Field Trips
Sea & Sage trip at Lake Carneros
photo by Tom Drouet
Our Field Trip Program
Use these links to navigate to a portion of the Field Trip Schedule:
Use this link to navigate to the Details for each of the Field Trips:
Use this link to navigate to the Google Calendar for all Field Trips:
Sea and Sage has changed the field trip reservations procedure.
For all trips with a fee, participants must make reservations and pay fees using EventBrite, a self-service ticketing platform. For a trip with a limit to the number of participants, you will be able to join a waitlist through EventBrite if the trip is full. Participants do NOT need to pay any service fees to EventBrite.
Your trip confirmation and detailed trip information will be sent to you by EventBrite using the email address that you provide. Your trip fee will be refunded (less a small credit card handling fee) if you cancel your reservation via Eventbrite seven days or more before the trip. No refunds will be given if you cancel less than 7 days before the trip.
For most trips without a fee, participants are Requested to make reservations using EventBrite. Some trips without a fee Require reservations using EventBrite due to habitat restrictions at the field trip location. Participants do NOT need to pay any service fees to use EventBrite for the free trips. We are requesting reservations as a courtesy to the Field Trip Leaders, so that they know how many people to expect and to allow the leader to contact participants before or after the field trip with important information.
The description of each field trip has a link to an EventBrite order page. The individual links are shown in the Field Trip Descriptions below. You can also use the Field Trip Calendar to find the trip and date and click through the calendar item to the EventBrite order page.
Trips with ($) have a Trip Fee and require advance registration and payment.
Trips with (P) have a Parking or Entrance fee but do not require advance registration or payment.
For additional info, contact Field Trip Coordinator by email.
We have three types of Birding Trips: DAY TRIPS, WEEKEND TRIPS, and PELAGIC TRIPS.
DAY TRIPS (also known as BIRD WALKS)
Most of them only occur in the morning.
Some of the day trips are monthly; others occur quarterly or every other month (bi-monthly).
Monthly Bird Walk at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary (SJWS) – 2nd Sunday
Monthly Bird Walk at Upper Newport Bay (UNB) – last Sunday
Bi-Monthly Bird Walk at the BOLSA CHICA Ecological Reserve (BCER)
Monthly Bird Walk at the CARBON CANYON REGIONAL PARK bird walk (P) – 3rd Sunday alternating with Anaheim Coves Park
Bi-Monthly Bird Walk at the ANAHEIM COVES PARK (ACP)bird walk – 3rd Sunday – alternating with Carbon Canyon Regional Park
Monthly UPPER NEWPORT BAY by pontoon boat – 3rd Wednesday ($)
WEEKEND TRIPS
which are not in Orange County and may require travel and overnight lodging (Participant responsible)
Salton Sea Trip – usually scheduled in January or early February ($)
Eastern Sierra – usually scheduled in early April ($)
Big Morongo Preserve & Vicinity – usually scheduled on a Sunday in late April ($)
PELAGIC TRIPS
Each Pelagic trip is an 8-hour trip out of Dana Point
Fall Pelagic – to see fall migrants – usually in September or early October ($)
Winter Pelagic – to see wintering birds – usually in January ($)
Spring Pelagic – to see spring migrants – usually in early May ($)
Summer Pelagic – to see early migrants – usually in July or August ($)
American Birding Association Principles of Birding Ethics
Everyone who enjoys birds and birding must always respect wildlife, its environment, and the rights of others. In any conflict of interest between birds and birders, the welfare of the birds and their environment comes first.
CODE OF BIRDING ETHICS
Promote the welfare of birds and their environment.
— Support the protection of important bird habitat.
— To avoid stressing birds or exposing them to danger, exercise restraint and caution during observation, photography, sound recording, or filming.
— Limit the use of recording and other methods of attracting birds, and never use such methods in heavily birded areas or for attracting any species that is Threatened, Endangered, of of Special Concern, or is rare in your local area.
— Keep well back from nests and nesting colonies, roosts, display areas, and important feeding sites. In such sensitive areas, if there is a need for extended observation, photography, filming , or recording, try to use a blind or hide, and take advantage of natural cover.
— Use artificial light sparingly for filming or photography, especially for close-ups.
— Before advertising the presence of a rare bird, evaluate the potential for disturbance to the bird, its surroundings, and other people in the area, and proceed only if access can be controlled, disturbances can be minimized, and permission has been obtained from private land-owners. The sites of rare nesting birds should be divulged only to the proper conservation authorities.
— Stay on roads, trails, and paths where they exist; otherwise keep habitat disturbance to a minimum.
Respect the law and the rights of others.
Do not enter private property without the owner’s explicit permission.
Follow all laws, rules, and regulations governing use of roads and public areas, both at home and abroad.
Practice common courtesy in contacts with other people. Your exemplary behavior will general goodwill with birders and non-birders alike.
Ensure that feeders, nest structures, & other artificial bird environments are safe.
Keep dispensers, water, and food clean and free of decay or disease. It is important to feed birds continually during harsh weather.
Maintain and clean nest structures regularly.
If you are attracting birds to an area, ensure the birds are not exposed to predation from cats and other domestic animals, or dangers posed by artificial hazards.
Group birding, whether organized or impromptu, requires special care.
Areas Covered in this Field Trips Section
Carpooling policy:
For some outings, it is customary that participants make carpooling arrangements. Sea and Sage Audubon does not have insurance for carpooling arrangements and assumes no liability for them. Carpooling, ride sharing or anything similar is strictly a private arrangement among the participants. Participants assume the risks associated with this travel.
Field Trip Schedule:
This covers all trips on the schedule. It includes destination, date and time, leader(s) and a link to a detailed description of the trip plus the link to make a reservation.
Field Trip Liability Waivers:
for leaders to use only
for leaders to use only
Our Policy about Trip Cancellations & Refunds:
Cancelations are handled through EventBrite. Refunds will be credited back to your credit card (less a small credit card handling fee). Cancellations made within 7 days of the trip date will not receive any refund.
Two-Way Radios used on field trips:
We often use two-way radios (aka walky-talkys) on field trips that involve car caravanning. They help to keep the group together on the road and also allow the leader(s) to notify the group of points of interest along the way. They can be very handy. Depending on the kind you buy, some of the newer models have a range of 5-15 miles if there are no mountains or large obstacles in between. Some of the newer models have rechargeable batteries which are helpful. Our field trip program will provide a loaner radio for each car on such a trip if no one in the car already has one.
Questions about our field trips, contact Field Trip Coordinator by email.
Field Trip Schedule
AUGUST 2024
SEPTEMBER 2024
OCTOBER 2024
NOVEMBER 2024
Sun, Nov 17
Samuel Bressler
8:00 am – 12:00 noon
DECEMBER 2024
JANUARY 2025
Sun, Jan 19
Samuel Bressler
8:00 am – 12:00 noon
FEBRUARY 2025
MARCH 2025
APRIL 2025
MAY 2025
Sun, May 18
Samuel Bressler
8:00 am – 12:00 noon
JUNE 2025
JULY 2025
Sun, Jul 20
Samuel Bressler
8:00 am – 12:00 noon
AUGUST 2025
Field Trip Information
SAN JOAQUIN WILDLIFE SANCTUARY bird walk (R)
2nd Sunday monthly — (8:00 am – 12:00 pm) – Leader: Jeff Bray
Join Jeff Bray for the monthly bird walk around the ponds of the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine at 8:00 am on the 2nd Sunday morning of each month. Join us to see the birds of the marsh, both migrant and resident. (geese, ducks, grebes, roadrunners, pelicans & cormorants, herons, egrets, ibis, birds of prey, rails & coots, stilts & avocets, shorebirds, gulls & terns, skimmers, doves, hummingbirds, kingfishers, woodpeckers, flycatchers, vireos, crows & ravens, swallows, Wrentits & bushtits, wrens, kinglets & gnatcatchers, mockingbirds & thrashers, pipits & waxwings, warblers, towhees & sparrows, blackbirds & finches) The walk, which is open to interested birders of all ages, will meet by the front door of Audubon House. Children under the age of 11 must be accompanied by an adult.
BOLSA CHICA Ecological Reserve bird walk
3rd Thursday, bi-monthly — (8:00 am – 12:00 pm) – Leader: Vic Leipzig
Come prepared for a great morning of birding to check out the resident birds, wintering species & summer breeding species, as well as migrants. Bring binoculars, a field guide, and a scope if you have one. We will meet in Harriet Wieder Park, then drive to other parts of Bolsa Chica. From PCH, turn inland on Seapoint Street. Follow Seapoint 1 mile to Garfield Avenue and make a U-turn. Driveway entry to parking lot next to the playground will be on the right in 0.25 mile.
This field trip is open to birders of all levels of experience, including beginners and youngsters. At each of the sites we visit, we will walk for no more than one mile. The walking we will do is almost entirely on level ground, most of it on gravel walking trails.
UPPER NEWPORT BAY bird walk
Last Sunday monthly — (8:00 am – 11:00 am) – Leader: Jim Kendall and Betty Kanne
Join the monthly bird walk in Upper Newport Bay to view the seasonal shorebirds, ducks, grebes, herons & egrets that frequent the bay. We will continue walking through the adjacent riparian woodland and coastal sage scrub habitat to view resident and seasonally migrating bird species. Bring your binoculars and possibly a scope and camera. This is an excellent vantage point to watch for Black Skimmers and terns flying over the water as well as herons & egrets stalking their prey in the shallows.
DIRECTIONS: The meeting place for this walk is the Big Canyon parking lot in Newport Beach.This is easily reached from Jamboree. Take San Joaquin Hills Road west toward the bay where it intersects with Back Bay Drive. Turn right on Back Bay Drive and follow the road to the Big Canyon parking lot on your left. The length of the bird walk will depend on the tide and the number of birds to be seen.
Reservation Requested, walk-ins welcome
CARBON CANYON REGIONAL PARK bird walk
3rd Sunday alternating with Anaheim Coves Park — (8:00 am – 12:00 pm) – Leader: Samuel Bressler
Join us on a bi-monthly bird walk to this bird-rich and beautiful park nestled in the Chino Hills of north Orange County. The park hosts a wide variety of habitats, including riparian woodland, oak-walnut woodland, coastal sage scrub, and suburban parkland/green space. In total, over 190 species have been seen here, and depending on the time of year, the park hosts bird species such as Hooded Mergansers, Bell’s Vireos, Lark Sparrows, Rock Wren, and Lawrence’s Goldfinch, as well as all of our common migrant warblers, flycatchers, sparrows, orioles. and others. Birders of all skill levels are welcome.
DIRECTIONS: Meet at the picnic tables near the entrance kiosk. Entrance fee is $5 if you don’t have an OC Parks Pass. (4442 Carbon Canyon Rd, Brea) From CA-57 head east on Lambert Road about 2.5 miles. (Name changes to Carbon Canyon Rd.)
ANAHEIM COVES PARK bird walk
3rd Sunday alternating with Carbon Canyon Regional Park – (8:00 am – 12:00 pm) – Leader: Samuel Bressler
This is a new birding area for our chapter. Join us on a bi-monthly bird walk to this bird-rich park located near the heart of central Anaheim. The large basins within the park and the adjacent Santa Ana River host large numbers of shorebirds, waterfowl, and wading birds, as well as one of very few inland tern colonies found in the county. The adjacent upland and riparian habitat can host a surprising variety of migrant land birds and riparian breeding species. Birders of all skill levels are welcome.
DIRECTIONS: The park is located along the Santa Ana River between Ball Rd and Frontera Street. Parking is free and there are clean restrooms. The address is 962 South Rio Vista in Anaheim. From Lincoln Avenue, head south on S. Rio Vista St. for 0.8 miles. MEET at 8:00 am by the entrance to the park at Rio Vista and Lizbeth.
DANA POINT HARBOR bird walk (P)
Thursday, October 17, 2024 — (8:00 am – noon) Leader: Diane Etchison
Easy walk will include the area around the Ocean Institute, the south end of the island, and Puerto Rd to the mouth of the creek (about a half mile on the sandy beach and back on a paved surface). Meet in the parking lot next to the old Pilgrim berth at the end of Dana Point Harbor drive (on the left before you get to the Ocean Institute parking area). We will drive to other locations — the island and the Puerto Rd parking lot — and walk to the mouth of the San Juan Creek. Be prepared to pay for parking at Puerto Rd ($1 an hour) or join a carpool from the meetup area.
CASPERS WILDERNESS PARK bird walk (P)
Saturday, March 29, 2025 – (8:00 – noon) Leaders: Roy Poucher and Hope Kanaley
The easy walk will be on flat paved roads and dirt trails. We will cover the less-used parts of this delightfully wooded park, starting at the Old Corral Picnic area. Caspers Wilderness Park is a prime location especially for hearing and learning bird sounds. For decades this has been an essential field trip location used by Sylvia Gallagher in her sounds classes. We will be there at the perfect time of year (and time of day) for seeing and hearing birds.
FROM I-5 IN SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO: Exit on Ortega Hwy. and drive east 8 miles. The park entrance is on the left. Ask the attendant at the gate for a map and directions to the Old Corral Picnic Area near the far end of the main park road. Assemble by 8am in the parking lot just to the right of the conspicuous windmill at the sign saying, “GUIDED NATURE WALK MEETS HERE.”
If the park is closed, as it often is after recent heavy rains, those who register you will receive an email with an alternative birding location.
($5 Entry fee or OC Parks pass.)
Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park, 33401 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano 92675
Reservations Requested
Walk-ins Welcome
UPPER NEWPORT BAY by pontoon boat
($20 in 2024 / $25 in 2025)
Third Wednesday monthly — (8:15 am – 11:30 am) Leaders: Darrell Wilson
Join us for the rare chance of birding the Upper Newport Bay from the deck of a pontoon boat. Spotting birds from the water offers one a different perspective and the birds seem to view us differently also. Trips are limited to 15 people and there is a trip fee per person ($20 in 2024, $25 in 2025) payable when you register. Contact the Field Trip Coordinator by email with any questions. Directions & trip information will be provided to those with reservations.
Advance reservations are necessary through EventBrite. This is a collection of all the trips for the year. When you get to the EventBrite page, select the date you want and click on the picture or the title of the event to start the reservation process.
Salton Sea Weekend Trip ($)
Sat-Sun, late January or early February
White-faced Ibis
Salton Sea Reflection
Fig Lagoon in late afternoon
The Salton Sea and the surrounding Imperial Valley offer some of the best winter birding in California. This weekend field trip begins on Saturday morning at the headquarters of the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge. We will bird until sunset. Most participants lodge in the town of Brawley on Saturday night. We rendezvous early Sunday morning in Brawley and drive westward, first visiting sites near the Salton Sea and then continuing to Anza-Borrego State Park, where the trip terminates around noon. Most participants then follow Hwy 78 to return to Orange County. Details of route and timing depend greatly on birding conditions at the time of the trip.
This trip involves extensive driving from site to site on both days. It is intended for experienced birders who are prepared for a challenging and fast-paced field trip.
Our trip this year will be led by Vic Leipzig and Samuel Bressler.
Advance reservations are necessary; Trip fees are $70 for drivers and $10 for passengers.
There are two types of tickets for this trip: Drivers and Passengers. The Driver ticket costs $60. The Passenger ticket costs $10. Sea and Sage does not participate in the process of establishing carpools other than to provide a list of all ticket holders to participants. Participants can decide to allocate driving and ticket costs. If you prearrange a carpool, you may purchase all the tickets for the car in one transaction on EventBrite..
Contact the Field Trip Coordinator by email with any questions.
Additional Information:
Meeting place and time will be distributed to those who register.
Bird List from previous 13 Sea & Sage Salton Sea trips – (2006-2018)
Birding Locations at the Salton Sea – from Southwest Birds website
Finding Birds at the Salton Sea and in Imperial County – by Henry Detwiler & Bob Miller (excellent spiral bound bird finding guidebook available for sale at Audubon House)
Guide to Birds of the Salton Sea – by Barbara Massey & Richard Zembel (book – good info on status & distribution of Salton Sea birds)
Egrets roost
Cormorants roost by the sea
Birds leave their nighttime roost at dawn
Eastern Sierra Weekend Trip ($)
Sat & Sun, Early April
Tickets on Sale in November
Group birding at the Lek area
We will meet at 7:00 AM on Saturday at Diaz Lake just south of Lone Pine. From there we will drive north along Hwy 395, birding at numerous locations in the Owens Valley and in the surrounding mountains. Target species include LeConte’s Thrasher, Sooty Grouse, American Bittern, Prairie Falcon, Lewis’s Woodpecker, Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, and many others. The group lodges in Bishop on Saturday night.
Group Birding at Diaz Lake
Diaz Lake scenery
Greater Sage-Grouse
On Sunday morning, we will reassemble in Bishop at 5:45 AM and set out on the drive to the Greater Sage-Grouse lek near Crowley Lake. For the rest of Sunday morning, we will bird nearby locations for Dipper, Black-billed Magpie, Pinyon Jay, and other species. The trip will terminate around noon to give people time for the return drive to Orange County.
Important Notes:
Each day we will cover approximately 100 miles of driving. Be sure to start each day with a full tank of gas.
- A few miles of our travel will be on unpaved roads, but these are quite passable for ordinary cars. Most of our driving will be on paved roads, but some of these will be steep. We will reach elevations of 8,400 feet or more.
- Weather is generally pleasant in the afternoon, but morning temperatures can be quiet cold (in the 30’s).
- Lodging and travel reservations and expenses are up to the participants. Motels are available in both Lone Pine and Bishop.
- We will stop for a picnic lunch on Saturday, probably at the Mt. Whitney fish hatchery. We will organize a group dinner at a local restaurant in Bishop on Saturday night.
- In order to allow participants to contact one another in advance of the trip (for example, in order to arrange car-pooling), we will distribute the full roster of participants, including email addresses, to all who have registered.
Advance reservations are needed; trip size is limited. Trip fees are $70 for drivers and $10 for passengers
There are two types of tickets for this trip: Drivers and Passengers. The Driver ticket costs $60. The Passenger ticket costs $10. Sea and Sage does not participate in the process of establishing carpools other than to provide a list of all ticket holders to participants. Participants can decide to allocate driving and ticket costs. If you prearrange a carpool, you may purchase all the tickets for the car in one transaction on EventBrite.
Meeting time & directions to the meeting place will be provided to those with reservations.
Contact the Field Trip Coordinator by email with any questions.
Chinese Tea Rose
Great-tailed Grackle
Mat Lupine
Owens River Gorge
Hike to see Bank Swallows
Bank Swallow site
Additional Information:
Bird Checklist (2023)
Lou Murray’s Blog with photos of the 2013 trip
A Trip Itinerary will be provided to those with reservations.
Birding Sites en Route.
Weather forecasts for the Owens Valley: http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=CAZ520
Pelagic Trips out of Dana Point
Rhinoceros Auklet
R/V Sea Explorer
Bottlenose Dolphin
FALL TRIP
Sat, Oct 19, 2024
9 hour trip
6:30 am – 4:00 pm
$120 per person
Trip Leader: Jon Dunn
WINTER TRIP
Sat, Jan. 25, 2025
9 hour trip
6:30 am – 4:00 pm
$120 per person
Trip Leader: Jon Dunn
SPRING TRIP
Sat, May 3, 2025
9 hour trip
6:30 am – 4:00 pm
$120 per person
Trip Leader: Jon Dunn
SUMMER TRIP
Sat, July 19, 2025
9 hour trip
6:30 am – 4:00 pm
$120 per person
Trip Leader: Tom Benson
Advance reservations are mandatory for these trips.
The group size is limited to 50 persons including the leaders, and it ALWAYS fills well in advance of the trip date.
You will be asked to sign the Sea and Sage Trip Waiver before boarding the boat.
You will need to print out, read, and sign a trip waiver for the Ocean Institute and turn it in before boarding the boat. Ocean Institute waiver
We will be using the RV Sea Explorer, a 70 ft. research vessel belonging to the Ocean Institute in Dana Point. It has two decks for viewing the birds, plenty of seating as well as deck space to move around on, a PA system for our trip leaders to use when pointing out the birds to us, and good restroom facilities (heads) on the lower deck.
The Ocean Institute is located at 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive in Dana Point.
Trip destination is usually the Fourteen-Mile Bank and it takes us a while to get out there. Beginning in May of 2014, all of our pelagic trips – Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter – have been 8 hour trips to allow us more time to study the birds out at the 14-mile bank. (The half hour period before the boat leaves is spent checking in, meeting with the trip leaders who will have some “words of wisdom” to pass on to you, and boarding the boat well in advance of the departure time. The staff on board will also have information to impart.)
The birding skill level for this trip is advanced, but beginners can always start their learning curve of pelagic birds on any of these trips. There is something for everybody. If you are susceptible to motion sickness, you should take necessary precautions. Be sure to bring a lunch, as there is no food provided on the boat.
THIS IS A NO SMOKING TRIP.
No refunds will be given if received less than 1 week before the trip.
A recently updated checklist to the pelagic birds of Southern California, (link coming soon) prepared by Jon Feenstra, complete with bar graphs and a list of marine mammals found here in Southern California is an excellent reference guide for any pelagic birder.
Trip Leader: Jon Dunn
Contact the Field Trip Coordinator by email with any questions.
Owl and Hawk Banding (R)
Pete Bloom with Miguel
O’Neill Regional Park
Saturday, June 10, 2023
Time: 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm or as long as you want to stay
Parking Fee-$3 w/o Park Pass
The event is free but Click here for Reservations (required).
Pete has been studying California Raptors and working to conserve their habitats for more than 50 years and is now a renowned Raptor Specialist. He will be showing us how he has spent his life, banding hawks and owls in the wild. Raptors (we hope both hawks and owls) will be trapped in “mist nets” and other small cage traps by Pete, Scott and his crew and then be brought to a picnic table, where Pete and Scott will show us characteristic features of the birds. He will band them, record some important data, such as the bird’s weight and molt. Then the birds will be taken back to where they were captured and released.
Bring your dinner and/or snacks as this event spans the dinner hour. You will need to bring a chair and maybe a lap blanket. It may get cool as the hours go by so bring a jacket and wear sturdy shoes. A flashlight will be very useful to get to the restroom and move around.
We expect you will be hanging out in the day-use (evening) area with us to join the banding work and planning to leave around 10:00-11:00PM (at the earliest) on Saturday night. Scott and Pete may continue banding until 1:00 or 2:00AM. You can stay as late they work and as late you like in the day-use area, but if you prefer to stay all night and camp or RV, which would be fun, you must make your own reservations for your own campsite. Pete may band again on early Sunday morning, so if you want to return you may arrange that with Pete or Scott.
Quail Hill Open Space Preserve Bird Walk (R)
2nd Tuesday June, September, December
Join Pete Gordon for a weekday morning of birding the Quail Hill Loop Trail and the Irvine Ranch Water District Settling Ponds at the Quail Hill Open Space Preserve. This trip will last about 2-3 hours depending on the number of bird species we encounter. The pace will be relaxed.
The skill rating for this trip is “All Levels”: We will stop when hearing or seeing any birds along the trail. The focus will be on bird sightings. The terrain is open grassland and scrub with a seasonal pond during rainy seasons, and the settling ponds include wetlands and woodlands.
The difficulty rating for this trip is “Easy to Moderate”: The loop trail is about 2 miles along a wide dirt path with minimum elevation gain. The settling pond area covers less than 1/2 mile and is flat with little elevation gain or loss.
There are restrooms and water available at the Quail Hill Trailhead parking lot, but please bring bottled water with you on the trip as it can get rather warm as the morning progresses, and I recommend wearing a hat. There is no shade on the loop trail and limited shade at the settling ponds. Please wear closed-toe shoes or hiking boots. I recommend you bring binoculars, and if you enjoy photographing birds, your camera. (During the warmer portions of the year, rattlesnakes are present at the preserve.)
Some of the birds that we might encounter on the trip include California Quail, White-tailed Kite, Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Harrier, Lesser Goldfinch, Lawrence’s Goldfinch, Grasshopper Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Western Meadowlark, Greater Roadrunner, Blue Grosbeak, Lazuli Bunting, and Common Yellowthroat.
Directions: Quail Hill Open Space Preserve is located in Irvine California just off Interstate 405 at Sand Canyon/Shady Canyon Drive. Meet Pete at the Quail Hill Trailhead at 34 Shady Canyon Drive at 7 am on Tuesday.
This trip is limited to 15 people and Reservations are requested. There are no fees for parking.
Orange County Bird of Prey Center ($)
November 4, 2023, 1:00 3:00 pm
with an optional 0.6-mile bird walk at 4:00 pm
Cost- $25 Donation to the OCBPC
The Orange County Bird of Prey Center is providing Sea and Sage Audubon Society this special opportunity to visit this rehabilitation center for the first time since it opened in 2020. Come join us on Saturday, November 4, 2023. Located on Orange County Parks land, the organization’s new facility was begun in 2020. Designed for rehabilitation as well as education, the site currently includes enclosures capable of housing more than 200 wild birds undergoing rehabilitation as well as permanent housing for non-releasable education birds. The tour will include information about the entire rehabilitation process, from intake to release, as well as details about the care these birds require in order to return to the wild. Finally, you’ll get a chance to meet some of our education ambassadors “in person” and learn more about their stories from several of our volunteer Educators.
How to Reach the Access Gate
Navigation Address:
Oso Lake Scout Camp
21131 Los Alisos Blvd, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688
Please note that we keep a very low public presence for the safety of the raptors. We do not have any signs on Los Alisos Blvd.
NOTE: Please do not enter “Orange County Bird of Prey Center” into Google Maps or your navigation system; this will result in you being directed to either the animal hospital or our mailing address.
At the Access Gate
Please plan to arrive between 12:35 and 12:50. Start lining up along the road. The OCBPC escort will greet you along the road, then you will caravan to our entrance and be directed to parking.
Please comply with the 5 mph signs. If you are causing dust, you are going too fast.
What to Bring
Your enthusiasm, your curiosity, and your love for raptors. Wear closed-toed shoes or boots. You may want to bring your own water, and wear a hat or cap, since we are outside and there is limited shade. Bring binoculars if you are going on the bird walk.
San Jacinto Wildlife Area ($)
Saturday, February 17, 2024
Meeting Time: 8:00 am. The trip will run until 1:30 or 2:00, depending on the birds, the weather, and the whims of the group. Directions and additional information will be given to registered participants prior to the field trip date. Advanced reservations are necessary; trip size is limited and may fill quickly.
The San Jacinto Wildlife Area consists of a series of ponds which support an abundance of waterfowl and shorebirds under the scenic backdrop of Mt. San Gorgonio and the San Bernardino Mountains. Also, nearby grasslands provide foraging habitat for eagles and a variety of overwintering raptors. Additionally, other varieties of birds can be found using the grasslands such as Loggerhead Shrike, Western Meadowlark, Mountain Bluebird, and several species of wintering sparrows.
The pace of the trip will be determined by the leader’s evaluation of the group and their experience/ability level throughout the trip. Teenagers are welcome with an accompanying adult, however, please keep in mind the described pace of the trip. And, that the drive from Orange County to the location is at least an hour to an hour and a half. Please contact the field trip leader with any questions or concerns.
Real rain cancels the trip. We will try to reschedule, weather and road conditions permitting.
Questions? Please contact field trip leader Bettina Eastman
Irvine Regional Park Bird Walk
Wednesday September 11, 2024 and Wednesday March 5th, 2025 – (7:30 am – 11:30 am)
Leader: Martin Fee
Join us on this new, twice yearly bird walk through California’s oldest regional park, established in 1897. IRP encompasses 495 acres of diverse habitats including groves of old-growth coast live oak and sycamore trees, riparian woodlands, coastal sage scrub, suburban parkland/green space, and a small man-made lake. 248 different species of birds have been observed here over the years. We expect to encounter a large diversity of birds including a variety of ducks, California Quail, Indian Peafowl, herons/egrets, raptors, woodpeckers/sapsuckers, parrots, corvids, Oak Titmouse, nuthatches, gnatcatchers, Western Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, finches, sparrows, and both resident and migratory warblers; just to name a few!
All levels of birding skills are welcome. We will be making a large circuit around the main portion of the park, as well as venturing for a short distance out onto the adjacent Villa Park flood basin. This is an overall easy and flat hike on paved roads, dirt trails, and across green lawns in a few areas. The distance, however, is over 3 miles. Standard restrooms and drinking fountains are available throughout the park, although you may want to bring your own water and a light snack.
DIRECTIONS: Meet at Parking Lot N. Irvine Regional Park, 1 Irvine Park Rd, Orange, CA 92869. Park entrance at the terminus of Jamboree Road in Orange. Free entrance with an OC Parks parking pass, otherwise it’s a $3 fee.
Reservations Requested, walk-ins allowed.
Least Tern Preserve Bird Walk
Join a California State Parks Environmental Scientist at the CA Least Tern Natural Preserve at Huntington State Beach on Sunday June 8th, 2025, 0800-1000. We will be walking the perimeter of the 12+ acre discussing the natural history of California least terns and Western snowy plovers as well as the history of the Natural Preserve, observing nesting least terns and (hopefully) chicks, and opportunistically observing any other shorebirds in the area. Walking areas will be relatively flat but over half of the route will be soft sand. Day use fees will be waived.