I met my bluebirding buddy Sully Reallon for an early cup at Starbuck's this morning. This is becoming a weekly ritual. We sit outside in the early morning sunshine and talk about - well you know - bluebirds. Sully is an old pro and he has taken me on as his apprentice. For fifteen years Sully has been working his trails here in Southern Orange County. He started with a trail in El Toro and over the years he has worked his way South towards San Clemente. The bluebirds have followed him. I have put out a few nestboxes in San Clemente over the past several years without much luck. Now I have a master showing me how it is done!

Our discussion topic this morning? The California Bluebird Recovery Program (CBRP). Sully and I are very concerned about the future of this great organization. We have both been members for years. Sully always sends in his stats at the end of the season. Since I have no stats (yet), I just enjoy the quarterly newsletter. Active member participation in the CBRP is dwindling. Dick Blaine in Cupertino is trying very hard to keep the CBRP ship from listing.

Here is an excerpt from an email I received from Dick last week:

"Let me give you a little background so you understand the problems facing CBRP.

Don Yoder in Contra Costa County founded the program in 1994 and over the years built it up to what it is now. Hatch Graham, who is known for his monitoring guide, prepared the annual reports over the past years. Don made the contacts thru NABS and other bluebird organizations; NABS has a yearly meeting at which he met many of the current county coordinators.
 
Both Don and Hatch are elderly, ill and have other issues to which they need to attend.  I am trying to get CBRP thru 2006 by preparing the annual report myself and getting our newsletter published in January. I do have contact information for most of the county coordinators but do not have email addresses for about 25%. I created an on-line web-based database for entry of data in Santa Clara County but in such a way that it is applicable to the entire state; Cornell, The Bird Network (TBN), has developed a similar system and is now testing. Last year San Mateo County, representing about 25% of CBRP total, lost their county coordinator and was unable to find another - so they are now reporting their data thru TBN - CBRP has no data from them.
 
I am not the right person to be Program Director as I simply do not have the contacts (or knowledge) to make the program flourish.  However both Don and I have been unsuccessful in recruiting a new Program Director from among the county coordinators.  So my plan (vision!) is to link each CBRP county with a local Audubon chapter and try to get the California State Audubon to take over the program.
 
I think you get the gist of the problem ..."

I wonder - how could this be happening? I suspect California has more active bluebirders than any other state. Most bluebirders are professionals of some sort and have loads of talent. If we organize and combine this talent, the CBRP would thrive. All of us owe Don Yoder, Hatch Graham, and the other founders and volunteers sincere thanks for their years of effort. We cannot let the CBRP slip beneath the surface.

What do you think we should do to save the CBRP? Share your thoughts by posting comments here.

MGS