The 10th season of the Wine Country Nature Lectures, curated by Sonoma Birding, opens with Dr. Rodney Jackson and Dr. Quinton Martins who will talk about “Snow Leopard Survival” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26.
This year’s lineup will introduce a number of well-known Bay Area personalities to Sonoma’s nature enthusiasts. The fall series includes four unique lectures on subjects ranging from new challenges facing the snow leopard, to the ancient art of falconry, the endangered and elusive spotted owl and the glory of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail with experts.
On Thursday, Feb. 26, Jackson and Martins, two leading experts who travel the globe, will share the latest challenges facing the snow leopards living outside protected areas that are becoming even more vulnerable. Although officially protected in all of the snow leopard range countries, the laws have been rarely enforced due to lack of awareness, insufficient political will to uphold regulations, or a shortage of funds and trained personnel.
On Wednesday, March 25, Kate Karden will discuss “The Ancient Art of Falconry.” Karden, the founder West Coast Falconry and a leading expert in California, will demonstrate the art with a number of live birds and discuss the use of birds of prey by humans as a form of hunting that appears to have originated in China around 680 BC. The first evidence of falconry in Europe comes from the 6th century. Falconry has a language of its own and is not without controversy.
On Thursday, April 23, David Press will talk about “The Endangered and Elusive Northern Spotted Owl.” Press, Spotted Owl Project Manager for the National Parks Service, will discuss the status of the spotted owl. It is a resident species of old-growth forests in Marin and Sonoma and throughout Western North America, where it nests in tree holes, old bird of prey nests, or rock crevices.
The spotted owl has been at the center of many debates between forces for and against logging in the Pacific Northwest. It is an indicator species for old-growth forest and is also facing a significant threat by the invasive barred owl.
Thursday, May 28, will feature an “Evening on the Pacific Crest Trail.” Former PCT Association magazine editor Angela Ballard and Duffy Ballard will lead the audience on a virtual through hike on the stunningly wild 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Long-distance backpackers and authors of the PCT through-hiking book, “A Blistered Kind of Love; One Couple’s Trial by Trail,” will host an evening with slideshow, readings, and a question-and-answer session. From the chaparral-lined desert floor to the snowy flanks of the High Sierra and the lush forests of the Cascades, attendees will discover beauty, humor, and adventure as they learn what it takes to trek from Mexico to Canada.
Sonoma Birding’s Wine Country Nature Lecture Series is a partnership with Sonoma County Regional Parks. All public lectures begin at 7 p.m. at the Sonoma Valley Veterans Memorial Building, 126 First St. W., Sonoma. Cost is $8 at door.
For additional information visit sonomanature.org or call 939-8007.
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