Herons and Egrets at Audubon Canyon Ranch

IGreat blue herons and great egrets nest, chatter, and dance atop the redwood trees in the Bolinas Lagoon Preserve in west Marin. Research teams from Audubon Canyon Ranch (ACR), the nonprofit organization that owns and oversees the Preserve, have reported successful results from the 2001-2002 nesting season: out of 80 great egret nests, 40 produced surviving chicks, resulting in 92 chicks; out of 10 great blue heron nests, 7 produced 1 chick each. Founded in 1962, ACR and the Preserve have protected and managed lands as sanctuaries for native plants and animals. As a benefit for ACR, Berkeley bluegrass musician and songwriter Laurie Lewis has recently issued a CD entitled Birdsong, a compilation of songs celebrating many species of birds. The CD release party for Birdsong will take place at the Freight & Salvage Coffee House in Berkeley on July 12. For more information about ACR or Birdsong, call (510) 548-3041 or visit www.egret.org.