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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – This year, the annual Clear Lake Christmas Bird Count, held by the Redbud Audubon Society, will be on Saturday, Dec. 14.
The Christmas Bird Count, or CBC, is a traditional project of Audubon societies around the country.
Previous to the bird count, at the Thursday Dec. 12, Redbud Audubon Society meeting, Brad and Kathy Barnwell will present an extensive slide show and discussion of distinguishing features of birds that are often seen during the annual count.
The meeting is open to the public and visitors are encouraged to attend. It starts at 7 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church Social Hall in Kelseyville.
Redbud Audubon invites all birders and nature enthusiasts to join in the upcoming count. Birders of all skill levels are encouraged to participate.
This is Audubon’s longest running wintertime tradition and is the 45th year the count has taken place in Lake County.
There will be two main groups that participants might wish to join – one will meet at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park and the other will meet at the Visitor’s Center Parking lot at the Clear Lake State Park.
Both groups will meet at 8 a.m. and continue through to early or mid-afternoon.
After the count, participants are invited to a pizza dinner at 5 p.m. at Kelseyville Pizza on State Street in Kelseyville to join in the count compilation where the tally of the day’s sightings is compiled.
If you are interested in participating in the bird count, call Brad or Kathy Barnwell at 707-263-1283.
This is National Audubon's 120th Christmas Bird Count with all counts being held between the dates of Friday, Dec. 13, through Saturday, Jan. 4.
Each December or early January, birders gather to record every individual bird and species encountered during the day.
Each count group has a designated circle of 15 miles in diameter and tries to cover as much ground as possible within a certain period of time.
There is a specific methodology to the CBC, and all participants must make arrangements to participate in advance with the circle compiler within an established circle, but anyone can participate.
Count volunteers follow specified routes through the designated 15-mile (24-kilometer) diameter circle, counting every bird they see or hear all day.
It's not just a species tally – all birds are counted all day, giving an indication of the total number of birds in the circle that day.
If you are a beginning birder, you will be able to join a group that includes at least one experienced birdwatcher.
If your home is within the boundaries of a CBC circle, then you can stay at home and report the birds that visit your feeder on count day as long as you have made prior arrangements with the count compiler.
The data collected by each count group are then sent to the National Audubon Headquarters in New York and is made available online.
The Christmas Bird Count began more than a century ago when 27 conservationists in 25 localities, led by scientist and writer Frank Chapman, changed the course of ornithological history.
On Christmas Day in 1900, the small group posed an alternative to the “side hunt,” a Christmas day activity in which teams competed to see who could shoot the most birds and small mammals.
Instead, Chapman proposed to identify, count, and record all the birds they saw, founding what is now considered to be the world’s most significant citizen-based conservation effort – and century-old institution.
Scientists rely on the remarkable trend data of Audubon’s CBC to better understand how birds and the environment are faring throughout North America – and what needs to be done to protect them.
Data from Audubon’s signature Citizen Science program are at the heart of numerous peer-reviewed scientific studies.
With all of the issues, including climate change and habitat loss, facing both local bird species and birds worldwide, there is no time like the present to start getting involved in local bird conservation and educating yourself about the numerous bird species we have right here in Lake County; the annual Christmas Bird Count is a fun way of doing this.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Following a foggy Monday, forecasters are calling for the potential for rain this week thanks to a series of incoming weather systems.
The National Weather Service’s Sacramento office said the week is starting off with quieter weather, but later in the week more rain is in the forecast.
Forecasters said an approaching short wave trough – the agency defined a trough as an “elongated area of relatively low atmospheric pressure” – will push into the Pacific Northwest later on Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing chances of light showers.
That will be followed by another trough that the National Weather Service said will crash into the Pacific Northwest on Thursday, bringing more chances for precipitation, especially in the higher elevations on Thursday afternoon and evening.
The National Weather Service said still another system is set to arrive in the region on Friday and continuing through the weekend, bringing periods of rain and mountain snow to Northern California.
The forecast calls for precipitation on Friday mainly in the higher elevations, but an incoming cold front expected to arrive on Friday night and into Saturday, there could be light rain in the lower areas, the National Weather Service said.
The National Weather Service said mountain snow is anticipated to continue from Friday into Saturday, before dry weather returns on Sunday.
The specific forecast for Lake County shows chances of rain from Wednesday night through Saturday night, before conditions clear up into early next week.
Daytime temperatures are forecast to be in the low to mid 50s throughout the week, with nighttime temperatures in the low 40s, dropping into the 30s over the weekend.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
The National Weather Service’s Sacramento office said the week is starting off with quieter weather, but later in the week more rain is in the forecast.
Forecasters said an approaching short wave trough – the agency defined a trough as an “elongated area of relatively low atmospheric pressure” – will push into the Pacific Northwest later on Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing chances of light showers.
That will be followed by another trough that the National Weather Service said will crash into the Pacific Northwest on Thursday, bringing more chances for precipitation, especially in the higher elevations on Thursday afternoon and evening.
The National Weather Service said still another system is set to arrive in the region on Friday and continuing through the weekend, bringing periods of rain and mountain snow to Northern California.
The forecast calls for precipitation on Friday mainly in the higher elevations, but an incoming cold front expected to arrive on Friday night and into Saturday, there could be light rain in the lower areas, the National Weather Service said.
The National Weather Service said mountain snow is anticipated to continue from Friday into Saturday, before dry weather returns on Sunday.
The specific forecast for Lake County shows chances of rain from Wednesday night through Saturday night, before conditions clear up into early next week.
Daytime temperatures are forecast to be in the low to mid 50s throughout the week, with nighttime temperatures in the low 40s, dropping into the 30s over the weekend.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Organizers of the Lake County Wreaths Across America memorial effort for veterans invite the community to take part in ceremonies across the county that will be held on Saturday, Dec. 14.
The ceremonies, which seek to “remember the fallen, honor those who serve and their families, teach our children the value of freedom,” will take place beginning promptly at 8:50 a.m. at Hartley, Kelseyville, Upper Lake, Lower Lake, Middletown and St. Mary’s cemeteries.
This year the theme is "Everyone plays a part."
The ceremonies honor veterans during the holiday season as part of the annual Wreaths Across America Day. On this brisk December morning help to show the veterans and families that they will not be forgotten.
Youth organizations and veteran organizations have volunteered to conduct the Wreaths Across America ceremonies this year.
Seven ceremonial wreaths will be placed to remember all soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines who served, honor their sacrifices and teach our younger generations about the high cost of our freedoms.
Wreaths Across America pursues its mission with nationwide wreath-laying events during the holiday season, and year-round educational outreach inviting all Americans to appreciate our freedoms and the cost at which they are delivered.
Specially designated wreaths for the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine and POW/MIA will be placed on memorials during a ceremony that will be coordinated simultaneously at over participating locations all across the country and overseas.
In 2018, more than 1.8 million veteran wreaths were placed on headstones at 1,640 participating cemeteries around the country in honor of the service and sacrifices made for our freedoms, with each name said out loud.
More than 400 truckloads of wreaths were delivered across the country by hundreds of volunteer professional truck drivers.
Wreaths Across America expanded the mission overseas with the placement of 9,387 veterans’ wreaths at Normandy-American Cemetery in France.
This year ceremonies will have youth participation from Boy Scouts, Sea Scouts, 4-H, Girl Scouts, FFA, Lake County Sheriff’s Explorers, Mariners, Clear Lake High School Band, North Shore Fire Dept. Explorers, Lake County Funeral Honors Team and the Patriot Guard Riders.
Take an hour amidst the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and bring your families to attend one of these heartfelt ceremonies.
The ceremonies, which seek to “remember the fallen, honor those who serve and their families, teach our children the value of freedom,” will take place beginning promptly at 8:50 a.m. at Hartley, Kelseyville, Upper Lake, Lower Lake, Middletown and St. Mary’s cemeteries.
This year the theme is "Everyone plays a part."
The ceremonies honor veterans during the holiday season as part of the annual Wreaths Across America Day. On this brisk December morning help to show the veterans and families that they will not be forgotten.
Youth organizations and veteran organizations have volunteered to conduct the Wreaths Across America ceremonies this year.
Seven ceremonial wreaths will be placed to remember all soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines who served, honor their sacrifices and teach our younger generations about the high cost of our freedoms.
Wreaths Across America pursues its mission with nationwide wreath-laying events during the holiday season, and year-round educational outreach inviting all Americans to appreciate our freedoms and the cost at which they are delivered.
Specially designated wreaths for the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine and POW/MIA will be placed on memorials during a ceremony that will be coordinated simultaneously at over participating locations all across the country and overseas.
In 2018, more than 1.8 million veteran wreaths were placed on headstones at 1,640 participating cemeteries around the country in honor of the service and sacrifices made for our freedoms, with each name said out loud.
More than 400 truckloads of wreaths were delivered across the country by hundreds of volunteer professional truck drivers.
Wreaths Across America expanded the mission overseas with the placement of 9,387 veterans’ wreaths at Normandy-American Cemetery in France.
This year ceremonies will have youth participation from Boy Scouts, Sea Scouts, 4-H, Girl Scouts, FFA, Lake County Sheriff’s Explorers, Mariners, Clear Lake High School Band, North Shore Fire Dept. Explorers, Lake County Funeral Honors Team and the Patriot Guard Riders.
Take an hour amidst the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and bring your families to attend one of these heartfelt ceremonies.
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – During its last meeting of the year, the Middletown Area Town Hall will discuss some area projects and accept board nominations.
MATH will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12, at the Middletown Community Center, 21256 Washington St.
Meetings are open to the community, and offer the opportunity for additional public input on items not included on the agenda.
On the agenda are discussions on the Guenoc Valley development, the homeless in community park and a proposal to become a Firewise community.
Action items include a sign board for public display of MATH agendas and accepting nominations for two MATH board seats.
There also will be an update from District 1 Supervisor Moke Simon.
The MATH Board includes Chair Sally Peterson, Vice Chair Claude Brown, Secretary Paul Baker, and at-large members Tom Darms and Marlene Elder.
MATH – established by resolution of the Lake County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 12, 2006 – is a municipal advisory council serving the residents of Anderson Springs, Cobb, Coyote Valley (including Hidden Valley Lake), Long Valley and Middletown.
Meetings are subject to videotaping.
For more information emailThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
MATH will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12, at the Middletown Community Center, 21256 Washington St.
Meetings are open to the community, and offer the opportunity for additional public input on items not included on the agenda.
On the agenda are discussions on the Guenoc Valley development, the homeless in community park and a proposal to become a Firewise community.
Action items include a sign board for public display of MATH agendas and accepting nominations for two MATH board seats.
There also will be an update from District 1 Supervisor Moke Simon.
The MATH Board includes Chair Sally Peterson, Vice Chair Claude Brown, Secretary Paul Baker, and at-large members Tom Darms and Marlene Elder.
MATH – established by resolution of the Lake County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 12, 2006 – is a municipal advisory council serving the residents of Anderson Springs, Cobb, Coyote Valley (including Hidden Valley Lake), Long Valley and Middletown.
Meetings are subject to videotaping.
For more information email
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Air Quality Management District reported that the annual Lake County Burn Ban for 2019 has been lifted as of 8 a.m. Monday, Dec. 9.
Burn permits are required for all outdoor burning in the Lake County Air Basin.
Burn permits are available at your local fire protection district. A smoke management plan is required for all multi-day burns, standing vegetation burns, whole tree or vine removals over one acre, burns over 20 acres in size, and any other burns where significant smoke impacts may occur or sensitive receptors may be impacted.
Smoke management plans can be obtained at the Lake County Air Quality Management District office Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; appointments are recommended. A fee is required for all burn permits, payable at the time the permit is issued.
Smoke management plans, agricultural burn permits and residential burn permits are $28, while land development/lot clearing burn permits are $84, cash or check only.
Only clean dry vegetation that was grown on the property may be burned. Residential burn permits require a one-acre or larger lot of record, a burn location that is located at least 100 feet from all neighbors and at least 30 feet from any structure.
Lot clearing/land development burns require special permits available at your local fire protection district. Burn only the amount of material that can be completely consumed during burn hours. Read your burn permit carefully and follow all the conditions.
Consider using the vegetative waste pickup provided with your waste collection services or composting as an alternative to burning leaves. Please be considerate of your neighbors. A permit does not allow you to create health problems for others. You can be liable for health care costs, fines, and other costs resulting from your burning.
Lake County’s joint fire agencies and air quality management district’s open burning program has incorporated both fire safety and air quality management since 1987.
Burn permits are required for all outdoor burning in the Lake County Air Basin.
Burn permits are available at your local fire protection district. A smoke management plan is required for all multi-day burns, standing vegetation burns, whole tree or vine removals over one acre, burns over 20 acres in size, and any other burns where significant smoke impacts may occur or sensitive receptors may be impacted.
Smoke management plans can be obtained at the Lake County Air Quality Management District office Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; appointments are recommended. A fee is required for all burn permits, payable at the time the permit is issued.
Smoke management plans, agricultural burn permits and residential burn permits are $28, while land development/lot clearing burn permits are $84, cash or check only.
Only clean dry vegetation that was grown on the property may be burned. Residential burn permits require a one-acre or larger lot of record, a burn location that is located at least 100 feet from all neighbors and at least 30 feet from any structure.
Lot clearing/land development burns require special permits available at your local fire protection district. Burn only the amount of material that can be completely consumed during burn hours. Read your burn permit carefully and follow all the conditions.
Consider using the vegetative waste pickup provided with your waste collection services or composting as an alternative to burning leaves. Please be considerate of your neighbors. A permit does not allow you to create health problems for others. You can be liable for health care costs, fines, and other costs resulting from your burning.
Lake County’s joint fire agencies and air quality management district’s open burning program has incorporated both fire safety and air quality management since 1987.
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The annual “Christmas in Middletown” event will take place this year on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 4 to 8 p.m. throughout downtown Middletown.
Sponsored by the Middletown Area Merchants Association, this free event lets friends and families celebrate the season together with local businesses, clubs, and organizations, filling the streets of Middletown with cheer, rain or shine.
Start your evening by picking up a Passport to Fun with its schedule of events at one of three locations:
– The Middletown High School cafeteria at the north end of town;
– The MAMA booth at the corner of highways 175 and 29 in the middle of town; or
– The Hospice Thrift Store at the south end of town.
Children, teens, and adults alike enjoy collecting stamps in the Passport to Fun from businesses throughout town for the chance to win prizes, including two firepits donated by Hardester’s Markets.
The passport will also have information about where to go, what to see and do, and when scheduled events are happening.
The Middletown High School cafeteria is the place to be for dance recital performances by the students at Kim’s Dance Factory at 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. and for craft shopping and for dinner benefitting the Middletown Unified School District drama and choral programs all evening long.
Besides local restaurants that will be open for business, street food will be available throughout town including tri-tip sandwiches served in front of Noble’s by the MUSD Ag Boosters.
The combined Middletown Middle and High School bands will give a performance starting at 5 p.m. on the steps of the Library in conjunction with a “Celebrate a Life” service conducted by Hospice Services of Lake County (rain cancels the band performance).
Santa Claus arrives at 5:30 p.m. at the Middletown Square Park on a fire truck. Afterward, he meets children from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and Mrs. Claus gives each a stuffed animal, courtesy of Hospice Services of Lake County.
Inside the Middletown Community Room nearby, everyone can warm up with a free hot chocolate and kids can stay busy with a free craft table, donated and run by the Middletown Seventh-day Adventist School with support from Clearlake Grocery Outlet.
Free pony rides will be offered by Helen Owen of Owen Ranch at the Middletown Car Wash. The Community Methodist Church welcomes guests with music, cookies and cocoa. Plus, at the top of the hour, from 4 to 8 p.m., visitors can ring the 122-year-old bell in the oldest church in Middletown, built in 1893.
Nonprofit organizations set up booths with goodies and crafts on the streets throughout town, to raise funds for their good works.
The town looks festive with decorated merchant storefronts and business-sponsored Christmas trees that are decorated by area schoolchildren. The trees are later donated to local families in need through our local charity, Spirit of the Season. Thanks to Star Gardens Nursery for running the tree program.
Individual businesses compete for “best decorated” storefront, and they pass out their own refreshments to passersby.
It’s a perfect small-town event. Find out more at the Middletown Area Merchants Association website at www.middletownareamerchants.com.
