BIRDS IN HAND(Y LISTS): Laurie West Roberts, her husband, Rick, and Susan Johnson, who named themselves the Snipe Hunters, took part in the Silicon Valley Audubon Society birdathon recently and sighted a whopping 99 species. The daylong event is an annual bird census-taking.
Sightings included a golden eagle on her nest with fuzzy white baby, two burrowing owls up close, and a dipper. The drizzly weather didn't daunt the hunters from scouting at seven different locales. At the Campbell percolation ponds they caught sight of their namesake snipe, among other species.
Other high-flying spottings: mating downy woodpeckers and a red-shouldered hawk flying off with prey in its talons at Bel Gatos Park; a nutmeg manikin at Almaden Lake; an American dipper at Alum Rock Park. Dippers travel upstream, underwater, lapping up insects.
"What a sight to see it bebopping up the creek," Laurie reported. That was their $6 dipper, since it costs $6 to enter the park, and well worth the money. Next sighting was at Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge in Alviso, where a loggerhead shrike performed and the longed-for burrowing owls were only 10 feet away.
The owls were perched on entrance posts and "one called out for us to 'scram!' Where is a telephoto camera when you need it?" the birder asks. At Charleston Slough their list swelled with 24 more species. The trio finished off the day with a spectacular view of a hooded oriole pair at McClellan Park Ranch.
Despite being cold, wet and weary, the sniper team started laying enthusiastic plans for next year's route.
WOMEN AND WAR: Monte Serenan Barbara Hawkes recently led a discussion on women and war for The Great War Society, a group of amateur historians who research World War I. The group studies every aspect of this watershed period, but the w and w subject had never been explored in depth.
How the war affected giving women the right to vote was one of the issues discussed. The contact number for anyone interested in joining the group is 408.395.4397. The South County club meets monthly in Palo Alto.
RED HAT WATCH: Campo de Bocce hosted a contingent of the Red Hat Society recently, the Mad Hatters of Los Gatos. The society's motto is "Fun after 50." Members meet monthly for lunch, red-hatted, garbed in purple, and decked out in purple and red heels.
Two lanes of bocce ball players were led by Queen Mum, Donna DeLong, a Los Gatos Realtor with Intero. This Red Hat chapter is closed to new members, but a new Los Gatos chapter has just been created called The Red Hat Cats. The contact is www.redhatsociety.com.
QUEST FOR VOLUNTEERS: The History Museum at Forbes Mill needs volunteer docents to serve four-hour stints per month. Museum hours are noon4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. To volunteer or to tour the museum, contact Stephanie Mathews, docent coordinator, at 408.354.2443.
VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION: If you do decide to become a museum docent, one of the perks you'll receive is an invitation to the annual volunteer recognition reception at the Neighborhood Center. This year 500 volunteers were feted.
Volunteers contributed 40,000 hours to the town last year, an amount that translates to more than a million dollars in services, said Mayor Steve Glickman. Local restaurants provided culinary specialties, and every council member was there to extend personal thanks.
One standout: the crepes from Sweet Pea, made to order on the spot.
ARTIST ALERT: The deadline is May 21 for original artwork from a local artist to be submitted to a Fiesta de Artes competition. The winning artwork will serve as the poster/promotional logo for the Aug. 1415 event. The poster will be printed in four colors on 1,000 posters, 500 postcards.
The image should incorporate elements of the festival: colorful tents, families on lawn, browsers with artwork. Los Gatos Kiwanis is the Fiesta de Artes sponsor. No cash prize for the winner, but the artwork will be widely seen through the West Valley. The judging team will include Sandy Decker. For more details, call Laura Bajuk at 408.395.7375.
IN HOLES: Ali Johansen of Los Gatos and Jillian Lawson of Saratoga play the lead role of the warden in different casts of the Peninsula Youth Theatre production of Holes, playing May 716 at Cubberley Community Center in Palo Alto.
Holes is based on the popular book written by Louis Sachar. History, adventure and wry humor are woven into a tale of friendship and justice. Sneakers play into the plot, and two pairs of autographed sneakers—one signed by Ronnie Lott and one by the current 49er team—are up for bids during the run.
The box office is 650.988.8798.
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By Mary Ann Cook