NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — The annual Nome Cult walk from Chico to Round Valley is underway.
The walk began on Sunday, Sept. 11.
The 100-mile trek follows the route that Indians were forced to march from Chico to the Nome Cult Reservation in 1863.
Descendants of Native Americans who took part in the original relocation and other supporters walk the route each year.
Although the path itself has disappeared, this route is now called the Nome Cult Trail.
Forest officials advise visitors and motorists along the trail route — M4, County Road 55 and FH7 into Eel River Station and Covelo — to be mindful of the event this week and ensure the safety of those walking the Nome Cult Trail.
On Monday, the walk began toward Orland. On Tuesday, it continued toward Newville Cemetery.
The planned schedule for the rest of the week is as follows:
• Tuesday, Sept. 13, Walk to Black Bear Campground. • Wednesday, Sept. 14, Continue to Log Springs. • Thursday, Sept. 15, Walk to Wells Cabin. • Friday, Sept. 16, Walk to Eel River. • Saturday, Sept. 17, Finish walk to Round Valley Indian Reservation.
The removal of Indians from Chico to the Nome Cult Reservation in 1863 is one of the many forced relocations following the establishment of reservations in northern California in the 1850s.
Several different tribes were moved to the Nome Cult Reservation after it was established in Round Valley in 1856.
Mariya Yukhymenko, California State University, Fresno
The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.
The big idea
When it comes to academic success for college students, having a sense of purpose and gratitude makes a significant difference. That’s what I found in a peer-reviewed study published in June 2022 in the Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice.
For the study, I analyzed answers provided by 295 undergraduates to questions about whether they did better academically if they had a sense of purpose and gratitude during the COVID-19 pandemic.
I wondered if students were more likely to be academically engaged – and less likely to suffer academic burnout – if they had a strong sense of purpose. I specifically asked about three types of purpose: self-growth, others-growth and career-focused purpose orientations. I also wanted to know if being grateful for positive experiences made a difference.
I defined academic engagement as a motivational mindset that is characterized by students’ enthusiasm for school-related activities. I also looked at three types of academic burnout: devaluation of schoolwork, reduced sense of accomplishment and mental exhaustion.
I found that only one type of purpose was directly relevant to engagement and burnout - career-focused purpose. When undergraduate students connect their life purpose with career aspirations, they tend to be engaged in their academic studies. They are also less likely to devalue their schoolwork or feel unaccomplished in their studies.
I also found that gratitude was just as important. These findings suggest that the more grateful undergraduate students feel, the more they are engaged in their academic work and the more they feel accomplished and value schoolwork.
My study suggests that university advisers and faculty should recognize the role that sense of purpose plays for student success. They should also engage in practices that foster students’ sense of life purpose. For example, faculty members can use assignments to encourage students to reflect on their life purpose and connect it with their future career aspirations.
Fostering gratitude is also important. This is because gratitude is also associated with greater academic engagement and less burnout among undergraduate students. My study also suggests that it benefits students if they are given opportunities to reflect on things in life for which they are grateful. Such opportunities can be incorporated into first-year experience courses or incoming student orientations.
What still isn’t known
Since this study was conducted when participants had few, if any, opportunities to help others due to COVID19 restrictions, I wonder if others-growth and self-growth types of purpose will be more relevant to academic success once these restrictions are eased.
I also wonder whether classroom activities aimed at connecting life purpose with students’ future careers will lead to higher graduation rates.
What’s next?
As part of Graduation Initiative 2025 – an initiative is meant to increase graduation rates and close gaps in the rates of graduation between different groups – my colleague Gitima Sharma and I created an undergraduate course, titled “Fostering Sense of Purpose.” Our preliminary data showed that students who took this course in spring of 2022 reported a strengthened sense of life purpose. We plan to continue to examine how effective the course is at fostering sense of purpose in life. We also plan to look at whether the course leads to lasting positive effects for students’ academic and career success, such as higher graduation rates.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has many puppies and young dogs along with older canines ready to be adopted this week.
Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Australian cattle dog, Doberman pinscher, German shepherd, Great Pyrenees, hound, husky, pit bull, Rottweiler, shepherd and treeing walker coonhound.
Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption.
Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online for information on visiting or adopting.
Female pit bull terrier
This 2-year-old female pit bull terrier has a black and white coat.
Shelter staff said she is a gentle girl with a loving personality who came into the shelter needing some tender loving care.
She is in kennel No. 9, ID No. LCAC-A-3856.
Male pit bull terrier
This 1-year-old male pit bull terrier has a gray and white coat.
Shelter staff said is a playful young dog who does well on a leash and loves fetch. He will benefit from training.
He is in kennel No. 10, ID No. LCAC-A-3855.
Male hound mix puppy
This 6-month-old male hound mix puppy has a short brindle coat.
Shelter staff said he is very playful with a lot of energy, and he loves toys. “He is extremely treat motivated and has shown he is eager to learn all the cool tricks you could teach him.”
This 2-month-old female treeing walker coonhound-Doberman pinscher has a short tan coat.
She is in kennel No. 16d, ID No. LCAC-A-3927.
Male treeing walker coonhound-Doberman pinscher puppy
This 2-month-old male treeing walker coonhound-Doberman pinscher has a short tricolor coat.
He is in kennel No. 17a, ID No. LCAC-A-3921.
Male treeing walker coonhound-Doberman pinscher puppy
This 2-month-old male treeing walker coonhound-Doberman pinscher has a short tan and white coat.
He is in kennel No. 17b, ID No. LCAC-A-3922.
Male treeing walker coonhound-Doberman pinscher puppy
This 2-month-old male treeing walker coonhound-Doberman pinscher has a short tricolor coat.
He is in kennel No. 17c, ID No. LCAC-A-3923.
Male Rottweiler-Australian cattle dog cross
This 5-year-old male Rottweiler-Australian cattle dog cross has a short tricolor coat.
He is in kennel No. 18, ID No. LCAC-A-3942.
Female pit bull
This 2-year-old female pit bull has a short brown brindle coat.
She is in kennel No. 20, ID No. LCAC-A-3918.
Female treeing walker coonhound
This young female treeing walker coonhound has a short black brindle coat.
She is in kennel No. 22, ID No. LCAC-A-3776.
Female German shepherd
This 1-year-old female German shepherd has a short black and tan coat.
She is in kennel No. 24, ID No. LCAC-A-3780.
Male German shepherd
This 2-year-old male German shepherd has a black and tan coat.
Shelter staff called him a “handsome sweet dude who is motivated by treats and does well walking on a leash.
He is in kennel No. 25, ID No. LCAC-A-3870.
Male German shepherd
This 3-year-old male German shepherd has a black and tan coat.
He is in kennel No. 26, ID No. LCAC-A-3929.
Female husky
This 1-year-old female husky has a cream and black coat.
She is in kennel No. 27, ID No. LCAC-A-3893.
‘Poppy’
“Poppy” is a 4-month-old female Great Pyrenees with a short white and gray coat.
She is in kennel No. 30, ID No. LCAC-A-3790.
Male German shepherd
This 1-year-old male German shepherd has a black and tan coat.
He is in kennel No. 31, ID No. LCAC-A-3930.
‘Piper’
“Piper” is a young female Great Pyrenees with a short white coat.
She is in kennel No. 34, ID No. LCAC-A-3789.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors will consider staffing at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office this week.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting ID is 965 2051 0995, pass code 884805. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16699006833,,96520510995#,,,,*884805#.
All interested members of the public that do not have internet access or a Mediacom cable subscription are encouraged to call 669-900-6833, and enter the Zoom meeting ID and pass code information above.
To submit a written comment on any agenda item visit https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspxThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and click on the eComment feature linked to the meeting date. If a comment is submitted after the meeting begins, it may not be read during the meeting but will become a part of the record.
At 9:15 a.m., the board is set to discuss the sheriff’s office staffing.
Sheriff Brian Martin has requested a chance to speak with the board regarding staffing issues at the Lake County Jail and possible resolutions.
The sheriff has said that in recent years deputies have increasingly had to fill correctional jobs and take shifts in covering dispatch.
As of this month, the sheriff’s office has 34 openings: 10 for deputy sheriffs, five for dispatchers, 17 for deputy sheriff corrections and two for correctional aids, according to spokeswoman Lauren Berlinn.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Policy and Procedures, Section 4, Consultation Selection, Subsection 4.1.4; and b) appoint Dr. Karl A. Sporer as Public Health officer; and c) approve professional services contract for a term of sixth months for an amount not to exceed $6,000 a month for the term of the agreement and authorize chair to sign.
5.2: Adopt resolution fixing tax rates for local agencies, general obligation bonds and other voter approved indebtedness for fiscal year 2022-23.
5.3:Approve agreement between county of Lake and Konocti Senior Support Inc. for Senior Support Counseling Services in the amount of $120,062 for fiscal year 2022-23 and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.4: Approve agreement between county of Lake and Redwood Community Services Inc. for Phoenix House Crisis Residential Treatment Facility and specialty mental health services for fiscal year 2022-23 in the amount of $152,935 and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.5: Approve Amendment N. 1 to the agreement between the county of Lake and the Mother-Wise Program (Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders Initiative) for fiscal year 2022-23 and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.6: Approve agreement between county of Lake and California Psychiatric Transitions for acute inpatient hospital services, inpatient competency restoration services and professional services associated with acute inpatient psychiatric hospitalization services in the amount of $400,000 for fiscal year 2022-23 and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.7: Adopt proclamation designating the month of September as National Recovery Month.
5.8: Approve Amendment No. 1 to the agreement between Lake County Behavioral Health Services as the lead agency for the Lake County Continuum of Care and Adventist Health Clear Lake Hospital Inc. for fiscal years 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.9: Approve travel exceeding 1,500 miles for two child support officers to attend the Western Intergovernmental Child Support Enforcement Council annual training in Santa Fe, New Mexico from Nov. 6 to 10 2022.
5.10: Approve Board of Supervisors minutes for Aug. 16 and Aug. 30, 2022.
5.11: Appoint Health Services Director Jonathan Portney to serve on the Partnership HealthPlan Board of Commissioners and represent Lake County for a period of four years.
5.12. Sitting as the Lake County Sanitation District Board of Directors, authorize Special Districts administrator/assistant purchasing agent to issue a purchase order not to exceed $63,800.10 to the city of Clearlake for the work adjusting sewer manhole frames and cover to grade.
5.13: Adopt proclamation designating the month of September 2022 as Literacy Awareness Month.
5.14: Approve the plans and specifications for the Hill Road Correctional Facility Tower Electronics Security Systems Upgrade Project, Bid No. 22-30, and authorize the Public Services director/assistant purchasing agent to advertise for bids.
5.15: Approve Amendment No. 4 to the agreement for engineering services for replacement of Clover Creek Bridge at First Street (14C-0015) in Lake County, with Quincy Engineering Inc., in the amount not to exceed $588,713.51 (an increase of $167,806.00) and authorize the chairman to execute said amendment.
5.16: Adopt resolution temporarily prohibiting parking and authorizing removal of vehicles on various roads in the Kelseyville Area for the Kelseyville Pear Festival.
5.17: Adopt resolution accepting the 2022 Lake County Local Roadway Safety Plan.
5.18: Adopt resolution authorizing the initiation of planning process and establishing a Hazard Mitigation Planning and Steering Committee for update to the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.
TIMED ITEMS
6.3, 9:07 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the month of September 2022 as Literacy Awareness Month.
6.4, 9:08 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the month of September 2022 as National Recovery Month in Lake County.
6.5, 9:10 a.m.: Consideration of acceptance of the June 30, 2022 Report of Lake County Pooled Investments.
6.6, 9:15 a.m.: Discussion of Sheriff's Department Staffing.
6.7, 9:30 a.m.: Continued from Aug. 30, hearing on account and proposed assessment for 11630 Beryl Way, Clearlake Oaks (APN 035-262-33). Property owner: Aura A. Thomas.
6.8, 10 a.m.: Continued from Aug. 9, public hearing, consideration of draft ordinance adding Article X to Chapter 5 of the Lake County Code and adopting a water efficient landscape ordinance.
6.9, 10:15 a.m.: Public hearing for the consideration of the vacation of a portion of a roadway known as Forest Lake Drive (CR#128) in the Cobb Area; adopt resolution vacating a portion of Forest Lake Drive (CR#128); and accept the irrevocable offer of dedication.
6.10, 1 p.m.: Discussion and consideration of PG&E's vegetation management programs.
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Consideration of the following advisory board appointments: Lake County Animal Control; Lucerne Area Town Hall, Lake County Mental Health Board and Western Region Town Hall.
7.3: Consideration of update of 2022 committee assignments for members of the Board of Supervisors.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LOWER LAKE, Calif. — On Saturday, Oct. 1, the Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association, or AMIA, will host a celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the founding of Anderson Marsh State Historic Park.
The event, to be held in the picnic area of the park, will include music, refreshments, a few speeches and a few surprises.
Roberta Lyons, AMIA president, played a large part in the community effort to protect the Native American cultural sites located within the present park boundaries from being destroyed by commercial development.
“For those of us who were involved in the fight to save Anderson Marsh from development, it is hard to believe that it’s been 40 years since we accomplished that goal through the creation of Anderson Marsh State Historic Park,” said Lyons. “Since then, the road has been a little rocky, but the park is still open and Anderson Marsh is still here to be enjoyed by us all.”
The day will begin with a guided nature walk at 9 a.m., followed by a welcoming address by Lyons and a talk by Tom Nixon, former State Parks Ranger assigned to the park, about the founding of the park and its history since that time.
In addition to other surprise speakers, the day will feature music on the ranch house porch by Don Coffin and friends, tours of the exhibits in the South Barn and, of course, a 40th birthday cake.
AMIA invites everyone to spend a lovely fall day with friends and neighbors while we celebrate Anderson Marsh State Historic Park.
AMIA is a nonprofit association cooperating with the California Department of Parks and Recreation to promote educational and interpretive activities at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park.
For information about Anderson Marsh State Historic Park or AMIA, visit www.andersonmarsh.org or contact AMIA at either This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 707-995-2658.
BERKELEY, Calif. — Checking off one of its key goals, the James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST, imaged its first exoplanet — a young, gas giant planet six to 12 times more massive than Jupiter orbiting a star 350 light years from Earth.
“The JWST cameras were designed to take photos of exoplanetary systems, and we just demonstrated that everything works like a charm,” said astronomer Paul Kalas, an adjunct professor of astronomy at the University of California, Berkeley, and a co-investigator for the telescope’s Early Release Science, or ERS, program focused on exoplanets. “The planet was first discovered in 2017 by ground-based observatories, but JWST is able to capture the planet’s warm emission at longer, infrared wavelengths.”
The star, HIP 65426, is very young and hot, having recently completed its planet-forming stage. It lies in the southern constellation Centaurus.
“This planetary system is only 14 million years old, and these new data will advance our knowledge of how planets form and evolve,” Kalas said.
The young planet, which is designated HIP 65426b, is several thousand times fainter than the star, so sophisticated cameras aboard JWST — the Near-Infrared Camera, or NIRCam, and Mid-Infrared Instrument, or MIRI — had to artificially eclipse the starlight using coronagraphs in order to capture the images.
This is the first image of an exoplanet in mid-infrared wavelengths — that is, wavelengths greater than 5 microns (a millionth of a meter, or a thousandth of a millimeter).
“Obtaining this image felt like digging for space treasure,” said team member Aarynn Carter, a postdoctoral researcher at UC Santa Cruz who led the analysis of the images. “I think what’s most exciting is that we’ve only just begun. There are many more images of exoplanets to come that will shape our overall understanding of their physics, chemistry and formation. We may even discover previously unknown planets, too.”
Carter is first author of a paper describing the results that has been submitted for publication. A non-peer reviewed preprint is available online.
The ERS exoplanet team was tasked with evaluating how well the NIRCam and MIRI work in suppressing starlight, so it pointed JWST toward a known exoplanet. The team’s analysis showed that JWST is so sensitive that it could detect young Saturn-mass planets, a capability unmatched by any other astronomical observatory.
Much of the expertise needed to design these cameras and science programs originated from sophisticated, ground-based efforts, such as with UC’s Lick and Keck observatories, Kalas said.
A former UC Berkeley graduate student, Marshall Perrin, worked to commission JWST and trained with Kalas and professor James Graham at both Lick and Keck more than a decade ago. Perrin is also a member of the ERS exoplanet team, as are current Berkeley astronomers Keming Zhang and Marta Bryan.
Webb is an international mission led by NASA in collaboration with its partners, the European Space Agency and Canadian Space Agency.
Robert Sanders writes for the UC Berkeley News Center.
LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Lake County Arts Council and Lake County Poet Laureate Georgina Marie Guardado launched the inaugural Youth Poet Laureate Program in spring of 2022.
Due to a limited number of submitted applications, a new application period has opened in search of Lake County’s first youth poet laureate.
Youth between the ages of 13 to 19 who live in Lake County, write poetry, and attend any public, homeschool, alternative or independent school are eligible to apply.
Applicants must reside in and attend school in Lake County for the entirety of the program’s one year term.
The application process will include the submission of a poetry portfolio, resume to include any school accomplishments, community work, and artistic and personal accomplishments, and a brief artist statement.
The adult Lake County Poet Laureate program was inducted in 1998 and has successfully appointed 11 poets laureate between 1998 and 2020.
Inspired by the non-stop momentum of youth poetry in the United States, LCAC and Guardado wanted Lake County to become part of the movement by creating the first Youth Poet Laureate program of the county.
They have also partnered with Urban Word NYC, host of the National Youth Poet Laureate program, to both connect Lake County to partners across the country and for the first Youth Poet Laureate to have access to a wide array of opportunities offered by Urban Word NYC; including access to an annual retreat, workshops, leadership training, bi-monthly seminars for writing and professional development, be featured in an annual anthology, and have access to opportunities to apply for regional and national Youth Poet Laureate positions.
Urban Word NYC celebrates the nation’s top poets who are committed to artistic excellence, civic engagement, and social impact. Founded in New York City in 2008, the Youth Poet Laureate Program partners with local and national literary arts organizations across the country to elevate youth voices at the forefront of social change.
Program partners and supporters include the Academy of American Poets, the Library of Congress, the Poetry Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
A Youth Poet Laureate uses their voice to inspire change through poetry, and promotes other youth voices. They can make an impact in the community with civic engagement, and by celebrating the literary arts. They will be recognized for their work and represent Lake County youth for a one year term. They can host poetry readings and workshops, build public speaking and leadership skills, and be creative in what they’d like to offer the community.
The YPL selection process will be administered by a committee of respected local poets who will review applications and choose finalists. Finalists will be invited to perform their poetry at a public event which will culminate with an announcement of the winner.
Have questions? Would you like to volunteer to be a part of this process in any way? Email Georgina Marie Guardado at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Although it still feels like beach weather across much of North America, billions of birds have started taking wing for one of nature’s great spectacles: fall migration. Birds fly south from the northern U.S. and Canada to wintering grounds in the southern U.S., Caribbean and Latin America, sometimes covering thousands of miles. Other birds leave temperate Eurasia for Africa, tropical Asia or Australia.
Using observation records and data collected through bird banding, 20th-century ornithologists roughly mapped general migration routes and timing for most migratory species. Later, using radar at airports and weather stations, they discovered how weather and other factors affect when birds migrate and how high they fly.
Today, technological advances are providing new insights into bird migration and showing that it is more complex and wonderful than scientists ever imagined. These new and constantly improving technologies are key aids for protecting migratory birds in the face of habitat loss and other threats.
Now, scientists are setting up a global network of receiver stations called the Motus Network, which currently has 1,500 receivers in 31 countries. Each receiver constantly records the presence of any birds or other animals within a nine-mile (15-kilometer) radius that scientists have fitted with small, lightweight radio transmitters, and shares the data online. The network will become increasingly useful for understanding bird migration as more receiver stations become active along migration tracks.
Tracking individual birds via satellite
Three new technologies are rapidly expanding what we know about bird migration. The first is satellite telemetry of bird movement. Researchers fit birds with small solar-powered transmitters, which send data on the birds’ locations to a satellite and then on to a scientist’s office computer. The scientist can learn where a bird is, the route it took to get there and how fast it travels.
For example, the bar-tailed godwit, a pigeon-sized shorebird, breeds in Alaska and then migrates to New Zealand. Satellite transmitters show that godwits often fly nonstop from Alaska to New Zealand. Recently, a godwit set the record for the longest nonstop flight by a land bird: 8,100 miles (13,000 kilometers) in 10 days, from Alaska to Australia.
Satellite telemetry studies show how much individual birds, even those from the same breeding location, vary in their migratory behavior. Individual differences in migratory behavior are probably due to differences in physical condition, learning, experience and personal preferences.
Another shorebird, the whimbrel, also makes a phenomenally long journey over the ocean. Satellite telemetry has shown that some whimbrels travel from northwest Canada, across the North American continent to Canada’s east coast, then set off over the Atlantic Ocean on a 3,400-mile (5,400-kilometer), six-day nonstop flight to the coast of Brazil. In total, they may travel 6,800 miles (11,000 kilometers).
Many birds are too small to carry a satellite transmitter. Given the energetic effort required for migration, a device must weigh less than 5% of a bird’s body weight, and many migratory songbirds weigh under 0.7 ounces (20 grams).
An ingenious solution for small birds is a geolocator tag, or geologger – a tiny device that simply records time, location and presence or absence of sunlight. Scientists know the timing of sunrise and sunset on a given date, so they can calculate a bird’s location on that date to within about 125 miles (200 kilometers).
Birds carrying geologgers must be recaptured to download the data. That means the bird must survive a migration round trip and return to the same place where it was first captured and tagged. Amazingly, many geologger-tagged small birds do.
Geologgers have shown that Blackpoll warblers – small songbirds that breed in the boreal forests of North America – fly long distances over the Atlantic in fall, heading to the Amazon basin. Birds breeding in eastern North America head out over the Atlantic in maritime Canada or the northeastern U.S. and make a 60-hour, nonstop, 1,500-mile (2,500-kilometer) flight to the Greater Antilles. There they rest and recuperate, then continue across the Caribbean to South America.
Blackpolls breeding in Alaska fly across the North American continent before leaving shore on the Atlantic coast and flying to South America. In total, they journey 6,600 miles (10,700 kilometers) over 60 days.
Even more amazing, geologgers show that another small songbird, the northern wheatear, migrates from North America to sub-Saharan Africa. Wheatears that breed in Alaska fly 9,100 miles (14,600 kilometers) across Asia to East Africa, taking three months to do so. Those breeding in eastern Canada journey 4,600 miles (7,400 kilometers) across the Atlantic to Europe and then on to West Africa – including a 2,100-mile (3,400-kilometer), four-day nonstop overwater flight.
Recording birds’ night migration calls
Two hours after sunset in fall, I like to sit outside and listen to birds migrating overhead. Most birds migrate at night, and many give a species-specific “chit,” “zeep” or other call-note while in flight. The calls may serve to keep migrating flocks together, including different species heading to the same destination.
Ornithologists are using automated passive acoustic recording to study these nocturnal calls and identify the species or group of related species that make each sound. The technology is a microphone directed at the sky, connected to a computer that continuously records the sound stream and is aided by sound recognition software. Sometimes it reveals migrants overhead that are rarely seen on the ground.
Nick Kachala, an honors student in my lab, set up recording units on three university properties in the fall of 2021. One of the most common migrants recorded was the gray-cheeked thrush, a shy bird of the northern boreal forest that is rarely seen in the northeast U.S. during fall migration. He also detected the dickcissel, a grassland bird that I have never seen in our area.
Radar monitoring indicates that the number of North American migratory birds declined by 14% between 2007 and 2017. There probably are multiple causes, but habitat loss is likely the principal culprit.
Satellite telemetry and geologgers show that there are special stopover sites along migration routes where migrants rest and refuel, such as the Texas Gulf Coast, the Florida Panhandle and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Conservation experts widely agree that to protect migratory birds, it is critical to conserve these sites.
Effective conservation measures require knowing where and how birds migrate, and what dangers they face during migration. Ornithologists, using these new technologies, are learning things that will help to stop and reverse the global decline in migratory birds.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A Lake County Library card is more powerful and even easier to get than ever before.
This small but mighty card unlocks a world of print resources at the four branches of the Lake County Library.
In the last three years, the library has made even more resources available with your card.
There are three options to get a library card.
Residents can visit their local library branch, can call their local branch over the phone, or can visit the library website and apply online.
The address of the library website is: http://library.lakecountyca.gov.
For many years now, a Lake County Library card provides free access to materials from the Lake, Sonoma, and Mendocino county libraries.
Altogether that's access to over a half a million physical items. Lake County alone owns over 120,000 items.
The entire Lake County collection contains more than 7,000 DVDs, as well as books, audio books, and music CDs. Patrons can search the library catalog online and request to pick up materials at their local branch.
This year, thanks to a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, IMLS, you can receive books by mail.
If you are homebound and aren't able to make it into your library branch you can sign up for the Books by Mail service. This service allows you to receive library materials through the United States Postal Service, at no cost to yourself.
Each Lake County Library branch has free Wi-Fi and public internet computers. Thanks to an IMLS grant, your library card also allows you to check out Wi-Fi hotspots and bring home the internet. You can also borrow a Chromebook, which is a small laptop, to take home.
The Lake County Library continues to provide a wealth of digital resources, and these have been expanded as well. A library card provides digital access to over one million eBooks, eAudiobooks, streaming movies, television shows, eMagazines, digital comics, and music. These digital items can be accessed on computers, smart phones, tablets and compatible televisions.
A library card also allows access to many online resources that provide job training, skill building and creative development.
Video learning sites like LinkedIn Learning or Coursera can help residents prepare for a new job. Creativebug offers virtual arts and crafts classes at the beginner to advanced level.
For kids, digital resources like BookFlix or ABCmouse help with early learning. These premium resources are all free with a library card.
Visit your local branch during September and take advantage of the array of free resources available.
Lakeport Library 1425 N. High St. Telephone 707-263-8817 Hours: Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Thursdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Redbud Library 14785 Burns Valley Road, Clearlake Telephone 707-994-5115 Hours: Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Thursdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Middletown Library 21256 Washington St. Telephone 707-987-3674 Hours: Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Upper Lake Library 310 Second St. Telephone 707-275-2049 Hours: Tuesdays through Fridays, noon to 5 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The following cats at the shelter have been cleared for adoption.
‘Mama’
“Mama” is a 2-year-old domestic shorthair cat with an all-black coat.
She is in cat room kennel No. 7, ID No. LCAC-A-3884.
Female domestic shorthair kitten
This 3-month-old female domestic shorthair kitten has a black coat.
She is in kennel No. 13b, ID No. LCAC-A-3880.
Female domestic shorthair kitten
This 4-month-old female domestic shorthair kitten has a white coat with blue eyes.
She is in kennel No. 13c, ID No. LCAC-A-3881.
Female domestic shorthair cat
This 2-year-old female domestic shorthair cat has an all-black coat.
Shelter staff said she is a “master greeter.”
“She is very talkative and likes softs pets down her back. She is uncomfortable when being picked up, but is more than happy to come to you, especially for pets,” and has a “chill” attitude, the shelter reported.
She is in cat room kennel No. 32, ID No. LCAC-A-3887.
‘Willow’
“Willow” is a female domestic shorthair cat with a gray and white coat.
She is in cat room kennel No. 47, ID No. LCAC-A-3762.
Male domestic shorthair cat
This 1-year-old male domestic shorthair cat has a black coat.
Shelter staff said he is a sweet, talkative kitty, who loves head scratches and will rub all over your legs as you walk through the room.
He is in cat room kennel No. 60, ID No. LCAC-A-3932.
Male domestic shorthair kitten
This 4-month-old male domestic shorthair kitten has an all-black coat.
Shelter staff said he is a unique kitten, who is very sweet and playful despite having a limb deformity.
“He can run around and play with all the other kittens and he loves toys and adventure. He will need to be indoor only so he can live his life worry free,” the shelter reported.
He is in cat room kennel No. 62a, ID No. LCAC-A-3877.
Male domestic medium hair kitten
This 3-month-old male domestic medium hair kitten has a black coat.
He is in kennel No. 62b, ID No. LCAC-A-3874.
Male domestic medium hair kitten
This 3-month-old male domestic medium hair kitten has a gray coat.
He is in kennel No. 74a, ID No. LCAC-A-3873.
Male domestic medium hair kitten
This 3-month-old male domestic medium hair kitten has a gray tabby coat.
He is in kennel No. 74d, ID No. LCAC-A-3876.
Female domestic shorthair kitten
This female domestic shorthair kitten has a gray coat with white markings.
Shelter staff said she came to them with an injury to one of her eyes and needed to have the eye removed, but that has only made her more eager for head bonks.
“She has the cutest little meow and is a running shelter champion for the ‘best biscuit maker,’” the staff said.
She would be best as an indoor-only cat.
She is in cat room kennel No. 107a, ID No. LCAC-A-3842.
Female domestic shorthair kitten
This 4-month-old female domestic shorthair kitten has a white coat with blue eyes.
She is in kennel No. 107b, ID No. LCAC-A-3882.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
A top-10 warm August capped off a distinctly hot summer, as the U.S. saw its third-hottest meteorological summer on record.
Last month was also marked by several extreme rainfall events across the nation that resulted in historic flooding, according to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information.
Climate by the numbers
Meteorological summer
For meteorological summer (June 1 through Aug. 31), the average temperature for the contiguous U.S. was 73.9 degrees F, 2.5 degrees above average, ranking as the third-hottest summer in 128 years.
Summer temperatures were above average across most of the contiguous U.S. Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Texas each saw their second-warmest summer on record, while seventeen additional states across the West, South and Northeast saw their top-10 warmest summer on record.
The summer precipitation total across the contiguous U.S. was 8.18 inches — 0.14 of an inch below average — ranking in the middle third in the historical summer record. Precipitation was above average along the West Coast, parts of the Southwest, Midwest, lower Mississippi Valley and northern New England.
Meanwhile, precipitation was below average across the Great Plains and portions of the East Coast. Arizona had its seventh-wettest summer on record as Nebraska saw its third-driest summer.
August 2022
The average temperature for August across the contiguous U.S. was 74.6 degrees F, 2.5 degrees above average, and ranked as the eighth-warmest August on record.
The contiguous U.S. monthly average minimum temperature was record-warm for the second month in a row during August. California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington each ranked warmest on record for August nighttime temperatures.
The average precipitation for August in the contiguous U.S. was 3.04 inches (0.42 of an inch above average), ranking in the wettest third of the climate record. Extreme rainfall events during the month of August contributed substantially to the record-wet August for Mississippi — as well as the third-wettest August for Nevada and Louisiana.
However, a few states stayed quite dry last month, with Nebraska seeing its second-driest August on record and Kansas seeing its seventh driest.
Year to date (YTD, January through August 2022)
The average U.S. temperature for the first eight months of 2021 was 55.4 degrees F — 1.5 degrees above the 20th-century average — ranking in the warmest third of the climate record. Florida had its fourth-warmest such YTD on record and California saw its fifth warmest.
The nation had 19.68 inches of precipitation for the YTD, 1.03 inches below average, ranking in the driest third of the January–August record. California ranked driest YTD on record, while Nebraska ranked fifth driest and Nevada ranked seventh driest for this YTD.
Other notable climate events
Multiple historic flooding events struck: Several extreme 1,000-year flooding events occurred across the U.S. in August. On August 2, parts of southern Illinois were drenched by 8–12 inches of rain in a 12-hour period. An area south of Newton, Illinois, recorded 14 inches of rainfall over the same period. On August 5, Death Valley National Park received 1.70 inches of rain, an all-time 24-hour rainfall record for the area, resulting in substantial flooding and damage to roads and vehicles, temporarily stranding park visitors and staff overnight.
On Aug. 22, some parts of Dallas, Texas, saw more than 13 inches of rainfall within 12 hours. Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared a disaster for 23 Texas counties, including Dallas, after storms caused damage and devastating flash flooding.
Drought conditions improved overall: According to the August 30 U.S. Drought Monitor report, 45.5% of the contiguous U.S. was in drought, down about 5.9% from the beginning of August. Drought conditions lessened or were eliminated across portions of the Southwest, southern Plains, central Mississippi Valley, Great Lakes, parts of the Northeast and Puerto Rico.
Drought conditions expanded or intensified across portions of the Northeast, central and northern Plains, the Northwest and Hawaii.
As the record-setting heat wave across the western U.S. continues, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday announced that he has signed legislation to help protect Californians from more frequent and severe heat waves driven by climate change.
The legislation builds on California’s Extreme Heat Action Plan released earlier this year, an all-of-government strategy to strengthen the state’s resilience and mitigate the health, economic and ecological impacts of extreme heat, which fall disproportionately on the most vulnerable Californians.
“This week’s unprecedented heat wave is a painful reminder of the costs and impacts of climate change — and it won’t be the last,” said Gov. Newsom. “California is taking aggressive action to combat the climate crisis and build resilience in our most vulnerable communities, including a comprehensive strategy to protect Californians from extreme heat. With lives and livelihoods on the line, we cannot afford to delay.”
Extreme heat ranks amongst the deadliest of all climate change hazards, with structural inequities playing a significant role in the capacity of individuals, workers, and communities to protect and adapt to its effects.
AB 1643 by Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D-Salinas) will create an advisory committee to inform a study on the effects of extreme heat on California’s workers, businesses and economy.
AB 2238 by Assemblymember Luz Rivas (D-Arleta) will create the nation's first extreme heat advance warning and ranking system to better prepare communities ahead of heat waves.
AB 2420 by Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno) is a first-in-the-nation measure that directs the California Department of Public Health to review research on the impacts of extreme heat on perinatal health and develop guidance for safe outdoor conditions to protect pregnant workers.
SB 852 by Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) will allow cities and counties to create climate resilience districts with financing power to invest in programs that tackle extreme heat, drought, wildfire and other climate impacts.
“California has been battling record breaking extreme heat all week. Unfortunately, each summer we are experiencing extreme heat weather events that are hotter and more devastating than the last,” said Assemblywoman Luz Rivas. “Thank you to Gov. Newsom for signing my legislation, AB 2238, that will help save the lives of Californians, and my thanks to Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara for his leadership and dedication in pushing this legislation forward. California will now lead the nation with the first advance warning and ranking system for extreme heat waves.”
“California is once again leading the world in fighting climate change and its deadly effects. Ranking heat waves will be a powerful new tool to protect all Californians alongside Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Extreme Heat Action Plan,” said Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, who sponsored AB 2238 and issued the first California Climate Insurance Report. “I applaud the governor’s and the bill’s joint authors’ continued leadership on these necessary extreme heat investments and policies that will save lives and close the protection gap for our most at-risk communities as we face more heat waves in the years ahead.”
Earlier this week, Gov. Newsom signed AB 2645 by Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez (D-Pomona), which requires counties to ensure community resilience centers can serve as community-wide assets to mitigate public health impacts during disasters, including extreme heat events.
Budget legislation signed by the governor earlier this week directs $315 million General Fund over two years to advance implementation of the Extreme Heat Action Plan across various programs that protect communities, the economy and natural systems.
Gov. Newsom’s historic $53.9 billion multi-year climate commitment includes $865 million in total to address extreme heat, with funding to plant trees and expand other school greening projects, bolster community resilience centers that help protect public health during climate-driven extreme weather events, and more.
Extreme heat endangers vulnerable Californians, including our elderly and those with health concerns.
This year’s state budget created the Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications and invests $20 million over two years to support public education and outreach to these communities.
Resources and information to help the public stay safe, cool, and connected during this heat wave can be found here.
Tips for how to stay safe during extreme heat:
• If you don’t have an air conditioner, go to a shopping mall or public building for a few hours. If you must be outdoors, wear lightweight clothing and sunscreen, avoid the hottest parts of the day, and avoid strenuous activities. • Sweating removes needed salt and minerals from the body. Avoid drinks with caffeine (tea, coffee, and soda) and alcohol. • Check on friends and family and have someone do the same for you. If you know someone who is elderly or has a health condition, check on them twice a day. Watch for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Know the symptoms of heat-related illness and be ready to help. • Find cooling centers in your area by contacting your county or calling your local health department, or find one at Cooling Centers | California Governor’s Office of Emergency Management. • Employers who have questions or need assistance with workplace health and safety programs can call Cal/OSHA’s Consultation Services Branch at 800-963-9424. Complaints about workplace safety and health hazards can be filed confidentially with Cal/OSHA district office. Cal/OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention program includes enforcement of the heat regulation as well as multilingual outreach and training programs for California’s employers and workers. Cal/OSHA inspectors will be conducting unannounced inspections checking for compliance at worksites throughout the state.