its mate for a lifetime, sticking close to its chosen mate during all seasons of the year.
This bird of open woodlands and chaparral is also comfortably adapted to suburban life. Most of us have several pairs of California Towhees living in our neighborhood. It is a sedentary bird, staying in a relatively small territory for its entire life of around seven years.
Water Bark offers convenient season pass –
Entry fees for the Water Bark are $5 per dog for Sonoma County Regional Parks’ members and $7 per dog for non-members. Parking is free for members or $7 per vehicle for non-members. For convenience, attendees may purchase tickets online in advance at 2018waterbark.brownpapertickets. com. To speed up admission into the Water Bark, we recommend that guests print and sign the online waiver and bring it to the Water Bark: www. sonomacountyparksfoundation.org/2018-spring-lake-water-bark/
Many small songbirds migrate to Central America in the fall and return here in the spring. While these migratory birds are journeying several hundred miles twice annually, the California Towhee is with its
mate in the same territory it held while nesting and raising its young. And while many local songbirds are traveling around in mixed-species flocks in the
Like last year, dog owners can purchase a non-transferable season pass for $30. Season pass holders will be issued their very own plastic membership card, complete with a dog ID photo, valid for all September 2018 Water Bark dates. The season pass saves Water Bark guests money and reduces the time needed for dogs and their owners to check in.
The California Towhee’s year-round loyalty to its mate and territory is a very successful reproductive
strategy. It allows it to have a very
long breeding season, compared to
The Water Bark will kick off on September 8 with free treats and tennis balls for the first 300 dogs. In addition, new sponsor Stanley Steemer has provided 100 “rally towels” to help dry off dogs after their swim.
migratory songbirds that choose new mates every spring. When Madrone Audubon Society conducted the Sonoma County Breeding Bird
Atlas, volunteers collected records of California Towhees on nests as early as March 30 and as late as September 4. This means that their breeding season is long enough for each pair to be able to raise two broods in one season, with the added possibility of raising a third brood.
Popular local photographer Julie Vader will take photos at the Water Bark on September 22 and 23, and they will subsequently be for sale at www.julievader. com. Julie Vader Photography donates half of all proceeds from Water Bark sales to the nonprofit Sonoma County Regional Parks Foundation.
In addition, the Water Bark itself benefits the Parks Foundation, which funds projects throughout Sonoma County Regional Parks. Regional Parks is renowned for offering more than 50 dog-friendly parks in the county.
The Spring Lake Water Bark is held in the park’s swimming lagoon. The lagoon is free of blue-green algae, which is sometimes present at other local bodies of water during the summer. The lagoon is slightly chlorinated and filtered to ensure safe water for the dogs.
California Towhees are indeed “extraordinarily normal.” Their life- histories mimic many of our own lives. This makes them easy to relate to, and worth getting to know. So, try to find your local pair of towhees and see if you don’t find their “extraordinary normalness” endearing.
Sponsors of the Spring Lake Water Bark include Stanley Steemer, Paradise Pet Resorts, AcCounting OnComputers, Green Valley Consulting Engineers, Mary’s Pizza Shack, and radio stations The Wolf and KZST.
28 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 9/18
cold, wet, winter months in search of food, the California Towhee is right beside its mate. It gets all of its needs from its small, but well-chosen lifetime territory. You can often hear a faithful pair of towhees “talking“ to each other, each one exchanging “chink” notes to let the other one know of its whereabouts.