SAN BERNARDINO VALLEY AUDUBON SOCIETY

Saturday, January 31, 2026 - 7:00 am

Salton Sea Goose & Crane Trip

Leader: Tom Benson (909) 648-0899

This trip at times has been called the “waterfowl trip”, the “goose trip”, and a “wonderful field trip.” It is all of those and more. We usually tally over 100 species. We will make an effort to see regional specialties including Snow Goose, Ross’s Goose, Sandhill Crane, Mountain Plover, Stilt Sandpiper, and Burrowing Owl. We will meet at 7:00 am behind the Del Taco in the Mecca Travel Center at 66th Avenue and the 86 Expressway. We will work south from Mecca on Highway 111 to North Shore, Salton Sea State Recreation Area (SRA), toward Brawley, and our eventual terminus at Unit 1 Salton Sea NWR. Please bring your California State Parks pass or $5 for parking at the SRA.

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Saturday, February 7, 2026 - 7:30 am

Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve Field Trip

Leader: Charity Hagen (951) 733-3384

The Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve in Murrieta is a haven for bird life at the southern end of the Santa Ana Mountains.  With it's multiple habitats of Oak and Sycamore riparian woodlands, Chapparal, rare Bunchgrass Prairie, and ephemeral Vernal Pools, it is a great place to see birds of multiple habitats in one location.  This trip takes place during the winter months when the diversity of birds is the highest, with resident species joined by wintering birds such as sparrows, raptors, and woodpeckers.  The Reserve is well known as a reliable location to see Lewis's Woodpeckers.  With any luck, winter rains will fill the vernal pools, which can be full of ducks and shorebirds of many species.  The trip will begin at 7:30 at the Visitor Center, which is 4 miles west of Interstate 15 on Clinton Keith Rd., in the city of Murrieta.  There is a $6 per person fee to access the preserve, payable at the trailhead or visitor center.  Plan on a walk up to 2-3 miles on some uneven terrain.  Depending on conditions and other factors such as water in the vernal pools, we may drive to other access points on the Reserve, but the trip will begin at the Visitor Center.  Bring good walking/hiking shoes, a jacket, and snacks and water.  Heavy rain prior to the trip will likely cancel, contact the trip leader at the phone number listed if the weather has been bad for updates on the trip.  

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Sunday, February 8, 2026

San Jacinto Valley and Lake Perris

Leader: Tony Metcalf (951) 347-7710

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 18, 7pm

General Meeting

“Chino Hills State Park – Wild and Beautiful”

Presented by Sherry Schmidt

Chino Hills State Park was created in the early 1980’s to protect a large swath

of the Puente-Chino Hills from development. The park protects plant

communities that were once common in Southern California and is home to a

number of endangered and sensitive species. This will be a three-part

presentation. In the first part I will talk about the importance of corridors to

nature preserves and the preservation of the Coal Canyon Corridor, a biological

link between Chino Hills State Park to the Santa Ana Mountains.  I will then

cover the plant communities found in the park and the common birds that

inhabit each community. I will end the talk with a quick survey of charismatic

mammals including some of the nocturnal mammals that are rarely seen.

Come enjoy the talk, everybody is welcome.

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