CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A 20-minute video showing all the behaviors of grebe courtship and breeding will be the feature presentation at the Feb. 21 Redbud Audubon Society program at the Lower Lake School House Museum starting at 7 p.m.

The public is invited.

The video was produced and narrated by Dr. Floyd Hayes, Redbud member, ornithologist and chairman of the Biology Department at Pacific Union College in Angwin.

Dr. Hayes shot the video footage during his summer-long monitoring of Western and Clark’s Grebes breeding on Clear Lake as part of a Grebe Conservation and Education project. Monitoring on Clear Lake was done primarily by canoe, with two of Floyd’s students assisting him with this research.

The lively video has sequences showing the famous “dancing” in which a perfectly synchronized courting pair of grebes hydroplanes across the water surface.

The video also shows grebes constructing floating nests using tule reeds, laying eggs, then taking turns sitting on the nest for the 28-day incubation period, and then carrying babies on their backs until the young are able to fend for themselves.

The video footage even includes an underwater sequence showing a grebe diving.

A video interview with Redbud President Marilyn Waits explains the public education aspects of the grebe project.

Similarly, an interview with Gary Hanson, Water Resources Coordinator for the County of Lake explains how his department provides protection to the floating grebe colonies by placing speed buoys and signs to keep boats away from the nesting grebes.

Redbud Audubon is one of three Audubon chapters participating in this project.

Following Floyd’s presentation will be Keiller Kyle, field biologist for Audubon California, who coordinates the grebe project with the three chapters: Altacal Audubon (Chico), Plumas Audubon (Plumas County), and Redbud.

Keiller will share information he presented last November to the Luckenbach Trust, which funded the three-year project with oil-spill mitigation funds from two oil spills off the Northern California coast that killed significant numbers of Western and Clark’s Grebes.

Don’t miss this important opportunity to watch Lake County’s favorite birds in action.

For more information about the Redbud Audubon Society, go to www.redbudaudubon.org .

NORTH COAST – Caltrans reports that the following road projects will be taking place around the North Coast during the coming week.

Included are Mendocino County projects that may impact Lake County commuters.

LAKE COUNTY

There is no major roadwork scheduled for Lake County from Friday, Feb. 1, through Thursday, Feb. 7.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 1

– Replacement of the Greenwood Creek Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Golden State Bridge Inc. of Martinez.

– Caltrans will perform slipout repairs 1.6 miles south of Navarro Bluff Road. One-way traffic control with temporary stop signs will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– Metal beam guardrail repair at various locations from Blue Slide Gulch to the junction of Routes 101/271 will continue on Monday, Feb. 4. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Coral Construction of Wilsonville.

– Peter Bassett of Westport has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit for utility installation near Pacific Avenue north through Friday, Feb. 1. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

Highway 20

– A pavement repair project from 1.4 miles west of Little Lake Road to Three Chop Road will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – Argonaut Constructors of Santa Rosa.

Highway 101

– Caltrans will perform slide repairs near the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge (near Frog Woman Rock). Northbound traffic will be restricted to one lane 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

Highway 128

– Metal beam guardrail repair at various locations from Route 1 to Anderson Valley Way will continue through Friday, Feb. 1. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Coral Construction of Wilsonville.

Highway 271

– Metal beam guardrail repair at various locations from the southern junction of Routes 101/271 to the Humboldt/Mendocino County line will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Coral Construction of Wilsonville.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – “The Diary of Lucas Willey” will be the subject of a historic reading at the historic Courthouse Museum on Saturday, Feb. 16.

The reading takes place in the upstairs courtroom and begins at 2 p.m.  

Lucas Willey served as the justice of the peace in Lower Lake from 1870 to 1872 and you will be fascinated by his firsthand accounts of the dismantling of the Cache Creek Dam in 1868 and the final county seat election in 1870.

Bill Groody will be reading the first chapters and the series will continue on March 16, April 20 and May 18.  

There is no admission charge and refreshments will be served.  

For more information, please call the museum at 707-263-4555.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” has been been a hit at the box office and at the Academy, garnering a whopping 12 Oscar nominations, including for best picture.

The movie has received near universal acclaim for the performances and cinematography, and it’s ability to capture the look and feel of Civil War era Washington, DC.

But does it portray history accurately? This will be the topic for discussion at this month’s Redwood Empire Civil War Roundtable on Monday, Feb. 4, starting at 6:15 p.m. at the Tallman Hotel in historic Upper Lake.

“Hollywood generally does not restrict itself to following history accurately and will modify the actual narrative to create a storyline that they think will appeal to a wider audience,” said roundtable co-founder Phil Smoley. “To some degree, this is the case with ‘Lincoln,’ and this will be one of our topics at the next meeting.”  

Twenty roundtable members attended the opening of “Lincoln” on Jan. 11 at the Lakeport Cinema.

“Everyone agreed that the movie is spectacular in many ways and worth seeing, but it is worth a discussion to see how much of it was history and how much was Hollywood,” said Smoley.

In addition to the discussion of “Lincoln,” the group will hear an update on the CSS Hunley, which was in the news this week.

“The Hunley was the world’s first submarine to sink an enemy ship, but it never returned,” Smoley explained. “It was raised in 2000, and they have been trying to find out what sank it. This week’s announcement shed light on the cause.”

The Civil War Roundtable attempts to commemorate the sesquicentennial of the Civil War by reviewing events of the war month by month.

Admission is free, all are welcome.

For more information, contact Phil Smoley at 707-264 4905 or Zane Jensen at 707-349-6390.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Soroptimist International Clear Lake’s monthly luncheon business meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 14.

The meeting will take place at Howard's Grotto, 14732 Lakeshore Drive, Clearlake.

Agenda items will include an update on the annual Spring Fling fundraiser, scheduled for Saturday, March 2, with guest speaker Christine Pelosi,who will speak to the attendees on the topic of human trafficking how it affects women and girls right here in California.  

Also on the agenda are reports from Mary Benson, Judy Mullins and Marty Comito, chairs of three awards programs, Women’s Opportunity Awards, Violet Richardson Award and Ruby Award, respectively, with the announcement of the winners who will be honored at the March 28 awards luncheon to be held at the Greenview Room in Hidden Valley Lake.

The nominating committee chaired by Lisa Wilson of Clearlake will present the slate of officers for the 2013-14 term of office, with the election to be held at the March 14 business meeting.

Soroptimist is a term that means “best for women” and the objective of the group is to promote the advancement of women through volunteer service to the community and to serve as a global voice on issues of importance to women.

Soroptimist International of Clear Lake is part of Soroptimist International of the Americas, a worldwide organization that helps improve the lives of women and girls around the world and is open to all women.

For more information on the luncheon, Spring Fling or about membership in the group contact group President Wanda Harris at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 707-987-9027.

LUCERNE, Calif. – A caregiver support group for families dealing with memory loss or other cognitive impairments will meet on Thursday, Feb. 7.

The group meets at the First Lutheran Church, 3863 Country Club Lane, across from the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Social worker Jenny Johnson is the facilitator.  

The groups are sponsored by Redwood Caregiver Resource Center (1-800-834-1636) and the Social Day Programs in Lake County.  

For more information call Jenny Johnson at 707-350-3030 or Caroline Denny at 707-263-9481.

Respite is provided by the centers at no charge.