Description:
Check back for details!
Bring: Bring your usual birdwatching stuff, water, lunches for Saturday and Sunday, chairs, sunblock, hat etc.
Trip Leader: Jay Oberholtzer
Description:
Bolsa Chica is one of the great local birding spots. Ducks, shorebirds, and waders can be found in abundance. Gulls, terns, and pelicans are regular, as are raptors that nest on the bluffs.
Check back for more details!
Meet: We will convene in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan, leaving at 7:00am.
Bring: Bring your usual birdwatching stuff, water, lunch, chairs, sunblock, hat etc.
Trip Leader: Jim McNamara
Description:
Anza Borrego State Park is a huge place. If we hit the Spring migration right, there are lots of desert oddities. One of our major goals is to catch sight of the Swainson's Hawks as they migrate through. They come in to feed on the bugs that happen during the Spring bloom. If we hit this right, the place will be covered in desert blooms
Check back for more details!
Bring: Bring your usual birdwatching stuff, water, lunch and snacks for Saturday and Sunday, chairs, sunblock, hat etc.
Trip Leader: Jay Oberholtzer
Description:
Check back for details!
Meet: Leave Whittier Community Center at 6:30 AM/meet at the preserve parking area at 8:00 AM
Bring: Bring your usual birdwatching stuff, water, lunch, chairs, sunblock, hat etc.
Trip Leader: Steve Huber
Description:
Destination TBD. Check back for details!
Meet: We will convene in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan, leaving at 7:00am.
Bring: Bring your usual birdwatching stuff, water, lunch, chairs, sunblock, hat etc.
Trip Leader: Larry Schmahl
Description:
We hope to see some mountain species - Green-tailed Towhee, Fox Sparrow, White-headed and Hairy Woodpeckers, Violet-green Swallows and others.
Check back for more details!
Meet: We will convene in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan, leaving at 6:00am.
Bring: Bring your usual birdwatching stuff, water, lunch, chairs, sunblock, hat etc.
Trip Leader: Larry Schmahl
Steve Huber will lead our annual Tim and Lloyd Bulmer Bird Walk beginning at Legg Lake in Whittier Narrows Recreation Area.
This tradition began with an invitation to a local journalist, the late Bill Bell, from his neighbor, the late Thelma Bulmer, a past chapter president, as a way to show our city that yes, indeed, Whittier has wild birds. Let’s see who is in town for the winter!
Meet: at the Santa Anita Legg Lake parking lot (Whittier Narrows Area D Parking Lot on Santa Anita Ave.)
Description:
November’s field trip will be to Ken Malloy Regional Park in the Harbor City area of Los Angeles. This park was recently famous for the long running Swallow-tailed Kite that took up residence there earlier this year. Alas, the kite is gone but other excellent birds can be found there. The park has the usual lawns, large trees, a large cattail lined pond and a more wild area on the east side and north sides.
Meet: We will depart from the Whittier Community Center parking lot at 7:00 AM.
Bring: Bring a lunch, water and whatever makes you comfortable. There are restrooms at the park. We will be walking on flat trails and walkways.
Trip Leader: Larry Schmahl, larschmahl@aol.com
Description:
Join us for a trip to Santa Fe Dam Recreation area. We will walk the nature center area looking for Cactus Wren, California Thrasher and Gnatcatcher and other alluvial fan scrub habitat residents. We will make additional stops to look for wintering sparrows and warblers, Vermillion Flycatcher and Rock Wren. We should be able to find ducks, geese and cormorants around the lake.
Meet: We will leave the Whittier Community Center parking lot at 7:00 AM. Alternatively, meet us in parking area #1 (the first lot after the entrance) at 7:30 AM. There is a $12 per car entrance fee ($5 for seniors).
Bring: Lunch, birding equipment, sunblock and water.
Trip Leader: Steve Huber
RSVP: Let me know if you are coming (stevekhuber@hotmail.com).
Description:
We will visit the Lagoon, the breakwaters, Ballona Creek and the salt pans. High tide is at 9:00 am. Low tide at 2:00pm. Perhaps a visit to the nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh will also be possible. Birds may include Yellow-crowned Night Heron, rocky shorebirds, Royal and Caspian Terns, and three species of cormorants plus others. Restrooms are at the Del Rey Lagoon Park.
Meet: We will depart from the Whittier Community Center at the SE corner of Mar Vista and Washington Ave. at 6:30am. We should arrive in the Playa del Rey area about 7:20. Parking will be at the Del Rey Lagoon parking lot provided the gates are open. The parking lot is on Pacific Ave.
Bring: Bring binoculars, a scope if you have one, and lunch and water.
RSVP: Please call or text Larry Schmahl at 562-714-1843 if you plan to attend. Limit 18 people.
Trip Leader: Larry Schmahl
Description: We will start at the abandoned Mil Portero Campground (about a 30 minute drive from the Flying J Travel Center) and look for Western Wood-Pewee, Stellar's Jay, Mountain Chickadee, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Pygmy Nuthatch and others. Next, another 20-minute drive will take us to the Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge sign overlook where we have seen California Condor in the past. Depending on the time, we will drive back and have lunch at the Valle Vista Campground. After lunch, we will drive up to the top of Mount Pinos, where we hope to see some mountain species - Green-tailed Towhee, Fox Sparrow, White-headed and Hairy Woodpeckers, Violet-green Swallows and others. This will be the alternate lunch spot if the campground is not available.
IMPORTANT: A Forest Service Adventure Pass is required at some sites and should be purchased ahead of time if you are driving (Big 5 Sporting Goods and REI are good places to get them) An annual pass is $30 and a one-day pass is $5.
Meet: We will convene in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan, leaving at 6:00 AM. For those that wish to drive directly there, plan on meeting at the Flying J Travel Center at the Frazier Park exit at approximately 7:45 AM.
Bring: This is a full day with all of the driving, so bring everything you need to be comfortable. Bring your usual birdwatching stuff, water, lunch, chairs, sunblock, hat etc.
Trip Leader: Steve Huber
RSVP: Please let me know if you are coming so I can let you know of any changes in plans. email: stevekhuber@hotmail.com text: 562-217-1886.
Description: Advance Purchase is required for Garden Entry.
GARDEN ADMISSION:
Foundation Members: FREE
Adults: $15
Seniors (62 and over): $11
Meet: We will convene in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan, leaving at 7:00 AM.
Bring: Your usual birdwatching stuff, sack lunch, water, hat and a thirst for adventure.
Trip Leader: Jay Oberholtzer
Description: Hahamongna Watershed Park is in northwest Pasadena off the 210 freeway and the varied habitats, riparian, weedy floodplain and oak woodlands, should be excellent for a wide variety of resident and migratory birds in April.
Meet: We will be leaving the Whittier Community Center at 7:00 AM. Alternatively, you may meet us there at 8:00 AM in the upper parking area that parallels Oak Grove Drive near the restroom.
Bring: Bring your birding equipment, a hat and sunblock, water and lunch.
RSVP: Let me know if you plan to join us and/or need directions (stevekhuber@hotmail.com).
Trip Leader: Steve Huber
Description: March 22 will be a field trip to IRWD (Irvine Ranch Water District) San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine. This gem of a birding location is near the UC Irvine Campus at University Drive and Campus Drive.
333 species of birds have reported to Ebird which have included many rarities over the years.
The site is made up of freshwater ponds and riparian areas which we will explore as time allows.
There are restrooms so go ahead and have your morning coffee. The site offers adequate parking but please carpool if possible. The site is open from dawn to dusk.
Bring a lunch, water, a hat, binoculars and a scope if you have one.
Meet: We will be leaving from the Whittier Community Center at 6:30 AM. If you are coming from home, the address is 5 Riparian View, Irvine, but it’s easier to find if you Google the sanctuary by name.
Bring: Bring a lunch, water, a hat, binoculars and a scope if you have one.
Trip Leader: Larry Schmahl
Description: Our February 2025 Field Trip is a weekender to Morro Bay. The dates are Saturday, February 22 through Sunday, February 23, 2025. RSVP required. This trip will include a bit of every kind of habitat. Of course, we will stop at Morro Rock and hopefully find nesting Peregrine Falcons along with (hopefully) White Throated Swifts and Canyon Wren. We will work our way to the marsh near Morro Bay State Park and also hit the marsh at Sweet Springs. Willets, Curlews, Godwits, Sandpipers and Dowitchers are on the menu. The Elfin Forest is always good for chaparral birds. Montana de Oro State Park is generally reliable for Pigeon Guillemots. Watching them dive off the cliffs, into the crashing sea, flashing their bright red feet is worth the trip.
Saturday, after birding, we will re-hydrate at our traditional “Wine and Cheese Party” in my room at the “Holland Inn & Suites”.
Sunday, assuming the weather cooperates, the tentative plan is to head back, taking the “scenic route” via Highway 58 and the Carrizo Plain. The Western end of Highway 58, east of Santa Margarita, is good for Yellow-Billed Magpies. We will stop at a couple of spots along Highway 58, then head down Soda Lake Road, hoping for Golden Eagle, Merlin, Pronghorn, Tule Elk and other such birds that we typically think about along the Soda Lake Road.
Meet: We will meet at the parking lot of the “Holland Inn and Suites” at 2630 Main Street, Morro Bay 93442. (805-722-2650) We will leave the parking lot at 7:00 AM.
Bring: Bring your usual birding stuff, lunches for Saturday and Sunday, survival junk food and your contribution to the Saturday Wine and Cheese Party. The weather will hopefully be mild. Scopes and radios will be very handy. The only dirt road will be the last half of the Soda Lake Road. Ordinarily, normal passenger cars are fine there. The Sunday plan may be re-written depending on the weather and road conditions. I will let you know.
RSVP: Please let me know if you plan on coming. Email me (tvulture@earthlink.net) or telephone my office (562 945 2838). See you there!
Trip Leader: Jay Oberholtzer
Meet: We will convene in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan, leaving at 7:00 AM.
Bring: Your usual birdwatching stuff, sack lunch, water, hat and a thirst for adventure.
Trip Leader: Jim McNamara
Steve Huber will lead our annual Tim and Lloyd Bulmer Bird Walk beginning at Legg Lake in Whittier Narrows Recreation Area.
This tradition began with an invitation to a local journalist, the late Bill Bell, from his neighbor, the late Thelma Bulmer, a past chapter president, as a way to show our city that yes, indeed, Whittier has wild birds. Let’s see who is in town for the winter!
Meet: at the Santa Anita Legg Lake parking lot (Whittier Narrows Area D Parking Lot on Santa Anita Ave.)
Description: Join us for a trip to Santa Fe Dam Recreation area. We will walk the nature center area looking for Cactus Wren, California Thrasher and Gnatcatcher and other alluvial fan scrub habitat residents. We will make additional stops to look for wintering sparrows and warblers, Vermillion Flycatcher and Rock Wren. We should be able to find ducks, geese and cormorants around the lake.
Meet: We will leave the Whittier Community Center parking lot at 7:00 AM. Alternatively, meet us in parking area #1 (the first lot after the entrance) at 7:30 AM. There is a $12 per car entrance fee ($5 for seniors).
Bring: Lunch, birding equipment, sunblock and water.
Trip Leader: Steve & Liz Huber are leading; let me know if you are coming (stevekhuber@hotmail.com).
Description: The West San Gabriel River Parkway Nature Trail is a little park, located at 4624 Shadeway Road in Lakewood. It is a lesser-used park and is well maintained with flat clay paths that run in parallel to the concreted section of the San Gabriel River. There is ample parking. This park is about 1.2 miles long, less than 30 yards wide and spans the area between E. Carson St. and Del Amo Blvd. eBird reports 123 species for the year.
Meet: We will meet in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan, leaving at 6:30 AM.
Bring: Your usual birdwatching stuff, sack lunch, water, hat and a thirst for adventure.
Trip Leader: Jim McNamara
We will depart from the Whittier Community Center at the SE corner of Mar Vista and Washington Ave. at 6:30 AM.
We should arrive in the Playa del Rey area about 7:20. Parking will be at the Del Rey Lagoon parking lot provided the gates are open. The parking lot is on Pacific Ave. We will be arriving at the rising tide. We will visit the lagoon, the breakwaters, Ballona Creek and the salt pans. Perhaps a visit to the nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh will also be possible. Birds may include Yellow-crowned Night Heron, rocky shorebirds, Royal and Caspian Terns, and three species of cormorants plus others. Restrooms are at the Del Rey Lagoon Park.
Bring: Binoculars, a scope if you have one and lunch and water. Dress in layers.
RSVP: Please call or text Larry Schmahl at 562-714-1843 if you plan to attend. Limit 18 people.
Trip Leader: Larry Schmahl
Once again this year, we will be heading to higher elevations to the San Gabriel Mountains. We plan to make various stops including Grassy Hollow and Guffy Campground on Blue Ridge Road.
IMPORTANT: Drivers will need an Adventure Pass or America the Beautiful Pass to park and use amenities where we will be stopping. Adventure Passes are $30 for the year and $5 for the day. The most reliable and easy place to purchase an Adventure Pass are the Big 5 Sporting Goods stores - check the Angeles National Forest website for other locations.
Meet: We will convene in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan, leaving at 6:00 AM sharp.
We should be back in Whittier between 4:00 and 5:00.
Bring: Bring your usual birdwatching stuff, sack lunch, water, hat and a thirst for adventure.
Trip Leader: Larry Schmahl
We be visiting the burrowing owl preserve next to the Chino Chaffey College campus and then on to the Chino Creek Wetlands and Educational Park. We will finish the day with lunch at the wetlands.
Meet: We will be leaving the Whittier Community Center at 7:00 AM. Alternatively, meet us at the College Park Avenue parking lot at Ruben Ayala Park at 7:45 AM.
Bring: Your birding equipment, cameras, water and lunch if you are joining us.
Trip Leader: Steve Huber
Bear Divide is a low, narrow, pass or saddle within the San Gabriel Mountains just above Soledad Canyon. It is home to amazing morning flights of migrating birds in the spring from March through May with the height of migration usually towards the end of April. Thousands of migrating birds have been known to funnel over the narrow divide daily, sometimes so close an observer feels the need to duck or dodge.
The Moore Lab of Zoology at Occidental College runs a regular count to quantify the numbers and identities of birds migrating through Bear Divide. As this is on public lands, the public is welcome to watch and participate. By 9 or 10 AM, the show is usually over. Clear days after a storm front are best, fog or winds in the wrong direction tend to shut migration down though.
Our field trip is timed to hopefully experience spectacle at the height of north bound migration.
Meet: We will convene in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan, leaving at 5:30 AM sharp.
We should be back in Whittier by 12:00 noon.
Bring: Be prepared for anything. Cold, wind, rain, heat. No need for a lunch as we will be done before then.
Trip Leader: Larry Schmahl
This is, perhaps, the best place to see just about every kind of raptor there is for Southern California. Last year, a juvenile gyrfalcon had been seen making an early morning appearance starting in early January. Rough-legged Hawks, Kestrels, Harriers and Red-tails are everywhere. It seems like there is usually at least one of each duck and a fair bit of peeps. There will be plenty of birds.
IMPORTANT: Everyone entering the wildlife area is required to be in possession of a CDFW Lands Pass. A one-day pass can be purchased for $5.66 ($32.14 for annual pass) on the CDFW website - need to enter the location and date of visit.
We will be doing some driving and stopping.
Meet: We will convene in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan, leaving at 7:00 AM sharp.
We should be back in Whittier between 4:00 and 5:00.
Bring: I recommend that everybody bring some folding chairs. As long as the weather cooperates, a clear sunny day is about all that is required. A sandwich, Coke and a folding chair are about as close to heaven as one gets in the Inland Empire.
Trip Leader: Nathan Huber and Steve Huber
Make your reservations as soon as possible! Our home base will be the Comfort Inn Sea World Area motel at 3880 Greenwood St., San Diego. You can stay there or elsewhere, and we’ll be leaving from there at 7:30 AM for the day’s birding. Please RSVP!
We will work our way down the Point Loma peninsula, stopping at the Fort Rosecrans Cemetery, then down the Cabrillo National Monument and the famous “Drip”. This area is quite the migrant stop over. Just about anything is possible. When done, we will work our way back up the peninsula, stopping at Famosa Slough, then on to the Tijuana Estuary. There have been sightings of Little Blue Herons, Yellow-crowned Night Herons and Reddish Egrets there. Time permitting, we will try some of the fields in the Hollister-Dairy Mart-Monument Road area.
We will return to the Comfort Inn Sea World Area motel for the traditional wine and cheese party and re-hydration event.
Sunday, we will probably hit La Jolla Cliff early (before the traffic) looking for oystercatchers and the like, then on to Mission Trails Regional Park. Mission Trails Regional Park is a chaparral type park, but with a fair bit of water. This stop may change depending on the water supply. I will know more after my scouting run.
I typically make a scouting run the weekend before a scheduled trip. I will therefore submit an updated email on the following Monday or Tuesday evening. Please check our website for a general outline of how our San Diego weekend will probably progress.
Meet: We will convene at 6:50 AM Saturday at the Comfort Inn Sea World Area, at 3880 Greenwood St., San Diego. Please make arrangements so that we have at least four people in each car. Some of the places that we need to pull over at are well-traveled.
Bring: Figure on two sack lunches, the usual bird watching stuff and some sun screen. As with all of our wine and cheese parties, creativity is in order. Scopes will be a definite plus.
Trip Leader: Jay Oberholtzer
IMPORTANT RSVP: Either by email at tvulture@earthlink.net or telephone my office at 562-945-2838.
Meet: We will convene in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan at 6:00 AM, leaving at 6:15 AM.
Arrive at Crystal Cove State Park about 7:15 AM
People meeting us there please arrive by 7:15 AM (see below for directions)
Begin birding about 7:30 AM
Be prepared for rain as AccuWeather forecast for Sat morning at Crystal Cove is:
55% chance of rain but only 0.03 inches predicted
Visibility 9 miles
Temp 55 to 60 (F)
Wind gusts to 10 mph, but 8 mph from SE
Cloud cover 94%
Bring: Bring a lunch but we may need to eat in car if rain starts
Bring rain gear, prepare to protect your binoculars and cameras.
Please RSVP: Text your cell phone number and name if you plan to attend to (714) 244-8063
Will make a group text if we need to cancel or need to find you.
Trip Leader: Jim McNamara
_________________________________
Directions from Whittier:
605 S to 405 S and exit MacArthur Ave.
right (south) on MacArthut to PCH
left (south) on PCH stay in right lane
turn right at Newport Coast Dr.
pay $15 to park, $1 senior discount if asking
TURN LEFT & Drive to end South most parking lot.
THIS TRIP IS FULL
We will meet at the Community Center parking lot at 6:00 AM and carpool to the PearBlossom/Lancaster area. Our first stop will be the McDonalds in Pear Blossom (8507 Pearblossom Highway in Littlerock). If you wish, you may meet us there at 7:30 AM. This will be a coffee and rest room stop.
The trip will begin along the California Aqueduct and then move northerly.
The areas we bird should offer Rock Wren, Bell's Sparrow, Goldeneyes, Mountain Plover, Mountain Bluebird, Ferruginous Hawk, Prairie Falcon, and other winter desert specialties.
Bring: Binoculars, a scope if you have one, a lunch, water. Be prepared for cold and windy weather. However, it may warm up nicely in the afternoon.
Trip Leader: Larry Schmahl
Jay Oberholtzer will lead our yearly Bulmer Bird Walk beginning at Legg Lake in Whittier Narrows Recreation Area.
This tradition began with an invitation to a local journalist, the late Bill Bell, from his neighbor, the late Thelma Bulmer, a past chapter president, as a way to show our city that yes, indeed, Whittier has wild birds. Let’s see who is in town for the winter!
Meet: at the Whittier Narrows Area D Parking Lot on Santa Anita Ave.
THIS TRIP HAS BEEN CANCELED DUE TO RAIN.
THIS TRIP IS FULL
We will take the Island Packers boat (see details below***) to Santa Cruz Island allowing us to see pelagic birds from the boat as well as island birdlife and wildlife which includes the Island Scrub Jay and the Island Fox. Upon arriving at Prisoner’s Harbor, Santa Cruz Island, we will take an easy stroll around the Island.
Meet: We will convene in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan, leaving at 5:30 AM sharp.
Bring: Bring your usual birdwatching stuff, sack lunch, water, hat and a thirst for adventure. (There is no water at Prisoner's Harbor, although there are bathrooms.)
Trip Leader: Larry Schmahl
You must book your own individual trip through Island Packers. Santa Cruz Island Prisoner’s Cove is the destination. Be sure you book both coming and going or you won’t have a seat on the way back. Their web site is at https://reserve.islandpackers.com/ Phone is (805) 642-1393.
Departure: Ventura Harbor 9:00am, arriving at Prisoner's Harbor at 11:00am. There is a short ladder to get on and off the boat on the dock.
Return: The boat departs Prisoner’s Harbor at 3:45pm.
Prices are:
$31.50 each way for adult,
$29.00 each way for seniors (55+), and
$22.50 each way for children (3-12).
We will start at Harriet Wieder Park before heading over to Bolsa Chica. Bolsa Chica is one of the great local birding spots. Ducks, shorebirds, and waders can be found in abundance. Gulls, terns, and pelicans are regular, as are raptors that nest on the bluffs.
Meet: We will convene in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan, leaving at 6:30 AM sharp.
We should be back in Whittier around 4:00.
Bring: Bring your usual birdwatching stuff, sack lunch, water, hat and a thirst for adventure.
Trip Leader: Jim McNamara
This Saturday's field trip will be to the San Gabriel Mountains. Unfortunately, most of the Angeles Crest Highway is closed due to winter storm damage so our options are limited. We will be going to Mount Wilson with a couple of stops on the way.
We will be leaving the Whittier Community Center parking lot at 7:00 AM, arriving at the Red Box trail head parking area just before 8:00 AM. Since there are very few trails trail heads that are reachable by auto, the parking area is likely to be pretty full so we should car pool as much as possible.
We will bird the area and use the available restroom facilities and then move on towards Mt. Wilson, stopping at the Eaton Saddle trailhead. We will walk down that trail a bit (often good for Canyon Wren) before we make it to Mt. Wilson around 10:00 AM when the gates open.
IMPORTANT: Drivers will need an Adventure Pass or America the Beautiful Pass to park and use amenities where we will be stopping. Adventure Passes are $30 for the year and $5 for the day. The most reliable and easy place to purchase an Adventure Pass are the Big 5 Sporting Goods stores - check the Angeles National Forest website for other locations.
Meet: We will leave from the Whittier Community Center at 7:00 a.m. sharp.
Bring: Bring your birding equipment, water, lunch, sunblock and a chair might be a good idea. It should be sunny and in the low 70's on Saturday.
Trip Leader: Steve Huber
RSVP: Let me know if you are coming and if you will meet us in Whittier or at the Red Box parking area. stevekhuber@hotmail.com
OUR MAY FIELD TRIP WILL BE TO BIG MORONGO CANYON PRESERVE, which is located north of Palm Springs. Big Morongo is a great place for migrant flycatchers and warblers as well as interesting local residents. Great looks a Vermillion Flycatchers are almost guaranteed. Strolling through the tree shaded boardwalk is reason enough to go there. It can get hot, so be prepared for warm weather. Bring you usual birding stuff along with water, junk food, a lunch, a hat, and sunscreen. We will bird Big Morongo and Covington Park and have lunch in the park.
Meet: We will convene in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan, leaving at 7:00 AM sharp. It’s close to a 2-hour drive, so we must leave promptly at 7:00.
If you would rather meet us at Big Morongo, plan to rendezvous in the parking lot there at 9:00.
We should be back in Whittier between 4:00 and 5:00. The website for the Preserve is https://www.bigmorongo.org.
Bring: Bring your usual birdwatching stuff, sack lunch, water, hat and a thirst for adventure.
Trip Leader: Jay Oberholtzer
Please let me know if you are coming. Either send an email (tvulture@earthlink.net) or leave a message at my office, (562) 945-2838.
Bear Divide is a low, narrow, pass or saddle within the San Gabriel Mountains just above Soledad Canyon. It is home to amazing morning flights of migrating birds in the spring from March through May with the height of migration usually towards the end of April. Thousands of migrating birds have been known to funnel over the narrow divide daily, sometimes so close an observer feels the need to duck or dodge.
The Moore Lab of Zoology at Occidental College runs a regular count to quantify the numbers and identities of birds migrating through Bear Divide. As this is on public lands, the public is welcome to watch and participate. By 9 or 10 AM, the show is usually over. Clear days after a storm front are best, fog or winds in the wrong direction tend to shut migration down though.
Our field trip is timed to hopefully experience spectacle at the height of north bound migration.
Meet: We will leave from the Whittier Community Center at 5:30 AM. We will caravan up there. Carpool if you can.
Bring: Be prepared for anything. Cold, wind, rain, heat. No need for a lunch as we will be done before then.
Trip Leader: Larry Schmahl
With all of the rain we have had, and the forecast of more rain for this coming week, we may not be able to go to the San Jacinto Wildlife Refuge. The roads throughout the Refuge are dirt and prone to being muddy.
The alternate plan will be to go to the San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Preserve. This is a fairly extensive network of trails through a tidal basin that ends at Seaside State Beach. The drive is nearly 1 ½ to 2 hours, but no dirt roads. If we go there, we won’t need to bring any folding chairs.
This rainy weather situation will cause some last minute decisions to be made. Please let me know by email if you are thinking of going this coming Saturday. In any case, we will leave the parking lot at the Whittier Community Center at 7:00 am this coming Saturday, March 18, 2023. Whether we go the San Jacinto Wildlife Refuge or San Elijo Lagoon will depend on how wet this coming week winds up being.
Jay Oberholtzer
Original plan:
This is, perhaps, the best place to see just about every kind of raptor there is for Southern California. Rough-legged Hawks, Kestrels, Harriers and Red-tails are everywhere. It seems like there is usually at least one of each duck and a fair bit of peeps. There will be plenty of birds.
We will probably spend our whole time at the San Jacinto wildlife refuge. We will be doing some driving and stopping. The little 22 Channel radios are very handy to have. There are no picnic tables or the like, anywhere in the refuge. There are plenty of places to pull over. I recommend that everybody bring some folding chairs. As long as the weather cooperates, a clear sunny day is about all that is required. A sandwich, Coke and a folding chair are about as close to heaven as one gets in the Inland Empire. Bring your birding stuff, junk food and a lunch. Folding chairs will bring a touch of civilization.
Meet: We will leave from the Whittier Community Center at 7:00 a.m.
Bring: A sandwich, Coke and a folding chair are about as close to heaven as one gets in the Inland Empire. Bring your birding stuff, junk food and a lunch.
Trip Leader: Jay Oberholtzer
Bolsa Chica is one of the great local birding spots. Ducks, shorebirds, and waders can be found in abundance. Gulls, terns, and pelicans are regular, as are raptors that nest on the bluffs. Bring water, a lunch, a hat, and sunscreen. We will bird Bolsa Chica and possibly nearby spots like Central Park or Harriett Wieder Park.
Meet: We will convene in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan, leaving at 7:00 a.m. sharp.
Bring: Bring a sack lunch, sufficient junk food to last the trip, and your usual birdwatching stuff. We will meetup at Central Park East (Slater Rd Parking Lot) for lunch and do a little birding after lunch.
Trip Leader: Jim McNamara, JPMTCC@yahoo.com (text or call is 714 244-8063)
If you plan on attending, please email or text Jim McNamara and advise if meeting us at Whittier Community Center (7:00 AM departure time) or Bolsa Chica PCH parking lot (8:00). Jim will send routes, map, and intended timeline.
NOTE: parking is very limited so carpooling is encouraged.
ALSO: if we bird Brightwater trail, we will need to park in a residential area. Please be respectful and quiet while we access this trail at Kennebunk Ln.
