Mt. Shasta Lavender Farms open til July 19th!

Mom and I finally made the trip to the Mt. Shasta Lavender Farms on Saturday, and boy, what a treat – row upon row of brilliant lavender buzzing with happy bees, the scent filling the air and the mountain rising up over the Shasta Valley beyond. We went the in afternoon, when it was hot, but the lavender lemonade in the villa was quite refreshing. When we arrived the Farm was also buzzing with people – some where sitting at shaded tables outside the villa, others were set up in the rows with tripods and cameras in photographic bliss, while a few painters had staked out spots in the field where they were committing the scene to canvas. We saw folks walking the new Lavender Labyrinth, and wandering the rows looking for the perfect stems to take home. The farm is open for just one month a year – from mid June to mid July, when the public can come out and enjoy the setting and cut their own stems. You can get 100 stems for $3, as well as the many treats available in the villa. We came home with the lovely lavender-lemon cookies baked by Ms. Lynn’s Tea in Montague.

The farm is open daily from 9am to 4pm (try to go in the morning if it’s going to be a hot day). It’s located off Highway 97 – turn west onto A-12, then look for the signs. This year the farm is open until July 19th, so get out there while you can.

Kisling’s Corner: Eagles

Welcome to Kisling’s Corner: This week’s topic is eagle identification.

Eagle identification is not always easy. If all bald eagles looked as they do when they reach adulthood, identifying eagles would be much simpler, unfortunately, that is not the case. All raptors go through a time when their plumage differs from their adult plumage. This does have the benefit of saving young birds from adults of the same species who might look upon them as sexual rivals, but it presents some problems for those of us who are trying to identify them.

Both golden and bald eagles require at least four years to attain adult plumage, with five years being the norm. Any good field guide can point out the subtle plumage difference between these two species, but there are a few things that field guides rarely cover. If I see a brownish eagle, I first look at the size of the head. On occasion, a golden eagle may appear to have a normal sized head for a bird its size, but most often, it appears that the head is a bit small for such a large bird. If you see a small group of eagles and there is an adult bald eagle among them, check the head size of the brown eagles near it. If they all appear to have a head about the same size of the adult bald, they are all young bald eagles.

Since bald eagles have a larger head and beak than do golden eagles, they also have a different head to tail ratio then goldens. When seen in flight, bald eagles have a tail projection that is about one and a half times the head projection whereas golden eagles have a tail projection that is two to two and a half times longer than the head projection. If this seem a bit hard for you to absorb, I can make remembering it easier. It is the bald eagle that has the big head and who wouldn’t get a big head if they were the national bird? That may sound a bit silly, but it does make it easy to remember.

There are a few other differences between the species that may be of help when the lighting is not good. Bald eagles hold their wings fairly flat when soaring while golden eagles fly with their wings held up in a shallow V that resembles the way turkey vultures fly, except that vultures are always tilting side to side and eagles only do so when it is very windy. One other difference between the two eagle species is something I have never seen in print, but it works. If you see an eagle fly a long distance and it flaps continuously, it is certainly a bald eagle. Golden eagles may flap for a bit, but a large part of their flight consists of soaring. A bald may also flap a while and then soar, so be careful, since both species flap and soar. It’s only when the flapping goes on for long while that you may be confident it is a bald eagle.
Questions, comments? Kiss@cot.net

Charlotte, Thanks for the insight that only comes from years of experience. I would add that Charlotte’s neck of the woods – the Dorris and Tulelake area – is a hot spot for eagle sightings, especially in the winter and early spring. You can learn more by visiting the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge website. The website provides a seasonal list of birds you expect to see, no matter when you’re planning a visit. Summer time means waterfowl and marsh birds, early morning expeditions on the driving tours and spending the hot afternoons in the cool caves at Lava Beds National Monument, which borders the Tule Lake Refuge.
Thanks again,
Renee

Concert Series starts Friday in Yreka

The 2009 Scott Valley Bank Concerts in the Parks Series:

FRIDAY, JUNE 12 • 6:30 p.m. • Miner Street Park, Yreka
The Housecats  Rock n Roll
Lalo’s Mexican Restaurant • Law Office of Darrin W. Mercier • Medical Center Pharmacy & Compounding/MC Medical Equipment
 
Friday, June 19 • 6:30 p.m. • Miner Street Park, Yreka
The Cheeseburgers  Shrimpboat Rock
McDonald’s of Yreka & Weed • Black’s Home Furnishings • Simas’ Green Thumb Landscapes/Ernie Rizzardo Landscaping

Friday, June 26 • 6:30 p.m. • Miner Street Park, Yreka
Tempest  Celtic Rock
Etna Brewing Company • Edward Jones • West Coast Paving and Chip Sealing

Friday, July 3 • 6:30 p.m. • Miner Street Park, Yreka
5 a.m.  Original Rock
Shasta Forest Products, Inc. • Sears, Yreka • Hanon’s Floors

Friday, July 10 • 6:30 p.m. • Miner Street Park, Yreka
The Essentials  Funk, R&B
Weed Building Supply, Inc. • Bruce Riger, MD • ABY Petro, Inc./Yreka Valero

Friday, July 24 • 6:30 P.M.• Miner Street Park, Yreka
One Horse Shy  Americana/Country Rock
Les Schwab Tire • Alpine Business Equipment • Gold Nugget Printing

Friday, July 31 • 6:30 p.m. • Miner Street Park, Yreka
Gimme Shelter Classic Rock
SPECIAL for Children - this concert only – all aboard the Siskiyou Arts Council Mobile Art Studio
John Durney, DDS, Inc.- A Family Dentist • Girdner Funeral Chapel • Yreka Paint & Decorating

Saturday, Aug.1 • Ft. Jones Ball Park • 7:30 to 9:30 PM
Boyz Nite Out Contemporary A Capella
Siskiyou Telephone • Scott Valley Auto Parts • Fort Jones Lumber Yard

Sunday, Sept. 6 • Mt. Shasta City Park• Noon til 6 pm
Blackberry Music Festival
Live Music, Fun, Food & Games • An Annual Project of Mt. Shasta Rotary Club

Dunsmuir’s Railroad Days kick off on Friday, June 12th

A variety of activities will start Friday in Dunsmuir at Railroad Days, with fun stuff for kids and adults, including a fishing derby, parade, live entertainment, activities for train buffs, a softball tournament, diaper derby, L’il Engineer contest, pancake breakfast, food and craft vendors, a pie social and a dunk tank and bounce house.
A replica Southern Pacific caboose will be awarded to a lucky raffle winner Saturday, June 13 at 2 p.m. During Railroad Days on June 12 and 13 model trains will be up and running both days at the Cedar Flats Railroad Clubhouse on Cedar Street just below Dunsmuir Avenue.

The Pie Social is scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. on June 13 to benefit the Amtrak Depot and the adjoining railroad Display Room. The pie event will be held in the Amtrak Depot parking lot and will feature homemade pies at $2 a slice. Included among a colorful assortment of vendors will be members of the Karuk Tribe, offering their Indian tacos. For the youngsters on Saturday there will be a Diaper Derby and L’il Engineer contests starting at 9 a.m. in the Children’s Park. Sign ups for both contests will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday at the information booth on Pine Street. At 2 p.m. Saturday on the Pine Street stage there will be an awards ceremony for winners of the noon parade and the Diaper Derby and L’il Engineer contests, as well as the winner of the special caboose raffle.

Friday, June 12
10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Food, Craft, Nonprofit Booths/Vendors Pine St. and Dunsmuir Ave.
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Local Authors in front of Pizza Factory
10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Dunk Tank & Bounce House on Upper Pine
2 p.m. – 10 p.m Live Entertainment on Upper Pine Stage
4 p.m. – 8 p.m. Model Trains at Cedar Flats Railroad Club Cedar St. below Dunsmuir Ave.
5 – 9 p.m. Registration for Diaper Derby, L’il Engineer Contest at Information Booth on Pine St. & Dunsmuir Ave.
6 p.m. Start time for Softball Tournament at North Dunsmuir Ball Field
Guido “Bill” Mei, who played a central role in Dunsmuir’s booming downtown of the 1970s and ’80s, will be a featured attraction in this year’s Railroad Days parade on June 13. The parade will start at noon and will also feature Dunsmuir Citizen of the Year Linda Guzman.
Saturday, June 13
7:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. Rotary Club Pancake Breakfast at St. John’s Social Hall, Willow St. and Shasta Ave.
7 – 11 a.m. Children’s Fishing Derby between 800-foot Bridge & Butterfly Bridge
9 – 10 a.m. Diaper Derby at Children’s Park
10 – 11 a.m. L’il Engineer Contest at Children’s Park
10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Railroad Museum next to Amtrak depot open
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Children’s Activities at Children’s Park
10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Food, Craft, Nonprofit Booths Pine St. and Dunsmuir Ave.
10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Dunk Tank & Bounce House on Upper Pine
10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Model Trains at Cedar Flats Railroad Club Cedar St. below Dunsmuir Ave.
10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Live Entertainment/Upper Pine Stage
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Local Authors in front of Pizza Factory
10 a.m. Start time for Softball Tournament at North Dunsmuir Ball Field
11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Tri Tip BBQ at the Brown Trout, Sac Ave.
11 a.m. Parade participants line up on Oak St. near Dunsmuir Ave.
Noon – Parade from Oak St. to Florence Loop
Noon – 2 p.m. Live entertainment at the Brown Trout, Sac Ave.
2 p.m. Awards Ceremony on Pine St. Stage
2p.m. – 3 p.m. Pool Games at Community Pool/North Dunsmuir
5p.m. – 8 p.m. Pie Social at Amtrak Depot Sacramento Ave.
Sunday, June 14
10 a.m. – Softball Tournament at North Dunsmuir Ball Field.

For more information on Railroad Days call 235-4034 or 235-4550.

June 7th: McCloud Flea Market and Collectibles sale

This is a big weekend in McCloud – the 38th Annual McCloud Flea Market is Sunday, June 7th from 8am to 4pm, with the Mud Creek Collectible and Antique Market coinciding on Saturday and Sunday. The Flea Market is billed as the largest in the county and kicks off with a Fireman’s Breakfast in the bank parking lot next to the Heritage Museum. You’ll also find coffee and pastries at the Museum to get you fueled up for a day of checking out the 100+ boothes at the Flea Market lining Main Street. You’ll see a huge variety of items – from handmade food to household hand-offs, arts and crafts to antiques and collectibiles. The organizers say it’s a great place to shop for Father’s Day gifts and graduation presents. While you’re there, tour the Heritage Museum where you can become more familiar with the history of the area. If you stop in from 12:30-2:30pm you can enjoy live music by local singer-songwriter Bruno Grossi.

Just up the road at the Old Red School House at 127 W. Colombero, the Mud Creek Collectible and Antique Market will be featuring contemporary and vintage collectibles from classic American to Mod and sixties memorabilia. One exhibit will include 1000s of record LPs, 45s, 78s, 8 tracks and vintage stereo equipment from the Market’s owner, who previously had a record label and distribution compmany. You’ll also find a large classic rock poster collection, ranging from the Filmore and Bill Graham era to Punk rock flyers from the early Los Angeles Punk movement. Hundreds of comics – Creepies and Vamparilla, Marvel and a few 60s underground publications – will also be on display. For more info call 731.394.7279.

So there you have it – if you’re in the South County on Sunday head over to McCloud for a day of discovery at the Flea Market and Mud Creek Collectibles.

Kisling’s Corner: bring your scope for the baby Bald Eagle at Lower Klamath Refuge

Welcome to Kisling’s Corner. Today we focus on what is happening around the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges. The big news on Lower Klamath Refuge is the presence of a baby bald eagle in the nest along the tour route. That portion of the tour route is closed to the public, but the nest can be viewed, preferably with a spotting scope, anywhere near mile post 7 on Highway 161 (State Line Road).

There is a fairly large colony of bank swallows at the refuge quarry. As you enter at the main entrance and after passing the parking area, there is a little information kiosk with refuge maps and a notice showing on a map where the quarry is located. If you have never seen a decent sized colony of bank swallows, you will certainly enjoy this special treat. Please do not unduly disturb the swallows.

Tri-colored blackbirds can be found with a little searching and yellow-headed blackbirds are hard to miss. Canada geese are almost everywhere with their young in tow and many ducks can now be seen with their young. The Tule Lake Refuge is hosting many grebes, mostly eared grebes, but Western, Clark’s and pied-billed may also be seen. Just a bit east of the Tule Lake refuge is Petroglyph Point and the large formation to the north of that is known as the Peninsula. Down a bit from the highest part of that formation is an active golden eagle nest with at least one young eagle in it. As you travel north to the basin, pay attention to what can be seen along Highway 97 just a bit south of Dorris. There is a fairly large concentration of bald eagles just south of the inspection station and one has an orange wing tag bearing the number 83. It is actually K83, but the K is hard to see. It was taken from a nest on Santa Catalina Island and re-released on Santa Catalina Island last year.
The answer to the question about the smallest North American bird is calliope hummingbird. Weighing in at about one tenth of an ounce, it would take about 150 well fed ones to make a pound. This next question may be of help to those who see several eagles in the same area and have a difficult time deciding whether they are seeing an immature bald eagle or a golden eagle. Pay attention to the size of the head and the solution will be in the next installment.
If you have any birding questions, e-mail them to me at kiss@cot.net and I will do what I can to answer them.

Hedge Creek Falls – a great little hike

Hedge Creek Falls is one of Dunsmuir’s two popular waterfalls, the other being Mossbrae Falls. Check out the post about Hedge Creek at Siskiyou County Photo Journal. Hedge Creek Falls is interesting because you can walk behind the spray of water into a cave behind the pool. The trail goes beyond the falls, along the canyon and out the Sacramento River canyon, where there is a view of Mt. Shasta. Hiking Hedge Creek is just one of the activities on the VisitSisikiyou.org spring Things to Do list.

Kisling’s Corner: what’s happening in the Klamath Basin

Welcome to Kisling’s Corner. In the last installment, we discussed some birding basics. This time, we will focus more on local birding. In particular, the Klamath Basin. Not only does the area have tremendous birding, there are some resources that are available to help you when you are here. Start will the Klamath Basin Birding Trail website. It will give you information on dozens of birding locations. Check the Klamath Basin Audubon Society for their event calendar. The Klamath Bird Observatory also has a website and offers some events open to the public. Do not forget to check the website of the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges. There is now a system in place where local birding information is shared. It is mostly for Klamath Basin birding information, but anything of interest for birders may be discussed. I am making reference to Klamath Basin Bird News. It is set up as a Google Group and you may elect to read the postings on-line or may choose to be a participant by registering so you can post information or receive an e-mail as soon as a new posting is made. Google Klamath Basin Bird News to view the site. Another resource is Birdingonthe.net. This site can give you rare bird alerts and local sightings from just about anywhere. Then there is another favorite, Birdingpal, which is a worldwide system that can get folks in contact with other birders in areas they may wish to visit. Check out these websites and benefit from them.
Birding is never static, the seasons come and go and with them a new cast of characters. If you were in the Klamath Basin a couple of months ago, you would have seen thousands upon thousands of snow, Ross’ and greater white-fronted geese. Now, except for a few stragglers, they have moved north to breed. Other species are making their presence known. Grebes may be seen courting and it won’t be long before we will see them with their babies riding on their backs. Songbirds have moved in and are setting up housekeeping duties. One of my favorites is the yellow rail. This seldom seen bird is found along the north side of Upper Klamath Lake and in the Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge along the Silver Lake Highway. Although actually seeing one is a rare treat, they can be heard quite easily, but you need to be doing this after dark. Birders make the most primitive of birds calls for this one. Take two stones and click them together to reproduce the yellow rail call, It goes like this click-click, click-click-click and is repeated several times. It only takes about three seconds to get in all of the clicks. Once I hear a response, I realize how fortunate we all are to be able to get in touch with nature.
Did you get the answer to the question in the last installment? What state has a state bird named for another state? If you answered Utah, you either looked it up or you are a savvy person indeed. Utah’s state bird is the California Gull, the bird that helped with stemming their locust invasion. This installment’s question is what is the smallest North American bird? Hint, I had one at my feeder the other day.

If you have and birding related questions, you may contact Charlotte at kiss@cot.net and your questions will be answered as best they can.

Kisling’s Corner: Birding In

I’m so excited to post the first installment from our friend, Charlotte Ann Kisling, who is an avid birder in eastern Siskiyou County, where the Klamath Basin Wildlife Refuges provide a great place to start birding. Read on and get inspired…

Welcome to Kisling’s Corner. That is a reference to me, Charlotte Ann Kisling and my corner of Siskiyou County. I live up in Dorris and do most of my birding in the Klamath Basin. I have been an active birder for almost 30 years now, and no other pastime has been anywhere as rewarding as my birding experiences. I meet the nicest folks and in the best environments. I want to share some of that with you, so this column will deal with the wonderful world of bird watching, hereafter to be referred to simply as birding. I will make every effort to keep you updated on what is happening in the Basin as well as giving folks in other parts of the county the opportunity to share their birding experiences with other readers of this column. I will also try to answer any questions about birds or birding that you may have. Just send an e-mail to me at kiss@cot.net and I will post your question along with my response.
Birding can be enjoyed on many levels, from someone just peeking out their window and watching a feathered creature taking a bird bath all the way to those who travel thousands of miles to see a certain species. Most of us fall somewhere in between. All that is really needed is a decent pair of binoculars, a field guide and a place where there are birds to watch. While almost any pair of binoculars is better than the unaided eye, there are some things you should know when selecting a pair for birding. Most good birders use binoculars in the 8X30 to !0X50 range with prices anywhere from $200 right through $2,000. Those low-priced 7X35 binoculars you see advertized for $29 are not seen among serious birders. Stay away from those little fold-up binoculars primarily designed for hiking and no one makes a decent zoom binocular.
The other necessity is a field guide to the birds so you may be able to identify what you see and begin to learn more about them. There is a plethora of books available and I have more than a few, but two books stay in my vehicle at all times unless I bring them along with me in the field. The first is the fifth edition of The National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America and the other is The Sibley Guide to Birds. Both are excellent and I am not aware of anything better in the way of field guides. I keep both because they each have something not covered in the other.
Other nice additions to your birding equipment include a decent spotting scope with a sturdy tripod. Lately, there has been a quantum leap as to what is available in the way of electronic equipment. These include the latest digital cameras as well as software for IPods and the like, but these are nice extras and not absolute necessities.
Before I go, I ask you this trivia question; try to arrive at the answer before looking it up. What is the only state that has, as its state bird, a bird named for another state? The answer will be in my next post.
Good Birding

Lots of live music in Dunsmuir June 5th & 6th

This coming Friday and Saturday, June 5th and 6th, Dunsmuir will be hosting a number of acts for your entertainment. Samba Da is coming to the Dunsmuir Grill & Creamery at 8:30pm on June 6th. Following up on their wildly successful area debut at last year’s Mt. Shasta Music Festival Summer Concert Series, Samba Da returns to Siskiyou County for a Brazilian Carnavale dance party at the Creamery (5740 Dunsmuir Ave.).
Samba Da’s irresistible dance music and spectacular stage presence have quickly established them as one of the hottest groups on the West Coast. With one foot rooted in California and another in Brazil, Samba Da musically unites the Americas, drawing from percussion styles of South and Central America and blending them with funk and reggae familiar to North America. Samba Da headlined 3 of the largest carnival parties in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego; were featured at Harmony Festival and Sierra Nevada World Music Festival.

Advance ticket purchases and dinner reservations are recommended for those planning to attend, as this intimate
event could sell out in advance. Phone 530.235.4585 to reserve a table for dinner. Tickets may be purchased at
Berryvale Grocery in Mt.Shasta, Bog Bean Books & Music in  Redding, Music Coop in Ashland, by phone at 530.918.4804 and online at www.positiveproductions.net. The show starts at 8:30 PM. Ages 21+.

On Friday, Dunsmuir’s long-time hot spot for music, Sengthong’s BlueSky Room, will host The New Up and The Slants at 9pm. The New Up has a sound that’s described as “smoldering, post-punk-brushed dance-rock” (Isthmus),  and “hip modern pop with a strong psychedelic streak” (Good Times). The New Up is celebrating the release of their new EP Better Off (August 2009) with a weekend run of shows in NorCal and the Pacific NW,
before launching their third national tour this fall.

NPR’s All Things Considered says, “It’s tempting to peg The Slants in some existing Asian genre: Canto-pop, J-Metal, Viet Core… but they’re not quite that simple.” In case you haven’t heard, The Slants are an Asian synth-pop band that have been melting faces off all over the country. Since their creation, The Slants have toured the country five times, received press for turning down a million dollar recording contract, and are the first (and, so far, only) Asian band to be a Fender Music featured artist. The band’s self-recorded,
self-produced and self-released Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts has everything that a perfect record should have: shattering hooks and anthemic choruses, powerful guitar and keyboard lines, and just the right mix of rock with
darker, dance themes – with an Asian twist. Cover is $8  & $5 with dinner purchase (18+)

Then, on June 6th, Ron Hoopes & Freshfire Jazz Trio return to Sengthong’s for a performance that is likely to sell out, so get your tickets quick. With tasty original compositions, great group synergy and artful skill, Fresh Fire is both fresh and full of fire. Along with Ron, bassist Nathan Sivananda and drummer John Aviani are co-creators of Fresh Fire’s distinctive approach to music-making — something they’ve been doing together for many years in their town of Mount Shasta, Calif. It’s always a pleasure to hear them be sure to catch Freshfire this time. 

$10 cover / $7 with dinner purchase – show starts @ 8:45pm. Call for reservations . . .this show will sell out! 530-235-1046