Civic and national freshwater advocates are reminding us not to take tap water for granted. Instead, they say, we should take it as our drink of choice.

Birds speak in a language all their own. Through chirps, warbles, trills and calls, they advertize for mates, warn of approaching predators and defend territories. Naturalist and author David Lukas trains listeners to pick up on these cues and hear a new world, as KRCB's Danielle Venton reports. (Right, David Lukas observes a flock of unperturbed Canada geese grazing near Lake Merritt, Oakland/Danielle Venton for KRCB.) 

Bird vocalization carries an astounding level of information and variety. Here, Lukas has collected three song dialects from the same species -- White-crowned Sparrow. (Image of White Crowned Sparrow, right, courtesy of Public Domain Images.)

Lukas recently published a book about the birds of the Bay Area. The region, he says, is the perfect place to be a birder.

 Lukas will also present a talk on bird song to the Santa Rosa to the Redwood Region Ornithological Society oin Santa Rosa on Feb. 14 . Details here.

Jim Sullivan, tracker, artist, writer, at Salmon Creek Beach. KRCB photo by Danielle VentonTracking, the ancient art of detecting subtle signals left by animals, is alive and well today -- especially in the North Bay. Through local tracking clubs, classes and the Point Reyes Tracking School, launched this week, the opportunities are ripe for learning the ways of the outdoors. 

Jim Sullivan (right) organizes monthly classes and meet ups. The art of tracking, he says, is sort of like reading a novel. 

As the national debate over immigration reform moves from gridlock toward negotiation, members of the Dream Alliance in Sonoma County are both hopeful and concerned. Hopeful that action will finally be forthcoming this year, but worried that the final result may be too restrictive or otherwise flawed.

Before a final policy is adopted, there will inevitably be some back and forth and deal-making, acknowledges Jesus Guzman of the pro-immigration Dream Alliance of Sonoma County. But he anticipates that one of the bargaining chips now being cited by some conservative voices will be moot, as President Obama has already effectively taken it off the table.