?Mt. Pinos
2024-05-19 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join us as we go into the mountains to find some alpine birds! We will carpool from the Janss Park & Ride at 6 am. Janss Park & Ride is located on the east side of the 23 freeway at the Janss Road Exit by the soccer fields. Alternatively, meet at 8:00 am at the Mt. Pinos Nordic Base parking lot at the end of Mount Pinos Road (GPS: Cuddy Valley Rd, Forest Rte 9N24, Frazier Park, CA 93225 – or – coordinates 34.8134, -119.1263). Please note that each vehicle that parks at the Mt. Pinos Nordic Base parking lot will need to display a valid adventure pass. Bundle warm! Target species include – Clark’s Nutcracker, Mountain Chickadee, Pygmy Nuthatch, Olive-sided Flycatcher, White-headed Woodpecker, Townsend’s Solitaire, Green-tailed Towhee, Red Crossbill and more!

Trip leader: Richard Aremerding (310)-701-3878.

?Breeding Bird Class through Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology
2024-05-22 18:00 - 20:30 | Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, 439 Calle San Pablo, Camarillo, CA, 93012
If you’re a new birder looking to familiarize yourself with local species, then consider joining the 2024 Breeding Birds class! This class is a great way to gain familiarity with over 200 species of birds that nest in our region. Emphasis will be on family and species-level characteristics, plus field trips to practice IDs.
The class consists of two Wednesday evening workshops with slides and study skins, held at the WFVZ Museum from 6-8:30 pm on May 15th and 22nd. Field trips will be held the following Saturdays, May 18th and 25th, from 7:30-11 am. The course provides 12 hours of instruction, slides, and other materials for home review afterward. Field trip locations will be announced at the museum classes; all will be in Ventura County.
See the link for more detailed information about cost: https://wfvz.org/classes-and-training/
There are only 10 spots left, and registration closes May 1st.
Instructor: Sammy Cowell

? Fillmore Fish Hatchery/Cienega
2024-05-26 07:00 - 10:00 | Cienega, 612 E Telegraph Rd, Fillmore, CA, 93015, United States
The Sespe Cienega is a restoration project aimed at restoring the wetlands of the Santa Clara River! Normally, this area is restricted to the public, but we will be able to enter with friend of CVAS, Linnea Hall! Target species include Bell’s Vireo, White-tailed Kite, Northern Harrier, and others!

Trip leader: Sammy Cowell (818) 470-7098

CVAS ANNUAL PICNIC
2024-06-02 08:00 - 14:00
THE CVAS ANNUAL PICNIC
Sunday, June 2 at Los Robles Open Space
Meet at 8:00 am for the morning bird walk,
then at 11:00 for the potluck lunch.
It’s been twenty-three years since we first held our CVAS Annual Picnic at the Los Robles Trail area adjacent to the original Janss House in Thousand Oaks, and the area has changed a bit. We can no longer drive right down to “our” oak tree, the lawn is gone, and a few new picnic tables have been added, but “our” tree is still there as shady as ever.
At the south end of Moorpark Rd. turn right onto Greenmeadow Ave. and proceed approximately one mile to the parking area. Carpooling is encouraged as parking is limited. Please bring your own table service, drinks and chairs, and this year, bring whatever dish you like. 🙂

🌯 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.

Beginner Bird Walk - Rancho Sierra Vista / Satwiwa
2024-06-12 08:00 - 09:30, 2024-07-10 08:00 - 09:30, 2024-08-14 08:00 - 09:30, 2024-09-11 08:00 - 09:30, 2024-10-09 08:00 - 09:30, 2024-11-13 08:00 - 09:30 | 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).

? 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.

? Ojai Raptor Center
2024-06-15 11:00 - 12:00 | Ojai Raptor Center, 370 Baldwin Road, Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
*Update* This trip is now full. However, the Ojai Raptor Center has said they may be able to accommodate additional guests. So, if you are still interested in this trip, contact Sammy Cowell, and there may be a possibility you can still come. Please don’t pay until contacting Sammy!*
We have scheduled a private tour of the Ojai Raptor Center for 15 participants! During this one-hour experience, we will meet a few of the raptor ambassadors, learn about their personal stories, and watch demonstrations of their natural behavior.
Space is first-come first-served, so if you’re interested in coming please contact us at fieldtrips@conejovalleyaudubon.org. Cost is $27 per guest. Please click on this link to learn how to pay!
Trip leader: Sammy Cowell (818) 470-7098

?Owling in the San Gabriel Mountains (Angeles National Forest)
2024-07-20 19:30 - 22:00 | Target – Angeles NF, 965 Town Center Dr., La Canada Flintridge, California, 91011, United States
We will be looking for some montane owls such as Northern Saw-whet, Flammulated, and Northern Pygmy-owls in the Angeles National Forest!

We will meet at the base of the foothills in front of the Target in La Canada Flintridge at 6:30 p.m. and carpool up.

Text Sammy Cowell (818-470-7098) for more information.

⛰️ Hopper Mountain NWR *cancelled*
2024-09-07 08:00 - 15:00
Hopper Mountain NWR Fillmore, California, United States

*Cancelled due to Extreme Fire Risk*

Join us as we venture up Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge to look for the California Condor! Be advised, roads will not be suitable for low-clearance vehicles. In fact, 4×4 cars are necessary (if you have a 4×4 car, please contact Sammy). To carpool up, we will meet at the Vons parking lot in Fillmore off A St. and Ventura St. at 8 a.m. Trip will last until 3 p.m., so please bring a lunch!

Trip leader: Sammy Cowell (818) 470-7098

Monthly Program - September - Member Show & Tell
2024-09-09 19:00 - 20:30 | Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, 439 Calle San Pablo, Camarillo, CA, 93012

🌊 Santa Clara River Estuary
2024-09-14 08:00 - 11:00 | Surfer’s Knoll, 1600 Spinnaker Dr, Ventura, CA, 93001
Santa Clara River Estuary

The Santa Clara River Estuary (SCRE) is a great place to look for shorebirds during fall migration. Target species include Baird’s Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Red Knot, phalaropes, and more! Park at the Surfer’s Knoll parking lot of Spinnaker Dr. at 8 a.m.

Be advised that we may walk out onto the mudflats, so bring water shoes or shoes you don’t mind getting muddy!

Trip leader – Sammy Cowell (818) 470-7098

🌳 Bob Kildee Tams
2024-09-21 08:00 - 11:00 | Bob Kildee Community Park – Tamarisk Trees, 1051 Eston St., Camarillo, CA, 93010, United States
Migrating warblers need a place to stop and refuel during their long fall migrations, and the row of tamarisk trees at Bob Kildee Park provides ample food for these little songbirds! Just be prepared to be looking up into the trees a lot! Park along Eston St. or Curt Dr. at 8 a.m.

Trip leader – John Mueller (818) 625-9584

🛝Valle Lindo Park
2024-09-28 08:00 - 11:00 | Valle Lindo Park, 889 Aileen St., Camarillo, California, 93010, United States
With a beautiful combination of sycamores and pines, Valle Lindo produces some lovely habitat for migrating vagrant songbirds. Past species seen here include Yellow-throated Warbler, Black-and-White Warbler, Palm Warbler, and Blue-headed Vireo!

Trip Leader: Sammy Cowell (818) 470-7098

Plantpalooza and Eco Fest
2024-09-28 09:00 - 14:00 | Coneo Creek Park North, behind Thousand Oaks Library., 1401 E Janss Rd, Thousand Oaks, California, United States
Join COSF for this free, family-friendly outdoor event, where you can learn about Conejo Valley native plants, water-wise gardening and sustainable living. CVAS will have a booth there to share about our Lawns to Habitat Grant and give away some native plants.

Coneo Creek Park North, behind Thousand Oaks Library.

🦆 Ventura Settling Ponds
2024-10-05 08:00 - 11:00 | Ventura Settling Ponds, 1400 Angler Ct., Ventura, CA, 93001, United States
The Ventura Settling Ponds are a great habitat to see both migrating warblers and most species of our over-wintering waterfowl. Potential warbler migrants include Nashville, MacGillivray’s, Black-throated Gray, and Townsend’s Warbler, with a good chance for a rare species or two! Meet outside the gates along Angler Court at 8 a.m. Trip leader – Frank DeMartino (856) 906-8733

🦅*Bonus Field Trip* Hawkwatching at Grant Park.
2024-10-05 11:30 - 15:00 | Grant Park, 398 Ferro Dr., Ventura, California, 93001, United States
Didn’t get enough birdwatching earlier this morning at the Ventura Settling Ponds? Then, come join us for some afternoon hawkwatching at Grant Park. During the fall migration, raptors use hot thermals rising from the ground to easily glide hundreds of miles in a day. The topography of Grant Park is perfect for creating these thermals, and many raptors have been found migrating along the ridge of the foothills, including Cooper’s Hawks, Sharp-shinned Hawks, Peregrine Falcons, Golden Eagles, Broad-winged Hawks, and our resident Turkey Vultures and Red-tails!

We will meet along Brakey Rd. between Ferro Dr. and Summit Dr. Parking is somewhat limited along this particular spot, so additional parking is available down at Father Sierra Cross. It is about a 1/4 mile walk up to the top of the hill, and it is moderately steep at times, so come prepared. We will be spending the time at the top for a couple of hours, so it might be helpful to bring a camping chair to sit on (there is also a small bench up there as well). There is no shade, so make sure to wear a hat, long-sleeved shirts, and sunscreen.

Trip leader: Sammy Cowell (818) 470-7098

October Monthly Program - Cuba Birding
2024-10-07 19:00
Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology or on Zoom https://zoom.us/j/6155249106

Ever wonder what it would be like to bird in Cuba? In one word, wonderful! Perhaps it is a bit more complicated than traveling to other international destinations, however birding in Cuba is very manageable. Cuba is the home of 28 endemic species of birds, including the smallest hummingbird in the world!

Bonnie Clarfield-Bylin, local birder, naturalist and travel enthusiast will share her Cuba birding experience from this past February. Her mantra is, “Look for an elephant, see an elephant, look for a bird and see everything.”

🗻 Mt. Pinos
2024-10-13 08:00 - 17:00 | Mt. Pinos, Cuddy Valley Rd., Frazier Park, CA, 93225, United States
Join us as we go into the mountains to find some alpine birds! We will carpool from the Janss Park & Ride at 7 am. Janss Park & Ride is located on the east side of the 23 freeway at the Janss Road Exit by the soccer fields. Alternately, meet at 9:00am at the Mt. Pinos Nordic Base parking lot at the end of Mount Pinos Road (GPS: Cuddy Valley Rd, Forest Rte 9N24, Frazier Park, CA 93225 – or – coordinates 34.8134, -119.1263). Please note that each vehicle that parks at the Mt. Pinos Nordic Base parking lot will need to display a valid adventure pass. Bundle warm! Target species include – Clark’s Nutcracker, Mountain Chickadee, Red Crossbill, Williamson’s Sapsucker, and Evening Grosbeak. Trip leader – Richard Aremerding (310)-701-3878.

🏝️ Anacapa Island
2024-10-20 08:00 - 17:00 | Channel Islands Harbor (Oxnard), 3600 Harbor Blvd, Oxnard, CA, 93035, United States
During migration, many birds can find themselves lost at sea and have to scramble to find the nearest land. Islands therefore are a great spot to find rare vagrant migrants. We will explore Anacapa to look for any rarities, check the seacliffs for boobies, and of course, watch the water on the way in for pelagic birds!

We will be leaving from Oxnard (Channel Islands Harbor, NOT Ventura Harbor) at 9:30 a.m. and will be on the island until 3:30 p.m. So, please bring food, water, and warm clothing! Also, be sure to purchase a ticket to the island AND a ticket back. One-way tickets are $33 for adults and $30.50 for seniors.

🚜Arnold Rd. and the Oxnard Plains
2024-10-27 08:00 - 11:00 | Oxnard Plains Sod Fiels, Arnold Rd., Oxnard, CA, 93033, United States
The Oxnard plains are a great area for migrating shorebirds and open-habitat songbirds, particularly the sod fields. Likely target species include Baird’s and Pectoral Sandpiper, Black-bellied Plover, and Pacific Golden-Plover. Potential rarities include Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Mountain Plover, Red-throated Pipit, and longspur species! This is definitely a good place to bring a scope! Meet at the parking lot at the end of Arnold Rd. at 8 a.m. *Update* New trip leader – Marc Better (510) 919 – 5283.

🦅Bitter Creek NWR
2024-11-02 09:30 - 17:00
Join us as we venture up Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge to look for the California Condor! Be advised, roads will not be suitable for low-clearance vehicles. In fact, 4×4 cars are necessary (if you have a 4×4 car, please contact Sammy). To carpool up, we will meet at the Porter Ranch Park and Ride.at 7:45 a.m.

Trip leader: Sammy Cowell (818) 470-7098

November Monthly Program
2024-11-04 19:00 - 20:30 | Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, 439 Calle San Pablo, Camarillo, CA, 93012
The Importance of Sierra Meadows for Birds, Other Wildlife, and People

Ryan Burnett with Blue Point Conservation

Wet meadows cover less than 2% of the vast Sierra Nevada, but they are ecosystem workhorses that punch far above their weight. These emerald jewels can support an incredible diversity of birds and other wildlife, including a number of threatened and endangered species. These meadows also play important roles in the function of watersheds; storing, purifying, and cooling water. They can store a tremendous amount of carbon helping mitigate the climate crisis. They are also culturally significant places for many indigenous communities.

Unfortunately, most wet meadows are in a degraded state, reducing their ability to provide these services. Ryan Burnett with Blue Point Conservation will discuss the importance of Sierra Meadows and how, through a large partnership he leads, we are working to restore their vitality.

Also available on Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/6155249106.

🦆 Arroyo Simi
2024-11-09 08:00 - 11:00 | Arroyo Simi (Madera), 20 E Easy St, Simi Valley, CA, 93065, United States
Arroyo Simi has a great assortment of shorebirds, ducks, herons and gulls. It is easily accessed via a level bike path that runs from Madera Street to First Street and on through most of Simi Valley. We will walk slowly along the mostly natural bottomed channel scanning for birds like Green Heron, Black-necked Stilt, Belted Kingfisher, and White-faced Ibis. Other possible birds include Hooded Merganser and Blue-winged Teal. Meet at the entrance to the bike path at Easy Street in Simi Valley, just east of Madera Road. Trip Leader – Don Klabunde (805) 428-9839.

🦉 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!
