Raptor Migration in Desert Areas
Hal Cohen, Professor of Biology Emeritus, College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, II
Thursday • 10:00-10:45 a.m.
In 2003, a significant migration path for Swainson’s Hawks was discovered in Borrego Springs California, only 26 miles from the Salton Sea. Each spring for the past 7 years hawkwatchers have gathered data concerning the migration of these buteo’s from as far as Argentina on a journey of more than 6,000 miles. Borrego Springs is a major staging and feeding stop for as many as 5,000 Swainson’s hawks on their journey north. Follow Swainson’s Hawks through the seasons and join the watch between February 15 and April 15.

Imperial County Marsh Bird Surveys and Protocol
Julie Simonsen-Marchant Wildlife Biologist, Ecological Conservation & Management
Thursday • 11:00-11:45 a.m.
Julie’s presentation will include a discussion of the development of survey protocols for marsh birds and other avian species as part of the QSA Water Transfer Baseline Survey effort. The results of the marsh bird and raptors surveys will be presented. The presentation will include a discussion of the preliminary evaluation of the results of the surveys and how they might inform habitat management in the Imperial Valley.

Results of Burrowing Owl Surveys
Bruce Wilcox, Environmental Manager - Water Transfer IID and
Alexa DeJoannis, Senior Mitigation Aide IID
Thursday • 2:30-3:15 p.m.
Alexa and Bruce will present the results of the two year survey of burrowing owls within IID rights-of-way. Along with a discussion of the development and implementation of the survey protocol, they will present the results of the surveys and discuss the recommended protocol for sub-sampling in future years to estimate the BUOW population. The presentation will also include the results of the buow surveys conducted as part of the baseliine survey effort and information from the IID BUOW mitigation program.

10 Years of Burrowing Owl Survey History/Installation of Artificial Burrows
Marie Barrett, Wildlife Biologist, Barrett’s Biological Surveys
Thursday • 3:30-4:00 p.m.
Discussion of the results of a local biologist’s burrowing owl surveys over ten years and 18,000 acres. Discussion of local owl behavior and burrow locations. Overview of artificial burrow installation and results.

MANAGED MARSH PANEL
Friday • 9:15-11:15 a.m.
A. Discussion of Managed Marsh
Bruce Wilcox, Environmental Manager - Water Transfer IID,
Tito Marchant, Restoration Biologist - Ecological Conservation and Management
Tito and Bruce will discuss the design and implementation of Phase I of the IID managed marsh. The presentation will include a discussion of the identification of habitat functional values to be provided by the marsh and how the marsh was designed to provide those functions. The presentation will include details of the construction and planting of Phase I and the current operational plan. There will also be a discussion on lessons learned in the implementation of Phase I.

B. Creation and Maintainance of Managed Marshes
Chris Schoneman
Managed wetlands provide food, water and shelter for millions of birds in the United States each year, including many thousands in the Imperial Valley. But why do we need them? What other benefits do they provide? What unique problems are encountered when trying to manage wetlands in a desert environment? Chris will try to answer these questions and more in a discussion with the audience.

C. Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Water Treatment and Habitat Wetlands
Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians
A representative of the Tribal Environmental Department will present the Tribe’s water treatment and habitat wetland project, located on the north end of the Salton Sea. The presentation will include a description of the planning, permitting and construction of the facility and a status report on the success of the habitat project.

Herons of the Salton Sea
Mark Riegner, Professor of Environmental Studies,
Prescott College, Prescott, Arizona
Friday • 11:15 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
The 62 species of ardeids—herons, egrets, and bittems (hereafter referred to as “herons”)—from a diverse group of long-legged wading birds found in temperate and tropical regions around the world. Ten species have been recorded with some regularity in the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, although some are rare or uncommon. This illustrated presentation will review some general aspects of heron biology, including their diversity, behavior, and ecology, and will briefly discuss the natural history of the five most common species likely to be seen at the Salton Sea.

The Importance of the Salton Sea to Post-breeding Migratory Waterbirds
Robert L. McKernan,
San Bernardino County Museum, 2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands, CA 92373
Friday • 1:30-2:15 p.m.
The Salton Sea is an important geographic component of the habitat base that currently sustains migratory birds of the Pacific Flyway. The Salton Sea is a significant wintering and staging area for migratory waterbirds. During the1980’s through early 1990’s, fall and winter aerial surveys were conducted to establish index abundances for waterbird species utilizing and staging on the Salton Sea. A number of results from these surveys reflect the importance of the sea to a suite of waterbirds. An estimated 2.1 million eared grebes were documented overwintering at the sea during the 1980’s as well as 30,000 to 50,000 American white pelican, and a remarkable peak relative abundance of 240,000 ruddy duck overwintering on the sea. Spatial and temporal patterns will be presented revealing the value of the Salton Sea for a number of migratory waterbirds.