Conejo Valley Audubon

Beginner Bird Walk - Rancho Sierra Vista / Satwiwa
2023-12-13 08:00 - 09:30, 2024-01-10 08:00 - 09:30, 2024-02-14 08:00 - 09:30, 2024-03-13 08:00 - 09:30, 2024-04-10 08:00 - 09:30, 2024-05-08 08:00 - 09:30, 2024-06-12 08:00 - 09:30, 2024-07-10 08:00 - 09:30 (America/Los_Angeles) and 5 more dates | Rancho Sierra Vista / Satwiwa, 4803 Lynn Rd, Newbury Park, CA, 91320
Conejo Valley Audubon invites birders of all experience levels to attend our monthly Beginner Bird Walks at Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa. These walks are held on the second Wednesday of each month. We will meet at 8:00 am at the main parking lot, which is accessible off Lynn Road at Via Goleta in Newbury Park.
Rancho Sierra Vista is an excellent place to see many of the oak woodlands birds that are common in the Conejo Valley area. We will take time to introduce beginning birders to these species and will teach the best techniques for locating and identifying them. Wear comfortable walking shoes.
Contact walk leader Richard Armerding at (310) 701-3878 (texting is OK).

? Conejo Creek North Park/Thousand Oaks Library
2023-12-23 08:00 - 11:00 | Conejo Creek North Park/Thousand Oaks Library, 1379 E Janss Rd., Thousand Oaks, CA, 91362, United States
For those sticking around for the holidays, join us as we casually bird at Conejo Creek North Park by the Thousand Oaks library. The ponds host a variety of waterfowl species, sometimes mountain bluebirds show up in the grass fields, and there may be a rare sapsucker or two around in the pepper trees! Park on the west side by the freeway and meet at the main pond at 8 AM. Trip leader: Bonnie Clarfield-Bylin (805) 405-5632

?Salton Sea
2024-01-13 - 2024-01-14 | CA
This oasis in the desert beckons! For this overnight trip, we will start early Saturday afternoon, near the north end of the Salton Sea, and then probably bird down the west side of the lake to Unit 1. We’ll spend the night in Brawley, bird a little around the town early on Sunday. We will continue to work our way north on the east side of the lake, stopping at several hotspots before heading home Sunday afternoon. Please note that the trip will require limited driving on unpaved roads.

Please contact Peter Robertshaw (peterrobertshaw@verizon.net) for the details and to arrange for carpooling and lodging recommendations.

Target birds: thousands of Snow and Ross’s Geese, Sandhill Cranes, lots of ducks and waders, rails, raptors, Burrowing Owls, Mountain Bluebirds and Plovers, and desert species like Gambel’s Quail, Abert’s Towhee, doves, Gila and Ladder-Backed Woodpeckers, and Vermilion Flycatcher.

✈️ Pt. Mugu Naval Base
2024-01-19 08:00 - 13:00 | Pt. Mugu Naval Base, 10A Naval Air Rd., Port Hueneme, CA, 93041, United States
For those who weren’t able to attend the November field trip (or who want to visit the base again), here’s another opportunity! Please note, that this trip is open to current CVAS members only! The Navy must background check each attendee before attendance, so members will need to email fieldtrips@conejovalleyaudubon.org to complete and return the form before December 29th! Also, this trip lasts longer than our normal field trips (8 a.m. – 1 p.m.), and you are not allowed to be on the base without our trip leaders. So, if you cannot make it the whole time, please come another time. Target species include Brant, Black Skimmer, shorebird species, Vermillion Flycatcher, and more! Trip Leaders – Martin Ruane and David Pereksta.

?Mt. Clef Open Space/CLU
2024-02-03 08:00 - 10:00 | Briar Bluff (CLU), 200 Bainbridge Ct, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91360, United States
Poke through the prickly pear patches (but try not to get poked!) as we look for roadrunners, Cactus Wren, and the endangered California Gnatcatcher! If time permits, we may go down to CLU and explore different habitats on campus. Meet at the end of Bainbridge Ct. at 8 am. Trip leader: Sammy Cowell (818) 470-7098.

? Oak Canyon Community Park
2024-02-24 08:00 - 10:00 | Oak Canyon Community Park, 5600 Hollytree Dr., Oak Park, CA, 91377, United States
Tucked into the Simi Hills, this little gem of a park has a nice diversity of oak woodland, riparian, and chapparal habitat; perfect for birds! Target species include birds like Lewis’s Woodpecker, Fox Sparrow, and Golden-crowned Sparrow. Trip leader: Dan Cooper (323) 397-3562

⛰️Rancho Sierra Vista
2024-05-04 07:00 - 10:00 | Rancho Sierra Vista / Satwiwa, 4803 Lynn Rd, Newbury Park, CA, 91320
For those who can’t make the beginner bird walks on Wednesdays, this is a great time to check out this hidden gem in Newbury Park! Meet at the end of the parking lot where you’ll see plenty of Cliff Swallows nesting under the eaves of the bathroom. You’ll also look for Lazuli Buntings, Blue Grosbeaks, and any late migrants!

Trip leader: Ryan Burnett: (530) 258 – 6742

? Ventura Settling Ponds
2024-05-11 07:00 - 10:00 | Ventura Settling Ponds, 1400 Angler Ct., Ventura, CA, 93001, United States
While most waterfowl species have left the ponds this time of year, there are still tons of birds around! Large numbers of swallows and swifts gather over these waters, so be on the lookout for Purple Martins and potentially even Black Swifts! Other songbirds call this area home for the breeding season like Swainson’s Thrush, Yellow-breasted Chat, and plenty of Yellow Warblers!

Trip leader: Frank De Martino (856) 906 – 8733

🌯 Birds and Burritos
2024-11-16 17:00 - 18:15 | Margarita’s Mexican Grill, 702 Lindero Canyon Rd, Oak Park, CA, 91377, United States
Join us at 5 p.m. at Margaritas Mexican Grill for some delicious food and socializing before our evening field trip to look for owls!
Please text or call Sammy Cowell (818 470-7098) if you plan on coming so we can make a reservation.

? CVAS Pelagic - Santa Barbara Channel (departing from Oxnard)
2024-06-13 08:45 - 13:00 | Channel Islands Harbor (Oxnard), 3600 Harbor Blvd, Oxnard, CA, 93035, United States
If you’ve never been birding out on the open ocean waters, this is a perfect opportunity to get your feet wet! Join us as we cruise around the eastern Santa Barbara Channel looking for pelagic birds like jaegers, alcids, storm-petrels, shearwaters, and boobies. We may stop by to look at the Anacapa Arch from the boat, but we will NOT be landing on Anacapa Island.
This trip is 3 hours and will stay in the Santa Barbara Channel within Ventura County waters. Check-in is at 8:45 a.m. We will be riding with Island Packers, departing from Oxnard harbor at 9:30 a.m. We will return to the harbor at 1 p.m. One ticket is $50. This trip is limited to 70 passengers, and you must RSVP by May 23. Click here to find out how to pay and secure your spot!
Contact fieldtrips@conejovalleyaudubon.org for more information.

🦉 Owling at Palo Comado Canyon
2024-11-16 18:30 - 20:30 | Palo Comado Canyon, 6613 Smoke Tree Ave, Oak Park, CA, 91377, United States
Join us as we look for owls in Palo Comado Canyon! We will listen and look for Great Horned Owls, Barn Owls, and Western Screech Owls! We may also run into other nighttime creatures as well!
Meet at the Sunrise Meadows Open Space Trailhead on Smoke Tree Ave. in Oak Park at 6:30 p.m. Bring flashlights and/or headlamps! For those interested, we will also be meeting for dinner at Margaritas Mexican Grill in Oak Park at 5 p.m.
As this was a popular trip last year, please contact Sammy Cowell (818 470 7098) so we can keep the trip from getting too crowded!

🦅Group Falconry Experience
2024-11-23 11:00 - 13:00 | Hawk on Hand Falconry Services, 4235 Monterey Rd, Los Angeles, California, 90032, United States
If you’ve ever wanted to hold a bird of prey on your hand, then this is the experience for you! We will be visiting Hawk on Hand Falconry Services in downtown Los Angeles to learn about the ancient art of falconry and get hands-on experience working with different raptor species!

We’ll meet 3 species (Jasper the Harris Hawk, Kanoni the Augur Buzzard, and Archie the Barn Owl). Each individual participant will get get to hold and fly multiple birds, practicing basic falconry techniques.

Cost is $100 per participant, and group size is limited to 15 people. We are still working on how to reserve/pay for our entire group. So, please do not buy tickets just yet. Instead, simply contact Sammy Cowell at fieldtrips@conejovalleyaudubon.org if you are interested!

If you want to carpool together, we will meet at Kanan Park and Ride off the Kanan exit south of the 101 freeway at 9:30 a.m.

🥾 Santa Paula Canyon
2024-11-30 08:00 - 13:00 | Santa Paula Canyon, Santa Paula Canyon Trailhead, Santa Paula, California, 93060, United States
*Disclaimer: This is a moderately difficult hike with multiple stream crossings. If you do not feel comfortable walking across wet rocks or up steep hills, consider skipping this trip*

Nestled in the Topatopa Mountains between Santa Paula and Ojai, Santa Paula Canyon feels like a retreat into the wild. Along the river, we will be looking for American Dippers, and along the cliffs, we will be looking out for Golden Eagles.

We will meet at the trailhead which is past Thomas Aquinas college. Parking can be sometimes limited at the trailhead, so carpooling is encouraged.

Trip leader: Sammy Cowell (818) 470-7098

✈️International Field Trip: Colombian Central Andes (Dec. 6-14, 2025)
2024-12-06 00:00 - 2024-12-14 23:59 | CA
*This trip is scheduled for 2025, but advertised at this date to give a year’s notice for those who are interested*
With more avian species (>1,900) than any other country in the world, Colombia is a birder’s paradise! Join us on this 9-day adventure exploring the Central Andes, famed for its high level of species diversity. Explore the Andean cloud forest, paramo habitats, and farmland searching for flycatchers, hummingbirds, tanagers, toucans, and more! We will visit the Otun Quimbaby Flora and Fauna Sanctuary, Rio Blanco Reserve, and Los Nevados National Park. Specialty endemic target species include; Cauca Guan, Chestnut Wood-Quail, Crested Ant-tanager, Buffy Helmetcrest, and more!
Flame-faced Tanager (Tangara parzudakii)
Cost is $3675 with final payments due September 3rd, 2025. Airfare is not included. Click the link to view the day-to-day itinerary. Contact Sammy Cowell (fieldtrips@conejovalleyaudubon.org) or Debbie Jordan (debbie@holbrooktravel.org) for more info!
Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager

🌳 Mission Oaks Park
2024-12-07 08:00 - 11:00 | Mission Oaks Park, 5501 Mission Oaks Blvd, Camarillo, CA, 93012, United States
The trails around Mission Oaks Park offer a nice refuge for many interesting overwintering songbirds. Possible uncommon/rare species that we can find here include Plumbeous Vireo, White-throated Sparrow, Orchard Oriole, Summer Tanager, and more!

Meet at the parking lot of Mission Oaks Blvd. by the tennis courts.

*New trip leader*: Ryan Burnett (530) 258-6742

❄️ Winter Wonderland in Minnesota (dates flexible)
2024-12-12 08:00 - 2024-12-15 17:00 | CA
Interested in birding other places in the country? Then, join us for an out-of-state experience to Minnesota! We will be primarily targeting species that live in the boreal forests of Canada but are pushed father south during the winter. Hopeful songbirds include Boreal Chickadee, Common Redpoll, Snow Bunting, Bohemian Waxwing, and more! Potential raptors include Snowy Owl, Great Gray Owl, Northern Hawk-owl, and Boreal Owl!

Rough itinerary is as follows:

Thursday, December 12th: Fly into/bird around Minneapolis

Friday, December 13th: Drive to Duluth, bird Lake Superior. Drive to Sax-Zim Bog (potential owling in evening)

Saturday, December 14th: Sax-Zim Bog

Sunday, December 15th: Return to Minneapolis fly out

We may try and split rental cars/lodging to reduce costs. Group size will be limited to 8-10 people. If interested, please contact Sammy Cowell (818) 470-7098 or fieldtrips@conejovalleyaudubon.org

Salton Sea 🌵🌊*CANCELLED*
2025-01-11 08:00 - 2025-01-12 17:00 | CA
*This trip has been cancelled*

This oasis in the desert beckons! For this overnight trip, we will start early Saturday afternoon, near the north end of the Salton Sea, and then probably bird down the west side of the lake to Unit 1. We’ll spend the night in Brawley, bird a little around the town early on Sunday. We will continue to work our way north on the east side of the lake, stopping at several hotspots before heading home Sunday afternoon. Please note that the trip will require limited driving on unpaved roads.

Please contact Peter Robertshaw (peterrobertshaw@verizon.net, 909-771-9720) for the details and to arrange for carpooling and lodging recommendations.

Target birds: thousands of Snow and Ross’s Geese, Sandhill Cranes, lots of ducks and waders, rails, raptors, Burrowing Owls, Mountain Bluebirds and Plovers, and desert species like Gambel’s Quail, Abert’s Towhee, doves, Gila and Ladder-Backed Woodpeckers, and Vermilion Flycatcher.

Mt. Clef Open Space/CLU ⛰️🌵
2025-01-19 08:00 - 11:00 | Briar Bluff (CLU), 200 Bainbridge Ct, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91360, United States
