Kelseyville >> The Redbud Audubon Society welcomes Hopland resident Bob Keiffer, who will present a program on the island of Hawaii, “Flora and Fauna — Bits and Pieces,” on Thursday.
Keiffer presented his first “Birding in Hawaii,” program last year for Redbud Audubon; this November program will focus on birds of the Big Island and will also include photographs.
He will enlighten viewers of past and present successes and failures at preserving island species. He had the opportunity to be guided for a day by Jack Jeffrey, a retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist and renowned Hawaiian nature photographer. Keiffer visited the island in 2014, first attending a vertebrate pest management conference and then exploring the island with wife, Beth Keiffer, for a week. He was able to find the island’s rarest bird — a bird that has an upper bill three times longer than the lower bill.
“The royal Hawaiian robes were made of bird feathers,” Keiffer said, and “livestock did not result in a paradise island.” Find out the details at the program.
Keiffer was born and raised in Mendocino County and has had a long-time interest in natural resources and specifically a long-time interest in birds and mammals of the oak woodland habitats.
He followed his interest in wildlife by obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife management from Humboldt State University in 1979 and he is a certified Associate Wildlife Biologist with the Wildlife Society. Keiffer was the founder of the Peregrine Audubon Chapter in interior Mendocino County and has been the compiler of bird observations for Mendocino County, reporting to the North American Birds publication (Northern California region) for about 25 years.
Keiffer has been at the University of California’s Ag and Natural Resources Division — Hopland Research and Extension Center for more than 30 years, mostly as principal superintendent of agriculture. There he has introduced and presented to many visitors, classes and groups, the topic of oaks and oak woodland habitat, wildlife, range managements and many other topics.
Redbud Audubon Society programs are free and open to the public, Thursday’s event will start with refreshments at 7 p.m. and program at 7:15 p.m. in the Glebe Social Hall, St. Peter’s Catholic Church, 4085 Main St. in Kelseyville.
