Big Bear Today Magazine September 2020

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Page 10—September 2020HOMESTYLEQUALITY...SteaksEastSeafoodValley'sPastaOnlyChickenBakery!Voted Big Bear'sBest Breakfast!DAILY Breakfast Special!Every Saturday NightAll-You-Can-EatBeef Ribs!NIGHTLY DINNER SPECIALSWED—PRIME RIBTHURS—CLOSEDFRIDAY—HOMEMADE POT PIESOR SURF & TURFSAT—ALL-U-CAN-EAT BEEF RIBSCHICKEN POT PIES IF AVAILABLESUN-HOLIDAYS—PRIME RIBFRESH CATCH OF THE DAY FRI/SATAfter lunch or dinner...treat yourself from ourBakery!Caramel-topped appledumplings...cheesecakes...apple streudel...fresh-baked piesof the season!Also Available to Go!○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○Dine Next to Our 2 CozyFireplaces or Under Trees onOur Outdoor Patio!337 W. Big Bear Blvd.(2 miles east of the ConventionCenter in Big Bear City)(909) 585-7005...FAMILYPRICES!9,000 songs fromSilver Moon’s Bradweekends on patiosRare indeed is the listener who canstump Brad from Silver Moon with a songrequest. That’s because he estimates thathe’s played over 9,000 tunes since comingto Big Bear in 2006!Rock, blues, country, standards,reggae, even songs from the Civil War arepart of his playlist, gleaned from workingand playing in the music industry for decadesin a variety of capacities. With longtimeBig Bear bass player Hank Kalvin theduo forms popular Silver Moon. Regularlysitting in with Brad the last few years hasbeen Emmy nominated engineer RustySmith and 8-string picker Randy Boswell.Now Brad is taking his wide varietyof music to the beautiful outdoor patio atThelma’s (story page 9) Fridays and Saturdays6-8 p.m. on September 12 and 26.As well as Stillwells patio at The Lodge 6-9 p.m. Saturdays Sept. 5 and 19, a gig he’shad for the past two years.“People love to request their favoritetunes and I love to play all kinds of musicand have a decent memory for melodiesand lyrics,” Brad said. “Having an iPad fullof so many great songs, I can usually getclose to something they request.” He saidsome nights see him play 60-80% requests.Fullfilled courtesy of Brad’s guitar,harmonica and musical memory that’scatalouged so many songs he’s comeacross through the years. He’s worked inconcert and music promotion for peoplelike Willie Nelson, with whom he spentfour years, along with Derek Trucks,Herbie Hancock, Bruce Hornsby, membersof the Rolling Stones, Dave Brubeck andmany others. He also owned a Delawaremusic store in the 1980’s and 90’s.Brad has written over 400 originalsand released 15 of his own group and soloprojects and produced, arranged, co-wroteand/or coordinated albums/sessions for avariety of artists. Plus recorded as sidemanon sessions for still more artists. Before BigBear he founded popular Delaware bandsPorch Chops and Love Minus Zero, andGoldrush in San Diego.Song notes course through Brad’sveins and he’ll do anything the music businessesoffers. As a journalist he’s written18Big Bear TodayBrad from Silver Moon plays 9,000 songs weekends at Thelma’s, StillwellsNurture your nature with free birdwalks and talks held online and in-personby Chirp Nature Center, along with birdingHow-To programs.Join Chirp the first Saturday of eachmonth including September 5 for educationalbird walks exploring birding hotspots throughout Big Bear Valley and theNational Forest. The walks providebirdwatchers at all experience levels anopportunity to observe and identify localBig Bear birds and learn good viewing locations.Experienced birders can practiceidentification skills and share with fellownature enthusiasts.Bird walks are held in-person followingproper protocols as current conditionsallow. Group outings leave Chirp at 8 a.m.nationally for Jazziz, Relix, Dupree’s DiamondNews magazines and local for BigBear Today. For two years he served asmusical director for Bear Valley Center forSpiritual Enrichment.“Both Stillwell’s and Thelma’s havecreated wonderful outdoor spots to enjoygood food and drink in a safe environment,”Brad said. “I provide over 200years of music.”Nurture nature with bird walks, talkssharp and last around an hour-and-a-halfwith moderate walking or hiking. Complimentaryrefreshments follow at Chirp withquestions and answers.Last in-person walk of the season isactually a cruise, aboard Big Bear Queenon October 3. “We’ll go out around the lakeand see predominantly water birds,” saidChirp’s Randall Putz. This outing departsBig Bear Marina at 8 a.m. with tickets $10,available at the marina.Virtual walks are set for the secondWednesday each month including Sept. 9,streamed live online via Zoom, Facebookand YouTube. Streamings are at 4 p.m. andfeature 45 minutes of Big Bear’s naturalsplendor as participants learn about wildbirds, points of interest and fun facts.Chirp also hosts free Bird and NatureTalk watch parties on the third Saturdayeach month. Each hour-long presentationhighlights a particular nature-theme topicwith expert insights from noteworthy authors,scientists and naturalists. Talks areat 4 p.m. and are streamed live on Zoom,Facebook and YouTube.Next program is “Batty for Bats” onSept. 19, appropriate as Halloween approaches.Learn fascinating facts aboutthese mysterious creatures of the night;there’s over 40 species of bats in the UnitedStates alone and they can consume up to1,200 mosquitos each hour, making themvery beneficial. Last talk of the season onOct. 17, “Ominous Owls.”Birding How-To programs are thefourth Wednesday each month live online.The 45 minute free presentation is idealfor beginners learning the basics of birdfeeding and watching. “How to Find theSeed You Need” is Sept. 23 and Oct. 28 is“What’s Best for the Nesters.”Chirp is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.Chirp Nature Center is at 40850 VillageDr. Call (888) 412-4477.
Big Bear Today September 2020—Page 11Support birds with houses, feedersAlong-term study released earlierthis year and based on decades ofresearch revealed that the world’spopulation of birds has decreased by overthree million in the last half-century.That’s a deline of some 30%. “Peopleare worried about what it means,” saidRandall Putz of Chirp Nature Center in theVillage. “Birds are the canary in the coalmine so to speak—as birds go, we go.People are recognizing that we need to payattention and support birds.”During the pandemic people havedefinitely been paying attention, with moretime at home to look out windows and seethe wonders of nature. “More people watchbirds than NASCAR,” Putz said. “It’s thesecond most popular hobby after gardening.Birds provide enjoyment and beauty.”Birding takes flight for enthusiasts ofall levels at Chirp Nature Center in the Village,just east of the Christmas Tree Lot.There’s feeders, houses, baths, binoculars,books, seed, scarves and birds-eye camviews of nests around the country.Everything new and old birders alikeneed to give our feathered friends a helpinghand—er, wing. “Feeding and providinghousing for birds is the least we cando,” Putz said. “Estimates are that almosthalf of all households feed birds.”Chirp also plants the seed for birdingby hosting monthly walks and talks, in personand online (story page 10). Just as important,Chirp offers solutions as well asproduct. When nuthatches were poundingthe sides of a house, alternative housingdistracted the birds.“On our first live walk of the seasonin July we had a whole family of mountainquail pass right in front of us,” Putzsaid. “Another time a redheaded sapsuckerlooked like he was posing just for us.” Headded that recently he spotted a Clark’snutcracker, “always a thrill.”When it comes to promoting birds BigBear has plenty to work with. Well over200 different types of birds can be foundhere, obviously the well-publicized baldeagles but also tanagers, finches and evenorioles among many others. Chirp has freechecklists birders can use to identify up to248 different Big Bear birds.“Big Bear is along the Pacific Flywayand at altitude so lots of birds migratethrough here,” Putz said. “Bluff Lake hasthe widest variety of birds in the Valley.”Williamson’s sapsucker is one of severalspecies in the area that entice birders.When you can’t go to them use bathesand houses to bring the birds to you, andChirp has plenty to choose from. Somefeeders mount on windows to allow for upclose viewing from inside the house. Othershave a cage built around them to letonly song birds in and keep pigeons andsquirrels out. Still others are bear-proof.Bluebird houses are popular andthere’s also homes for kestrels and screechowls. Along with squirrel feeders that letthe fuzzy friends perform aerobatics thatare fun to watch. Birdhouses covered inFeeders in all shapes, sizes and prices, birdhouses and more at Chirp Nature Centerseed are an easy way to get into feeding;as birds eat seed you’re left with the house.Feeders and bathes made of recycledwater bottles can stand up to Big Bear’sintense sun, rain and snow. “They’re guaranteedto never crack, split, fade or peel,”Putz said. “Bird bathes are just as importantas feeders since they need the water inour dry climate. We even have heated bathsthat won’t ice over in winter.”Chirp has the seed that goes into thefeeders including it’s own custom Big Bearmix. “It has lots of black oil sunflowers,”Putz said. “Western and more rare mountainbluebirds especially like meal worms.”Join Chirp’s seed club to save up to20% on all food purchases. Buy seed bythe bucket with lid that safely stores it andwhen it’s empty just return to get a fullbucket, thus eliminating the plastic bag.Gift items are also available at Chirp,from custom design T-shirts and stickersto puzzles, games and art. Plates, mugs,door knockers, toys, calls and more arefound, all dedicated to birds.The store makes bird watching easyby streaming 30 live nest cams on fourscreens. The images continuously rotateand feature a variety of locations includingBig Bear’s own bald eagle nest.Chirp is open daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m.Chirp Nature Center is at 40850 VillageDr. (888) 412-4477.
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Big Bear Today Magazine September 2020

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