Conejo Valley Audubon

Beginner Bird Walk - Rancho Sierra Vista / Satwiwa
2022-11-09 08:00 - 09:30, 2022-10-12 08:00 - 09:30, 2022-09-14 08:00 - 09:30, 2022-05-11 08:00 - 09:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | 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.
Please register in advance by contacting walk leader Richard Armerding at (310) 701-3878 (texting is OK).

Monthly Program - November 2022
2022-11-07 19:00 - 20:30 | Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, 439 Calle San Pablo, Camarillo, CA, 93012
PLEASE NOTE THE NEW TIME FOR THIS PROGRAM – 7:00pm
A 27 YEAR WILDFLOWER JOURNEY:
the making of
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: CALIFORNIA WILDFLOWERS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Rob Badger and Nita Winter take you behind the scenes on their 27-year journey photo-graphing wildflowers throughout California and the West. It began in the year 1992 when they discovered and fell in love with California’s spectacular wildflower blooms in the Mojave Desert’s Antelope Valley California Poppy Preserve. Photographing these beautiful landscapes and individual flowers evolved into their documentary art project, “Beauty and the Beast: Wildflowers and Climate Change.” This beautiful, multiple award-winning coffee table book, co-published with the California Native Plant Society, focuses on California’s amazing plant diversity. It is a companion to their traveling educational exhibit.
Gorgeous superbloom scenery isn’t the only thing that makes this series so special. The photographers show how they create wildflower portraits in the field, lugging 80 pounds of cameras and their “natural light” studio equipment from below sea level in Death Valley National Park to 13,000-foot-high mountain passes. Rob also shares two innovative field techniques he developed to capture unique floral portraits that go beyond that of traditional wildflower photography.
Because most land based birds directly, or indirectly, rely on the existence of wildflowers and other native plants for their survival, creating native plant gardens is an important way to support local wildlife. Nita and Rob will take you into their evolving native plant garden and share the joy and rewards it brings them.
Purchase books and learn more at wildflowerbooks.com.
Identify flowers with:
Calflora.org
PlantID.net
Calscape.org (by CNPS)

This program will be in a hybrid format: in-person at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, and also online via Zoom.
In Person
Masks will be required, and the in person group will be limited to a maximum of thirty to allow for social distancing purposes, so please RSVP to the Programs Coordinator to reserve a seat.
Via Zoom
To attend this meeting, use this link (https://zoom.us/j/6155249106) at the meeting time.

Lower Sycamore Canyon
2022-11-06 08:00 - 11:00 | Sycamore Canyon, 9000 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, California, 90265
Meet at 8 am at the parking lot off Hwy 1. We’ll look for riparian birds and rarities.
California Thrasher
Common Yellowthroat
Trip leader is Linda Easter – (818) 519-2833
Please bring water, a snack, bug repellant and a jacket. RAIN CANCELS
Everyone is welcome to attend any Conejo Valley Audubon field trip, but Conejo Valley Audubon assumes no responsibility for injuries, personal or otherwise, incurred while attending a CVAS sponsored activity and in order to attend, all attendees agree that CVAS is not liable for such accidents. Everyone attends at their own risk.

Ventura Settling Ponds
2022-10-29 08:00 - 11:00 | Ventura Settling Ponds, 1400 Angler Ct., Ventura, CA, 93001, United States
Meet at the gate at 8 am.
We will look for water birds and warblers. Bring masks and water.
Leader is Frank de Martino (856) 906-8733

Bob Kildee Community Park Tams
2022-10-22 08:00 - 10:00 | Bob Kildee Community Park – Tamarisk Trees, 1051 Eston St., Camarillo, CA, 93010, United States
We will visit the renowned tamarisk trees along the east edge of Bob Kildee Community Park. Previous October visits have yielded views of Black-and-White, Tenessee, Orange-crowned, Lucy’s, Nashville, MacGillivray’s, Magnolia, Bay-breasted, Blackburnian, Yellow, Chestnut-sided, Blackpoll, Palm, Yellow-rumped, Prairie, Black-throated Gray, Townsend’s, Hermit, and Wilson’s Warblers. We might also encounter Downy Woodpecker,
Western Wood-Pewee, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Ruby and Golden-crowned Kinglet, Red- and White-breasted Nuthatch, Cedar Waxwing, and Western Meadowlark. Meet at the southeast corner of the tennis courts (along Eston Street).
Bring a mask and water.
Trip leader: TBA

Hill Canyon
2022-10-15 08:00 - 11:00 | Hill Canyon, Hill Canyon Rd, Camarillo, CA, 93012
Meet at Hill Canyon Park at 8 am.
We will look for White-throated Swifts, sparrows and oak woodland birds. Bring masks and water.
Leader is Bonnie Clarfield-Bylin (805) 405-5632

Canada Larga Road Field Trip
2022-10-09 08:00 - 11:00 | Canada Larga Road, 180 Canada Larga Rd, Ventura, CA, 93001
Meet at the start of Cañada Larga Road at 8 am.
We will look for sparrows, sapsuckers, raptors and other various field birds. This is car birding with several stops. Bring masks and water.
Leader is TBA. Check with Dee Lyon – (805) 427-0987

Monthly Program - October 2022
2022-10-03 19:00 - 20:30 | Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, 439 Calle San Pablo, Camarillo, CA, 93012
PLEASE NOTE THE NEW TIME FOR THIS PROGRAM – 7:00pm
EVOLUTION OF VISUAL SYSTEM AND COLOR DIVERSITY IN BIRDS

Birds can see an astonishing diversity of colors that span not only the human visible spectrum but into the ultraviolet as well. They can also display these colors in their plumage. This array of hues is produced by various mechanisms and is perceived by birds differently de-pending on the sensitivity of each bird’s visual system. Despite our wealth of knowledge on bird coloration and vision, few large-scale comparative studies have linked the evolution of the avian visual system and the colors birds produce. Using genomic data, 3D models of museum specimens, and the genetic relationships of all bird species, Whitney examines how the visual system evolves across the bird tree of life. Understanding the link between avian color perception and the plumage hues birds produce, we can gain a better understanding of how birds evolved such an incredible rainbow of colors.
Whitney Tsai Nakashima is a PhD Candidate in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department at the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Research Associate at the Moore Laboratory of Zoology at Occidental College. Her work focuses on using historical museum collections and modern genomic and analytical techniques to better under-stand the evolutionary processes that generate and maintain avian diversity. In addition to research, she is involved in museum and STEM-based outreach programs to support young women and underrepresented youth in STEM fields.
This program will be in a hybrid format: in-person at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, and also online via Zoom.
In Person
Masks will be required, and the in person group will be limited to a maximum of thirty to allow for social distancing purposes, so please RSVP to the Programs Coordinator to reserve a seat.
Via Zoom
If you are sharing photos, you will be able to narrate your show during the Zoom meeting. To attend this meeting, use this link (https://zoom.us/j/6155249106) at the meeting time.

Native Plantpalooza
2022-10-01 09:00 - 14:00 | CA
This is not an official CVAS event, but we encourage you to participate. We can also bird the park and ponds. CVAS will have a booth. Come visit us.

Malibu Lagoon Field Trip - Cancelled
2022-10-01 08:00 - 11:00 | Malibu Lagoon, Malibu Lagoon Car Park, Malibu, CA, 90265
CANCELLED

Matilija Dam Field Trip
2022-09-25 08:00 - 11:00 | Matilija Dam Parking, 450 Matilija Canyon Rd., Ojai, CA, 93023
This is a great spot to find fall migrants. A large variety of warblers and vireos have been observed in this area. You may even see a peacock! Please note that there are few, if any, established trails in this area, so some bushwhacking may be involved.
Parking is also very limited, so carpool if you can. From Ventura, take CA-33 north to Matilija Canyon Rd. Turn left and proceed about 0.8 miles to the parking area.
Trip leader is TBA – Contact Dee Lyon (805-427-0987) for info.

Mugu Lagoon and Sycamore Canyon
2022-09-17 08:00 - 11:00 | Mugu Lagoon Turnout, 5735 CA-1, Oxnard, California, 93033
Meet at the big lagoon turnout on PCH. There should be water birds, ducks and raptors. Then to lower Sycamore Canyon, famous for vagrants, warblers and raptors.
Photo by Don Klabunde

California Thrasher
Trip Leader: Matthew Page (805-990-6534)
Please bring water, a snack, bug repellant and a jacket. YOU MUST WEAR A MASK! RAIN CANCELS
Everyone is welcome to attend any Conejo Valley Audubon field trip, but Conejo Valley Audubon assumes no responsibility for injuries, personal or otherwise, incurred while attending a CVAS sponsored activity and in order to attend, all attendees agree that CVAS is not liable for such accidents. Everyone attends at their own risk.

Monthly Program - September 2022
2022-09-12 19:00 - 20:30 | Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, 439 Calle San Pablo, Camarillo, CA, 93012
PLEASE NOTE THE NEW TIME FOR THIS PROGRAM – 7:00pm
Each September, our first meeting of the season is dedicated to the birding trips and adventures of our members, so you are invited to submit your recent, or not-so-recent photos. Those of you who wish to share your photos, please contact Don Klabunde for instructions and the link where you can upload your files.
This program will be in a hybrid format: in-person at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, and also online via Zoom.
In Person
Masks will be required, and the in person group will be limited to a maximum of thirty to allow for social distancing purposes, so please RSVP to the Programs Coordinator to reserve a seat.
Via Zoom
If you are sharing photos, you will be able to narrate your show during the Zoom meeting. To attend this meeting, use this link (https://zoom.us/j/6155249106) at the meeting time.

Laguna Tams
2022-09-11 08:00 - 10:00 | Laguna Road Tamarisk Trees, 3690 Laguna Rd., Oxnard, CA, 93033, United States
We will visit the renowned tamarisk trees along Laguna Road in the Oxnard Plain. Previous September visits have yielded views of Black-and-White, Tenessee, Orange-crowned, Lucy’s, Nashville, MacGillivray’s, Magnolia, Bay-breasted, Blackburnian, Yellow, Chestnut-sided, Blackpoll, Palm, Yellow-rumped, Prairie, Black-throated Gray, Townsend’s, Hermit, and Wilson’s Warblers. We might also encounter Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and White-breasted Nuthatch. Meet on Laguna Road, about a quarter mile east of Pleasant Valley Road.
Trip Leader: Frank DeMartino (856-906-8733)
Please bring water, a snack, bug repellant and a jacket. YOU MUST WEAR A MASK! RAIN CANCELS
Everyone is welcome to attend any Conejo Valley Audubon field trip, but Conejo Valley Audubon assumes no responsibility for injuries, personal or otherwise, incurred while attending a CVAS sponsored activity and in order to attend, all attendees agree that CVAS is not liable for such accidents. Everyone attends at their own risk.

Santa Clara River Estuary
2022-09-03 08:00 - 11:00 | Surfer’s Knoll, 1600 Spinnaker Dr, Ventura, CA, 93001
The Santa Clara River Estuary produces some of the most diverse observations of ducks, sandpipers, terns, gulls, plovers and other shorebirds in the county. We’ll meet at Surfer’s Knoll at 9 am and walk down to the estuary after peeking over the fence into the Ventura Settling Ponds. The estuary should be a great place to see Elegant, Forster’s and Caspian Terns, Brown Pelicans, Western, California, and Ring-billed Gulls, Ruddy Ducks, Whimbrels, Long-billed Curlews, American Avocets, and Western & Least Sandpipers. We may even spot a Peregrine Falcon.

Directions: from the 101 freeway, exit Seaward Ave. and proceed south to Harbor Blvd. Turn left and continue to Spinnaker Dr., turning right to enter the harbor area. Drive past the Surfer’s Knoll parking area on the left and make a U-turn to double back and enter the parking lot.
Walk leader: Dee Lyon (805-427-0987)
Please bring water, a snack, bug repellant and a jacket. YOU MUST WEAR A MASK! RAIN CANCELS
Everyone is welcome to attend any Conejo Valley Audubon field trip, but Conejo Valley Audubon assumes no responsibility for injuries, personal or otherwise, incurred while attending a CVAS sponsored activity and in order to attend, all attendees agree that CVAS is not liable for such accidents. Everyone attends at their own risk.

Warbler Bingo!
2022-09-01 - 2022-11-30 | CA
Townsend’s Warbler
Test your skills at spotting and identifying elusive Fall Warblers. Our contest runs from September 1st through November 30th. You may request a free Bingo Card starting on August 15th. See the Warbler Bingo page for all the details and to sign up.
As of September 20, 2022, we have a winner! Marc Better filled in a row of his Bingo card with the following warblers: Orange crowned, Townsend’s, Free Space, Northern Waterthrush and Black and White. Congratulations, Marc!
But you can keep playing and report your own Bingos. You just won’t win a prize other than the satisfaction of spying a few rarities.

CVAS Annual Picnic
2022-06-04 08:00 - 14:00 | Los Robles Trail, 375 Greenmeadow Ave, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91361
Meet at 8:00 am for the morning bird walk, then at 10:30 for thepotluck lunch.Were it not for the pandemic, this would have been the twenty–first year in a row that our CVAS Annual Picnic was held at theLos Robles Trail area adjacent to the original Janss House inThousand Oaks, and there have been some changes since wewere last there. We can no longer drive right down to “our” oaktree, the lawn is gone and a few new picnic tables have beenadded, but “our” tree is still there as shady as ever.At the south end of Moorpark Rd turn right onto GreenmeadowAve and proceed approximately one mile to the parking area.Carpooling is encouraged as parking is limited. Please bringyour own table service, drinks and chairs.Unless you have a special “signature dish”, please bring food items according toyour last name as follows:A to I bring a DessertJ to Q bring a SaladR to Z bring a Main Dish.

Mission Oaks Park Field Trip
2022-05-28 08:00 - 11:00 | Mission Oaks Park, 5501 Mission Oaks Blvd, Camarillo, CA, 93012, United States
Mission Oaks Blvd and Oak Canyon Rd, Camarillo.Meet in the parking lot at 8 am.We’ll look for spring Migrants.Leader is Thelma Williams (805) 551–8663

Las Llajas Canyon Field Trip
2022-05-15 08:00 - 11:00 | Las Llajas Canyon, 5715 Evening Sky Drive, Simi Valley, CA, 93063, United States
North on Yosemite Ave, right on Evening Star Dr, Simi ValleyMeet at the trailhead at 8 am. Hilly terrain, bring water.We’ll look for Lazuli Buntings, grosbeaks and flycatchers.Leader is Don Klabunde (805) 522–8023

California Lutheran University Field Trip
2022-05-07 08:00 - 11:00 | Briar Bluff (CLU), 200 Bainbridge Ct, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91360, United States
Meet at north end of Mountclef Blvd at 8 am.We’ll look for Cactus Wrens and California Gnatcatchers.Leader is Dennis Allen dkallen47@gmail.com

Monthly Program - May 2022
2022-05-02 19:30 - 21:00 | CVAS Monthly Program Zoom Meeting
Sandor “Alex” Havasi and his wife, Marilyn Fordney, will take us to visit a variety of wet-land locations in our area with stories about their experiences while taking photos of thebirds they found in each place. They’ll also report how these areas have been affectedby encroachment and the effect of weed killers. Each photo will have the names of thebirds, the time of year and the location.Alex and Marilyn created the Havasi Wilderness Foundation in 2004, and they have pre-viously entertained us with their birding adventures in Africa, Costa Rica, Madagascar,and Around the World. Their foundation’s media specialist, Isaac Yelchin, will be joiningthem to lend his expertise. During the pandemic, they spent their time doing photoshoots and have published an educational book entitled My Adventure in the Wetlands.
To attend this meeting, use this link: https://zoom.us/j/6155249106

Wheeler Gorge Field Trip
2022-04-30 09:00 - 12:00 | Wheeler Gorge, 17020 Maricopa Hwy, Ojai, CA, 93023
Meet across the street from the park at 9 am. We’ll look for higher elevation species.
Leader is Matthew Page – (805) 990-6534

Bird Friendly-Garden Tour
2022-04-24 09:00 - 14:00 | CA
See what folks have done with California natives in their gardens.
RSVP by April 15th!
More information.

King Gillette Ranch Field Trip
2022-04-23 08:00 - 11:00 | King Gillette Ranch, 26800 Mullholland Hwy, Calabasas, CA, 91302
Meet at the parking area at 8 am. This park offers a wide variety of birds.
Leader TBA – check with Dee Lyon (805) 427-0987

Rancho Sierra Vista Field Trip
2022-04-16 08:00 - 11:00 | Rancho Sierra Vista / Satwiwa, 4803 Lynn Rd, Newbury Park, CA, 91320
Meet at the parking area at 8 am. We’ll look for grassland birds.
Leader TBA – check with Dee Lyon (805) 427-0987

Sisar Canyon Field Trip
2022-04-09 08:00 - 11:00 | Sisar Canyon, 12799 Sisar Canyon Rd, Ojai, CA, 93023
Meet at the two water towers at 8 am. We’ll walk up to the creek, looking for migrating warblers.
Leader is Sammy Cowell (818) 470-7098

Monthly Program - April 2022
2022-04-04 19:30 - 21:00 | CVAS Monthly Program Zoom Meeting
BIRD MIGRATION IN THE SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS
With Dr. Ryan Terrill
Dr. Ryan Terrill
Bear Divide is a narrow pass in the San Gabriel Mountains, just outside of Los Angeles, that is home to spectacular dawn flights of migrating birds in the spring. With thousands of migrants funneling through such a narrow corridor, this is a unique biological phenomenon. In 2021, the Moore Lab of Zoology at Occidental College began a regular count to quantify the numbers and identities of birds migrating through Bear Divide. Join Dr. Ryan Terrill to learn about the status of spring migration across the Divide, and how you can help.
Currently working at the Moore Lab of Zoology at Occidental College, Dr. Terrill received his B.S. from UC Santa Cruz and his PhD from Louisiana State University. He has studied the evolution of bird molt, an incredible adaptation that allows birds to drop and regrow worn feathers each year, and as the lead on the Mexican Bird Resurvey Project, he used big biodiversity data and genomic tools to understand how a century of human-caused change has impacted bird communities. Dr. Terrill is one of the top experts on local birds and serves on the California Bird Records Committee, the group which compiles the state bird list and rules on new records.
To attend this meeting, use this link: https://zoom.us/j/6155249106
