About SBVAS 

 SBVAS strives to bring people to their natural environment. Focusing on birds and other wildlife, we hope to conserve natural resources in the Southern California's "Inland Empire," specifically San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial Counties.

Founded in 1948, San Bernardino Valley Audubon is southeastern California's  leading non-profit engaging people in the conservation of birds and their habitats. We involve people through recreational birding, envelop them in our education programs, and engage them in conservation actions from counting birds to working with local, state, and national policy makers.  San Bernardino Valley Audubon is a fully independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization. 

​Upcoming Events and Field Trips

Meetings

SBVAS board meetings convene the first Wednesday of each month at 7:00 pm, general meetings on the third Wednesday of each month at 7:30 pm. Board meetings are held at 740 W. Mill, Unit A, in San Bernardino and all general meetings are held at the San Bernardino County Museum at 2024 Orange Tree Lane in Redlands. 

Everybody is welcome. 

SBVAS WINTER PELAGIC TRIP

Feb. 8

Northern Pintail

JANUARY/FEBRUARY EVENTS

Saturday, January 11, 2020 

7:00 am

Salton Sea Goose & Crane Trip

Chet McGaugh (951) 781-3699 & Gene Cardiff  (909) 875-5358

This trip at times has been called the “waterfowl trip” the “goose trip” and “a wonderful field trip.”  It is all of that and more.  Perhaps a glimpse at some of the species seen on previous trips will help stoke the the fires of desire:  American White Pelican (hundreds), American Bittern, White-faced Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Snow Goose (thousands), Ross’s Goose (hundreds), Greater White-fronted Goose, Bald Eagle, four falcon species, Sandhill Cranes, Mountain Plover, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Burrowing Owl, Mountain Bluebird, and American Redstart.  We usually tally over 100 species.  We will meet at 7:00 am in the Denny’s parking lot at 66th Street and the 86 Highway in Mecca.  We will work South from Mecca on Highway 111 to North Shore, Salton Sea Recreation Area (SRA), toward Brawley, and our eventual terminus at Sonny Bono NWR Unit 1.  Expect mud.

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Saturday, January 11  

7:30 am

Seal Beach NWR

Brad Singer (909) 936-5087 

Located next to the Pacific Ocean on the border of Orange and Los Angeles Counties, the Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge hosts a wonderful array of raptors, shorebirds, waders, herons, rails, ducks, and sparrows. Because the refuge sits on an active naval weapons base, access is by special permit only. Field trips to the refuge regularly see Pacific Golden-Plover, Ferruginous Hawk, Ridgway's Rail, Large-billed Savannah Sparrow, and the much sought after Nelson’s Sparrow. Other rarities include Reddish Egret, Short-eared Owl, Lapland Longspur, and Cackling Goose. SBVAS has booked a trip during high tide, so that the sparrows and rails can be seen more easily.
This is a half-day trip to the Refuge. Following our stay there, we will have lunch and then pursue wintering rarities in the nearby vicinity in the afternoon. Space is extremely limited on this trip. There is a two-week vetting process by the Navy for all visitors. For those wishing to attend, please email me at  by the end of December. 

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January 15

7:30 pm

General Meeting-San Bernardino County Museum

Birding Down Under: Queensland and Northern Territory

By Steve Myers

Steve and Vesta Myers spent late June and early July of 2019 in Australia searching for its unique

birds and other wildlife. They visited much of Queensland, and the Northern Territory’s “Top End,”

including Darwin and Kakadu National Park.

This was the first trip out of the New World for them, and they were treated to a myriad of not only

new bird species, but many new bird families. Guided by local experts, they observed nearly 300

bird species, about 95% of which were “life birds.” Australia is also home to other unique and

fascinating wildlife, including incredible aggregations of fruit bats (flying foxes), kangaroos and

their relatives, possums, large monitor lizards, and very large and potentially dangerous Saltwater

Crocodiles.

Steve will present photos of many of these bird, mammal, and reptile species, along with a few

interesting facts about the “Land Down Under.”

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Saturday, January 18 

8:00 am

Malibu Lagoon to Point Mugu

Gene Cardiff  (909) 875-5358 & Dori Myers (714) 336-1420

 Malibu is always a special place to visit.  Meet at the entrance to the Malibu Pier at 8:00 AM, after breakfast.  Try to park along the highway on the beach side up a little and across from the Jack In the Box.  We will bird the pier and lagoon area in the morning and have lunch on the beach and then we will drive up the coast making several stops along the way.   Be prepared for cool to cold conditions on the pier and hope that it warms during the day.  We should stay to see the sunset so dress in layers, bring water and lots of snacks and a lunch. A spotting scope would be useful.

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Saturday, February 1

8:30 am

Silverwood Lake Field Trip     

Steve Myers 951-616-7578

Unfortunately the Silverwood Lake barge is under repair, and will not be available to us. Therefore, the field trip will be birding on land around the lake. The meeting time and place remains the same - the marina at 8:30.  Similar trips in the past have resulted in sightings of a wide variety of interesting water birds, including Common and Pacific Loon, Western, Clark's, Pied-billed, Eared, Horned, and Red-necked Grebes, Long-tailed Duck, White-winged Scoter, Surf Scoter, Hooded Merganser, and uncommon to rare gulls such as Thayer's, Mew, and Glaucous-winged Gulls.  Most winters the lake is host to a handful of Bald Eagles.  Silverwood Lake is one of the most reliable spots in southern California to find wintering Lewis's Woodpeckers, and hopefully they will be present this winter.  Other landbirds that are possible include up to three species of sapsuckers, and an interesting mix of chaparral-mixed coniferous forest species.   To reach the marina from the Inland Empire, go north on I-15 toward Cajon Pass, exiting at Highway 138. Go east on 138 approximately 11 miles to the Silverwood Lake exit.  Turn left and follow the road to the park entrance. There is an entrance fee per vehicle (which the park may waive if you mention you are there for the "barge tour"). Past the entrance follow signs to the marina.  This will be a long 1/2 day trip, lasting until 1-2 pm.

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Sunday, February 2

8:00-10:00 am

Beginning Bird Walk at Prado Regional Park 

Tom Benson  (909) 648-0899

Our goal will be to teach you enough basic birding techniques and identification skills so that you will feel comfortable birding on your own or joining our longer birding trips throughout the year. We will introduce you to some of our local species. The walk is free, but there is an entry fee for the park; see below. No reservations are needed. Everyone is welcome. We will meet at the marina parking lot in the center of the park. If you do not have a San Bernardino County Regional Parks pass, you will have to pay the $10 daily entry fee for the park. Please contact Tom Benson for further information. Rain or other conditions may cause last minute changes. 

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Sunday, February 9

7 am

San Jacinto Valley and Lake Perris

Chet McGaugh (951) 781-3699 & Tony Metcalf (951) 242-7038

The San Jacinto Wildlife Area (SJWA) and the San Jacinto Valley have lots of birds all year. SBVAS leads a Fall trip, a Spring trip, and now a Winter trip to this remarkable birding hotspot.   In addition to the high number of resident species, overwintering birds and the occasional spectacular occurrence, the diversity and number of birds of prey and gulls peak after the new year. So join us on a fairly intense but unstructured day. We will certainly cover the SJWA and adjacent lands, and we may go to Lake Perris and …well, who knows. We will meet at 7:00 AM at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area entrance.

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Wednesday, February 19

7:30 pm

General Meeting-San Bernardino County Museum

The Great Migration – Wildebeests in East Africa

Presented by Sherry Schmidt

Sherry Schmidt will present a PowerPoint presentation on a trip she took to Kenya in 2019 to

see the wildebeest migration. The presentation will mainly share images of what it is like to be

in Masai Mara during the wildebeest migration. She will also discuss a bit of savanna ecology

and provide tips on how to prepare for a photo safari to Africa. Tips will include gear to take

and how to pack it.

Sherry Schmidt is a Professor Emeritus at Mt. San Antonio College. She retired after 33 years

of service. She received her B.A. at University of Montana and her M.A. at C.S.U. Fullerton.

She  still teaches  Conservation Biology during the winter intersession. Her love of nature and

travel have taken her to the world’s 7 continents. She considers herself a conservation

photographer and hopes that her images will stimulate and interest in nature and concern

for the world’s vanishing species.

Laughing Kookaburra

Contact us at:

eSBVAS@gmail.com