Field Trips
Field trips generally leave from the former Mervyns parking lot, at the southeast corner of Blackstone and Ashlan in Fresno. We meet in the corner of the lot nearest to the intersection. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A NEW LOCATION FOR OUR MEETING PLACE. Unless otherwise noted, weekend trips leave at 7:00 a.m. and Wednesday Walks leave at 8:00 a.m. Contact the designated leader, however, to make sure this is the meeting place and departure time for specific trips. We generally arrange car-pooling at the parking lot to minimize the number of vehicles involved in the trip.
Most field trips end by early to late afternoon. Participants should bring binoculars, lunch and water, and wear good walking shoes. Two-way radios are very helpful on many of our trips. If you have some, please bring them along.
Dates, times, and destinations are subject to change, due to weather or other conditions. Be sure to contact the leader of your trip to confirm these details. The current issue of the Yellowbill also contains updated details for some trips.
All Fresno Audubon field trips are open to the public.
Weekend Field Trips: 2009-2010
The weekend field trip coordinator is Frank Gibson (559-299-8452). All weekend trips are led by Frank, unless otherwise noted.
- September 12: Shorebird Safari
This trip will go to wherever good numbers of shorebirds are being reported in the Madera/Fresno/Tulare/Kings County area - October 24: Lost Lake Park
Lost Lake Park, located along the San Joaquin River near the town of Friant, is one of the premier birding areas in the Fresno area. We're always sure to see something good here.
Leader: Kevin Enns-Rempel - November 21: Parkfield
The trip to Parkfield is excellent for raptors, and also offers the chance to see Pronghorns and Tule Elk.
Leader: Kevin Enns-Rempel - December 12: From the Madera County foothills to
Merced National Wildlife Refuge
In what has become an annual early December tradition, Jeff Seay will lead us through the foothills and grasslands of Madera County from the Friant Bridge to Chowchilla, and then west on Sandy Mush Road to the Merced National Wildlife Refuge. It's not uncommon to see nearly 100 species of birds on this trip.
Leader: Jeff Seay - January 9: Fresno/Clovis Regional Water Reclamation
Facility
Check out the best ponds in Fresno County for ducks, geese, grebes, gulls, Cattle Egret, shorebirds and even Burrowing Owls! Gary may even throw in a side trip to Kearney Park for wintering dickey birds.
Leader: Gary Woods - January 23: Merced County
Details TBA.
Leader: Larry Parmeter - February 27-28: Cosumnes River Preserve and Gray Lodge
Wildlife Area (overnight trip)
The thunder of a million ducks and 100,000 Snow Geese all taking off at dusk from Gray Lodge Wildlife Area in the shadow of the Sutter Buttes is an experience never to be forgotten! On the way home, we'll stop at the Cosumnes River Preserve for "Whistling" Swans and Sandhill Cranes.
Leader: Frank Gibson (559-299-8452) - March 27: Tulare County foothills
We will join Tulare Audubon Society for a trip to Bravo Lake, Dry Creek Road, and Drum Valley. This is a wonderful spring wildflower as well as bird trip. Varied habitats should provide us waterfowl, owls, hawks, buntings, orioles, Wrentits and thrashers. Maximum elevation: 3000'. - April 24: Pixley National Wildlife Refuge & Atwell
Island
We will again join Tulare Audubon Society for this trip. Pixley NWR should have thousands of Sandhill Cranes, plus White-faced Ibis as well as waterfowl, shorebirds, hawks and bitterns. Then we'll head to the Atwell Island restoration project to see what returning migrants can be found. - May 8: Sycamore Island
We'll be birding the riparian area along the San Joaquin River just west of Highway 41.
Leader: Penny Stewart - June 12: Yosemite National Park
Take a walk in The Park! Possibilities: Great Gray Owl; Black-backed Woodpecker; Williamson's Sapsucker; nesting flycatchers, vireos, wrens, warblers and sparrows. Maximum elevation: 8000'.
Leader: Frank Gibson (559-299-8452) - July 31-August 1: Big Sur/Elkhorn Slough/Moss
Landing
We will meet on Saturday, July 31, at the entrance to Andrew Molera State Park (21.2 miles south of Rio Road in Carmel on Highway 1) at 7:00 a.m. We will bird the park and visit the Big Sur Ornithology Banding Station there. After lunch, we will wander down the highway south of Pfeiffer-Big Sur State Park to the Torre Canyon Bridge. On Sunday, August 1, we will meet at the Moonglow Dairy gate (1.2 miles east of Moss Landing on Dolan Road) at 7:00 a.m. Later we will visit the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Moss Landing Wildlife Area. - August 21-22: Camping With Kangaroo Rats
We'll visit the Carrizo Plain with Howard Clark to look at Giant Kangaroo Rats. Get there in late afternoon to see the San Joaquin antelope squirrel and then after dusk, with birdseed in hand, feed some k-rats! Late-night return to Fresno or camp overnight. Maximum elevation: 3000'. - August 28: Great Western Divide
We'll explore the back roads and meadows of the Sierra Nevada from Camp Nelson south. Evening Grosbeak, Red Crossbill, and Spotted Owl are all good possibilities. Maximum elevation: 8000'.
Wednesday Walks: 2009-2010
The Wednesday Walk coordinators are Darby & Vicki Smith (559-787-2969 or cell 559-260-0504) and Ken & Betty Cornelisen (559-439-2267).
- September 23: Courtright Lake
Here's a chance to bird and view gorgeous scenery up beyond 7000+ ft. Woodpeckers, sapsuckers, grosbeaks, and crossbills are all possible.
Leader: Lynn Hemink - October 14: Grant Grove/Big Meadow
Spend a day in the middle elevations of the Sierra Nevada. Among the elusive birds we'll be seeking are the Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Goshawk, and Williamson's Sapsucker.
Leader: Jim Warner - October 28: Lost Lake Park
Join us for a leisurely walk along the San Joaquin River, enjoying the beginning of fall colors, as we look for waterfowl, warblers, woodpeckers, raptors, and many other birds.
Leader: Ken & Betty Cornelisen - November 11: Yokohl Valley
A favorite for great views of Golden Eagle, Ferruginous Hawk, harrier, Merlin, and Prairie Falcon. We've had Greater Roadrunner, Northern Pygmy- owl, Lewis' Woodpecker, Vesper Sparrow, and even American Dipper.
Leader: Frank Gibson (559-299-8452) - November 17-19: Central Coast
We will stay first at Big Sur, where we will visit Andrew Molera State Park (fee required) for warblers. On the 18th we will go down the coast for two nights at Morro Bay. On the way we hope to sight California Condors! At Morro Bay we will study seaside and bay bird life.
Leader: Kay Barnes (559-787-2985) - November 24: Fresno ponding basins
Scattered throughout Fresno and Clovis are dozens of small floodwater control ponds, which often attract interesting birds. We'll see what we can find on some of them.
Leader: Kay Barnes (559-787-2985) - December 9: Parkfield
This trip is always a favorite as we journey two hours from Fresno to enjoy California as it was in the past. We have sighted Rough-Legged Hawks, Bald Eagles, Yellow-Billed Magpies, Greater Roadrunners and even Bobcats, Pronghorn Antelope, and Tule Elk (when we are lucky).
Leader: Ken & Betty Cornelisen - December 16: Bass Lake
We will be looking for loons and goldeneyes. In the past we've been really lucky to see a flock of Red Crossbills at the south end of the lake.
Leader: Helen Button (559-787-2969) - January 13: Madera County grasslands
January is a perfect time for finding a variety of hawks, falcons, and eagles in the Madera grasslands. Mountain Bluebirds also may be seen. This trip includes visiting Eastman and Hensley Lakes, where birds of the foothills can be found.
Leader: Irene Moon - January 27: Merced National Wildlife Refuge
Highlights of this this trip are the large flocks of wintering White (Snow & Ross') Geese, and Sandhill Cranes. Because hunting season is still open, we are confined to the main tour route within the refuge. We normally see between sixty and seventy species, including Tundra Swan, Rough-legged Hawk, Yellow-billed Magpie, and Yellow-headed Blackbird. This trip has two meeting points; The old Mervyns parking lot at Blackstone & Ashlan in Fresno, and at the Truck Stop in CA 99 at Avenue 18 ½.
Leader: Pete Fahey - February 10: Kern National Wildlife Refuge
On this trip we venture to southern Kings County and then to the Kern National Wildlife Refuge. Our main quarry will be large flocks of Sandhill Cranes and wintering ducks, hawks, and blackbirds. At Pixley NWR we hope to see Sandhill Cranes and lots of wintering waterfowl. Then we proceed to Kern NWR for lunch and a rendezvous with the refuge biologist, Pam Williams, who will guide us through the refuge, away from the normal auto tour route. Last year we saw sixty-two species. In addition to our normal meeting place at the old Mervyn's parking lot at Blackstone & Ashlan, we will also meet our southern and eastern friends at the Burger King on Floral Avenue just west of CA 99 exit 118.
Leader: Pete Fahey - March 3: San Luis National Wildlife Refuge
(Re-scheduled from February 24)
Hunting season is over, so on this trip, we get to travel throughout the San Luis NWR with a special use permit. This allow us access to areas not regularly traveled. In the past we have seen Tundra Swans, Ring-Necked Pheasants, Virginia Rails, and a good variety of waterfowl. This trip has two meeting points; The old Mervyn's parking lot at Blackstone & Ashlan in Fresno, and at the Truck Stop in CA 99 at Avenue 18 ½.
Leader: Pete Fahey - March 2-4: Elkhorn Slough/Monterey County. THIS TRIP
HAS BEEN CANCELED.
- March 10: Mendota Wildlife Management Area
Our day should be just ducky! Look for dancing grebes, flighty geese, showy ducks, migrating Swainson's Hawks, lingering Ferruginous Hawks, and transient Whimbrels.
Leader: Margaret Houck (559-252-8548) & Frank Gibson (559-299-8452) - March 24: Fresno/Clovis Regional Water Reclamation
Facility
This is probably the best place for waterfowl in the immediate Fresno area.
Leader: Bev Brock - April 14: Bravo Lake/Eshom Valley
This trip is new for Wednesday Walks. We begin at Bravo Lake in Woodlake looking for waterfowl and perhaps a Bald Eagle. We continue to the foothills hoping to see Lazuli Bunting, Bullocks Oriole, and some early wildflowers.
Leaders: Darby & Vicki Smith - April 28: China Creek/Avocado Lake
A trip to China Creek County Park, Avocado Lake County Park, Wonder Valley, and a Heron and Egret nesting site on private property showcases some of the great birding spots in eastern Fresno County. Birds might include assorted water fowl in the lake, Western Bluebirds, Bullock's Orioles and Lewis's Woodpecker.
Leader: Kay Barnes (559-787-2985) - May 4-6: Galileo Hills: THIS TRIP HAS BEEN
CANCELLED
- May 12: Sequoia Lake/Millwood
Leader: Gary Potter - May 26: Shaver Lake
Shaver Lake, at a mid-level elevation in the Sierra Nevada, is home to the Brown Creeper, Red-breasted Nuthatch, While-headed Woodpecker, and—if we are lucky—a glimpse of the Great Gray Owl and a distant Bald Eagle in the nest.
Leader: Kay Barnes (559-787-2985) - June 9: Beasore Road/Madera County mountains
Come on up to high country above Bass Lake as we look for new arrivals. On past trips we have seen Yellow-breasted Chat, Winter Wren, California Thrasher, and much more!
Leader: Lynn Hemink
