http://www.wildlife-research.org/ Wildlife Research Institute en-us Thu, 08 Apr 2010 16:19:23 GMT 1440 CPG-Nuke Dragonfly Wildlife Research Institute News http://backend.userland.com/rss http://www.wildlife-research.org/images/wrilogo.gif http://www.wildlife-research.org/ http://www.wildlife-research.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=12 WRI FUNDRAISER “Preserve the Ramona Grasslands” Art and Wine Fair & Silent Auction Your attendance & support help us continue our Grassland Preservation acquisitions and Wildlife Habitat protection & you enjoy a beautiful day at Highland Valley Studios in the Ramona Grasslands! Saturday April 17th, 2010 11AM-5PM Held at & Sponsored by: Highland Valley Studios 18528 Highland Valley Road, Ramona, CA 92065 Advance Tickets - $10 At The Door - $25 For tickets call Leigh: WRI: 760-789-3992 or mail check or CC # to: WRI PO Box 2209 Ramona, CA 92065 Click here to view our flyer for more information! (PDF) Thu, 08 Apr 2010 16:19:23 GMT http://www.wildlife-research.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=11 BUYING GROCERIES HELPS US GROW! ALBERTSONS has been donating to WRI for over three years now through their Preferred Card and Community Partners Program. You not only get discounts at the store, but a percentage of all your purchases goes to WRI. URGENT ACTION NEEDED: All preferred card holders must RE-LINK to WRI via the website in order for us to continue to receive donations that support our Children's Hawkwatch program for local schools. Please take a few minutes to log onto the www.albertsonscp.com website and link your number with our program. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!! Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:30:37 GMT http://www.wildlife-research.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=10 RESERVE YOUR SPACE FOR OUR 1ST ANNUAL "WALK IN THE RAMONA GRASSLANDS". Space is limited and registration is required. Saturday, April 4th from 8am -11 am led by WRI biologists, ornithologists and botanists. Cost is $25 per person and comes with a commemorative T-shirt. Call 760-789-3992 to reserve your spot! Tue, 17 Feb 2009 02:40:17 GMT http://www.wildlife-research.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=9 The California Oak Foundation (COF) continues to dedicate its work toward achieving healthy and sustainable oak-forested lands to benefit people, wildlife and plants. Population pressures are negatively affecting the state's important oak resources. In the interest of public information, COF's Board of Directors and Advisors are making this popular booklet available to everyone at no cost. Achieving oak sustainability in a fastgrowing state will take responsible actions by each of us. Find out how you can do your part. Click here to download this FREE brochure. (PDF 1.4MB) Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:27:20 GMT http://www.wildlife-research.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=8 A Natural History of the Ramona Grasslands by Fred Sproul, Botanist This large natural grassland called Ramona Valley, or Santa Maria Valley, is different than any of the other valleys that surround Ramona. This valley has been filled for millennia with sands and clays that have been washing down and trapped here by their foothills: the Mount Woodson – Iron Mountain chain and the low granite rim that frames our valley on the west and the many mountains to the east. It is from these deep, rich soils and the watershed from the surrounding hills, that this prairie, this productive meadowland exists. It has been a rich range and farmland since European settlement and at the same time it has been home to specialized kinds of plant life and animal life. Since the rise of our mountains, this extensive field has been the center of a diverse ecosystem. Particularly noticeable are the birds that visit such habitats in a hop-scotch fashion on their annual migrations. The list of these birds is impressive. Especially interesting is the abundance of keystone species: the birds of prey. On your visit to the Ramona Grasslands you will hopefully see eagles, falcons and several hawk species. Particularly important, because such habitats have been destroyed elsewhere, are the Golden Eagle and Ferruginous Hawk. They are regular occupants and visitors. Because of the pocket gophers, ground squirrels, mice, voles, ducks and other small birds, this area is of great importance for wintering and resident raptors. Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:30:46 GMT http://www.wildlife-research.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=7 THE SAN DIEGO RIVER VALLEY COASTAL SAGE SCRUB RESTORATION PROJECT The US Forest Service and Wildlife Research Institute have partnered in a project to restore over 200 acres of native habitat on the Cleveland National Forest. The goal of this project is to revegetate coastal sage scrub habitat that was burned during the 2007 Witch Fire. The Wildlife Research Institute will be working on this project through a ooperative partnership grant from the USDA Forest Service. The goal of this partnership is to provide sensitive habitat restoration, species conservation and public education. Schools, youth groups, community organizations, and volunteers of all ages will assist in making over 2 million seed balls. This project will provide the opportunity for youth and other volunteers to understand and participate in the restoration of our natural resources for future generations. For more information on how you can help, see our Seed Project Flyer...(pdf) Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:54:36 GMT http://www.wildlife-research.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=6 January 2 thru February 27, 2010 Every Saturday in Ramona, California 9AM-Noon Visit the Ramona Grasslands with the Wildlife Research Institute, Inc. Observe both our wintering and resident raptors. You will see raptors such as the Golden Eagle, the wintering Ferruginous Hawk, the Red-tailed Hawk, Prairie Falcon and the Red-shouldered Hawk. Nineteen (19) species of raptors alone have been recorded at this Raptor Hotspot! You will observe the wild raptors and learn the life-histories of these hawks and eagles and the significance of the Ramona Grassland ecosystem to the raptors’ survival from WRI Biologists. There will be demonstrations of hawk banding and tracking eagles with transmitters. This free, educational program is open to the public and rewarding for all ages. HAWKWATCH IS HELD EVERY SATURDAY IN JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2010 from 9 AM – 12 NOON. Program begins promptly at 9 am. Bring binoculars and cameras if you have them, our biologists will have spotting scopes for your use. We recommend you layer your clothing and wear sturdy shoes, although there is no hiking. Our facility is handicapped accessible. Only heavy rain cancels. The event is at WRI Headquarters, which is located on Highland Valley Road near the intersection of Rangeland and Highland Roads. Directions: From the south & west, Take Highway 67 to Ramona and turn north (left turn) on Highland Valley Road for 2 miles and look for our sign, Wildlife Research Institute, Inc. on the right, 18030 Highland Valley Road. From the north, take Highway 78 to Ramona Main Street (Hwy 67) turn right, proceed 3 miles to Highland Valley Road turn north (right turn) for 2 miles and look for our sign, Wildlife Research Institute, Inc., 18030 Highland Valley Road. For large groups or additional information call 760-789-3992 Fri, 21 Dec 2007 17:35:42 GMT http://www.wildlife-research.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=5 BUYING GROCERIES HELPS US GROW! ALBERTSONS has been donating to WRI for over three years now through their Preferred Card and Community Partners Program. You not only get discounts at the store, but a percentage of all your purchases goes to WRI. URGENT ACTION NEEDED: All preferred card holders must RE-LINK to WRI via the website in order for us to continue to receive donations that support our Children's Hawkwatch program for local schools. Please take a few minutes to log onto the www.albertsonscp.com website and link your number with our program. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!! Mon, 21 May 2007 17:00:34 GMT http://www.wildlife-research.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4 Wildlife Research Institute is proud to sponsor a Volunteer Appreciation Day for all the volunteers that have supported WRI this past year. We know that volunteers are members of the community that have a common goal who reach out beyond the constraints of their working and normal life to contribute time and service to the WRI mission and goal with the belief that their contribution will provide WRI an opportunity for success in our common goal. “How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world”. ~William Shakespeare How appropriate that we honor our volunteers who shine their beams of light. Therefore, WRI would like to invite all the volunteers to our appreciation day event. Where: Wildlife Research Institute Inc. headquarters at 18030 Highland Valley Road, Ramona CA. When: April 14th, 2007 Time: 12:30p.m to 4:30 p.m. Food and soft beverages are supplied. BYOB if you like. Please RSVP Kim Davis at WRI either by phone, (760) 789-3992, or info@wildlife-research.org Thank you volunteers for all your support to WRI helping us bring Nature to the community closer together. Fri, 30 Mar 2007 17:53:39 GMT http://www.wildlife-research.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3 Today Feb 18, 2007 Palomar A.S. enjoyed a special event with WRI. Starting at 9 a.m. a short introduction from Director Dave Bittner spoke about WRI mission, direction and current events to an attentive audience. From there the group moved to our viewing scope area where Golden eagles, ferruginous hawks, Redtails, American kestrels, White tailed Kites, zone tailed hawks and others were enjoyed by all. Early that morning Dave Bittner and three assistants trapped an addult female Kestrel, one each of a mature male and female redtail and a juvenile male retail. They were banded at WRI with a demonstration and educational program on the biology of each including the importance of banding. A volunteer was recruited to "stand in" as a golden eagle and Dave Bittner demonstrated how these eagles are live trapped both here in San Diego and on our Montana Eagle research program. This was both educational to our Audubon friends and entertaining. Later Craig Moran (a Master Falconer, Biology teacher and Educational manager) provided an informative talk with his ferruginous hawk. The group then all assembled into a caravan to go and search for more raptors and wildlife on the Ramona Grasslands. Hawk Watch is an annual event held every Saturday through January and Februray to educate the public on the importance of the Ramona Grasslands conservation project and the importance of Grassland ecosystems. This is one of the fun and educational events held this time of year. Other project that are ongoing are the habitat surveys for the Burrowing owls in various locations within California, the preservation of additional land acquisitions to the Ramona Grasslands and continued work with data collection and conservation of Golden Eagles here in Southern California. Wed, 21 Feb 2007 00:16:54 GMT