Wednesday Walk – Balsam Meadows Snow-Park and Forebay

Registration is required.

Registration closes 24 hours before the event or when full.

Registration link

All participants must agree to the FAS Liability Waiver Form when they register. Use the QR code below or the form can also be found here

FAS Release of Liability Form

George Folsom will lead this trip to Balsam Meadows Snow-Park and Forebay on Southern California Edison Company property, just off Highway168, nine miles above Shaver Lake.  The elevation is 6,500 feet.  We will be walking a loop trail of about 2 miles with very little elevation change.  Parts of this area were burned in the Creek Fire leaving a mixture of burned and unburned habitats.

There are restrooms at the parking lot and at the Forebay, about halfway through our walk.  Parking is available at the Snow-Park just off Highway168 on the left as you pass the sign.

We can expect woodpeckers, raptors, finches, warblers, swifts, sparrows among may others.

Participants should bring snacks, lunch (if desired), water, hat, sunscreen, and binoculars, and should dress in layers.  We will meet at the River Park Target parking lot (7600 N Blackstone Ave.  Take E El Paso off of Blackstone), at 7:45 for an 8:00 AM departure.  For those driving directly to Balsam Meadows we should be there by 9:30.

Checklist: binoculars, scope, field guide, snacks, lunch, water, sunscreen, hat.

Trip Leader: George Folsom georgefolsom@icloud.com (559)351-7192

Map to Fresno meeting location, 7:45 AM

Map to Balsam Meadows Sno-Park, 9:30 AM

Registration is required.

All participants must agree to the FAS Liability Waiver Form when they register. Use the QR code below or the form can also be found here

FAS Release of Liability Form

Registration link

Pectoral Sandpiper by Gary Woods

The trip is limited to the first 30 people who sign up by Wednesday, Sept. 18th at 8 a.m.

Use this link to register

with your name as it appears on your driver’s license or ID card.

All participants must agree to the FAS Liability Waiver Form when they register. Use the QR code below or the form can also be found here

FAS Release of Liability Form

On Saturday September 21st we will be birding the Fresno WTP with leader Rick Grijalva. The trip is limited to the first 30 people who sign up by Wednesday, Sept. 18th at 8 a.m. We will be under strict security rules limiting how many cars we can use on the grounds and registrants will not be able to leave early from the group due to multiple electronic gates that we’ll be passing through.

Meet at the guard building at the entrance at 5607 W. Jensen Ave. We will be leaving for the ponds by 8:15 sharp after everyone has signed the liability waiver for the city that will be passed around on a clip board. We will do a final carpooling round to get the number of cars down to 10 maximum.

We will be leaving the ponds and going back to the cars at 11:45 and proceeding to Kearney Park for lunch for those who want to continue with the group. If you carpool from Fresno be sure to bring your lunch and expect to stay with the group until mid-afternoon.

There will be one porta-potty on the ponding complex for our use. Be sure to bring sun protection, binoculars, water, lunch and an ID. We will have a couple of scopes set up for you and we’ll be looking for some of the rarer shorebirds that might be migrating through like Baird’s and Pectoral Sandpipers, Semipalmated Sandpipers and Short-billed Dowitchers.

Clovis Botanical Gardens/ Cottonwood Park.

NOTE: The garden was closed at the beginning of September while they were working on the sewer/water lines for their new construction but according to their Instagram the garden reopened on Sept. 11. 

Registration is required for this event.

All participants must agree to the FAS Liability Waiver Form when they register. To view the form use the QR code below or the form can also be found here

FAS Release of Liability Form

Registration Link

On Wednesday, September 25, Fresno Audubon will visit the Clovis Botanical Gardens and adjacent Cottonwood Park. This area is always good to see many species of urban birds, including hummingbirds, woodpeckers, sparrows, towhees, and arriving wintering migrants. In addition, the Cottonwood Park pond has waterfowl, egrets, herons, comorants, and many other species, including occasional Ospreys and Bald Eagles.

A short walk along Dry Creek behind the Botanical Gardens is good for riparian birds, including migrant warblers.

Meet in the Botanical Gardens parking lot at Clovis Avenue and Alluvial at 8am. For more information, contact Larry Parmeter at 559-288-3456 or at lanpar362@gmail.com

All participants must agree to the FAS Liability Waiver Form when they register. To view the form use the QR code below or the form can also be found here

FAS Release of Liability Form

Registration Link

Wednesday Bird Walk at Sycamore Island 

Registration is required for this event.

Details Subject to Change

All participants must agree to the FAS Liability Waiver Form when they register. Use the QR code below or the form can also be found here

FAS Release of Liability Form

 Registration link

Meeting location:  Sycamore Island (36.8590560, -119.8230324)

Meeting time: 8:00 AM

End time:  Noon, or you may stay and have lunch with the group 

Sycamore Island, part of the San Joaquin River Parkway, is along the San Joaquin River in Madera County downstream from River West open space. It offers a variety of habitats:  river, ponds, riparian, grasslands, and wetlands.  We can expect ducks, raptors, herons, egrets, owls. woodpeckers, finches, swallows, sparrows among many others. 

This is a large property and we will do a combination of driving and  walking.  Walking distance will be 1 to 2 miles but those who don’t care to walk can drive to most of the areas.  There are picnic shelters with tables for lunch and restrooms on the property. 

Participants should bring snacks, lunch (if desired), water, hat, sunscreen, and binoculars, and should dress in layers.  

Registration is required for this event. If you have any questions, please reach out to trip leader at 559.351.7192 or geofolsom@gmail.com

All participants must agree to the FAS Liability Waiver Form when they register. Use the QR code below or the form can also be found here

FAS Release of Liability Form

 Registration link

Avocado Lake Bird Walk

Explore Avocado Lake’s Hidden Treasures!

Registration is required for this event.

All participants must agree to the FAS Liability Waiver Form when they register. Use the QR code below or the form can also be found here

Registration closes 24 hours before the event or when full.

Registration link

Join us for a birding adventure at Avocado Lake, a lesser-known gem offering a diverse habitat of open waters, riparian zones along the Kings River, and oak woodlands. This scenic area is ideal for spotting a variety of species including fall migrants, woodpeckers, nuthatches, sparrows, and finches—keep an eye out for the elusive Lawrence’s Goldfinch! The lake itself may host early wintering waterfowl and the occasional Common Loon. Raptors and towhees are also frequent visitors to this vibrant birding spot.

We’ll gather at 7:45 a.m. at the Manchester Center (corner of Blackstone & Shields), with an 8 a.m. departure.

Be prepared for a rewarding day of birding, and don’t forget your essentials:

Checklist: Binoculars, field guide app(s), snacks, lunch, water, sunscreen, and hat.

Trip Leader: Rick Grijalva, 559-578-6168

Birding at the Ruth Mckenzie Preserve

Registration is required for this event.

Registration Link

All participants must agree to the FAS Liability Waiver Form when they register. Use the QR code below or the form can also be found here

FAS Release of Liability Form

Join FAS for birding at the Ruth Mckenzie Preserve.  The walk is initially fairly easy, along a dirt road that undulates along a stream.  After about a mile, the road crosses the stream, and the hiking becomes a bit steeper.  We may see enough birds along that mile that we won’t cross the creek.  Possible sightings are Acorn Woodpeckers, Lewis Woodpecker, Phainopepla, Red-Tailed Hawk, Bluebirds, and a nesting pair of Golden Eagles.

Meet at the parking lot at the Sportsman’s Warehouse on Friant Road at 8:00.

Participants should bring snacks, lunch (if desired), water, binoculars, and a hat.  Wear sturdy shoes.  Registration is required for this event.  If you have questions, reach out to either trip leader.

Contact:

Wes Beal

(559) 250-2988

email: beal4farms@gmail.com

Registration Link

All participants must agree to the FAS Liability Waiver Form when they register. Use the QR code below or the form can also be found here

FAS Release of Liability Form

Lost Lake Audubon Field Trip Oct. 26

Registration is required for this event.

All participants must agree to the FAS Liability Waiver Form when they register. Use the QR code below or the form can also be found here

Registration closes 24 hours before the event or when full.

Registration link

Location: Lost Lake , Fresno County Park

                  Lost Lake Rd, Friant, CA 93626

Date and Meeting time: 8:00 am, Oct. 26th

Meeting location in park: Audubon Trailhead at the west end (down stream end) of the park. There is a small parking area at the trailhead, and a larger one a few hundred yards further into the park.

Duration of walk: 8:00 am – 11 am

Special instructions: the park entrance fee is usually enforced. Fee is $5. Please follow instructions at the entry kiosk if there is no attendant at the kiosk. 

What to bring: Binoculars, check weather report for comfortable clothing, (this is the month of March, almost any weather is possible), walking shoes, sunscreen / hat, water, snacks ( or lunch if staying beyond noon), free downloads of Audubon and/or Merlin Apps are very useful, western bird identification field guides are also useful. Be advised , there may be insects such as mosquitos, gnats etc. 

Walk Description: walking on mostly flat park grass, or on paved park road, from west ( at the trailhead) to east ( toward Friant Dam and the park campground). We will bird river, river lined grass/ shrub and oak tree habitat, and on the upper road the grassland leading into the park, using binoculars but also using the Merlin Sound ID app as an enhanced identification tool. In the park, there are picnic benches for rest stops, and the restrooms are usually open.

Possible birds: Egrets (several species), Cedar Waxwing, Hawks (several species) Varied Thrush, Bald Eagle,  Common Merganser , Acorn Woodpecker, Canada Goose, Ring- necked Duck, Anna’s Hummingbird, Great Blue Heron, Wood Duck, Phainopepla, Black Phoebe, and many others.

Other possible sightings…Coyotes, Bobcats…on the other side of the river.

Registration is required for this walk.

Hard Rain or flooding cancels this walk.

Trip Leader: Kevin Enns-Rempel

Contact information: 

Email: kevin.enns.rempel@gmail.com

Registration link

All participants must agree to the FAS Liability Waiver Form when they register. Use the QR code below or the form can also be found here

The Raptor Trail on The Kings River at Pine Flat Dam

Registration is required for this event.

All participants must agree to the FAS Liability Waiver Form when they register. Use the QR code below or the form can also be found here

Registration Link

Join FAS for birding along the Kings River. The trail begins across from the parking lot on the south side of the bridge just below Pine Flat Dam. The trail is basically an easy walk of approximately a mile and a quarter each way, but there is some uneven terrain and river rocks create a cobblestone surface in parts. Some of our target species include Golden Eagles, Bald Eagles, Oak Titmouse, Acorn Woodpecker,  California Quail,  White-Breasted Nuthatch and Osprey.

Meet in the parking lot at the south side of the bridge. If you want to look for directions from the eBird map, the Raptor Trail is just across the river from the North Riverside Access Park eBird Hotspot. GPS Coordinates 36.8298592686927, -119.33621274737327.

Participants should bring snacks, lunch (if desired), water, hat, sunscreen, and binoculars, and should dress in layers. Registration is required for this event. If you have any questions, please reach out to the trip leader.

Contact:

Susan Heidebrecht

(559) 313-1777

email: sunheidebrecht@comcast.net

Registration Link

All participants must agree to the FAS Liability Waiver Form when they register. Use the QR code below or the form can also be found here

Kings River Mitigation Site

All participants must agree to the FAS Liability Waiver Form when they register. Use the QR code below or the form can also be found here.

FAS Release of Liability Form

Registration Link

Leader: Rick Grijalva, rickgrijalva2@gmail.com

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Field Trip Description:

Join us for a new bird walk. This site is not usually accessible to the public, but Fresno Audubon Society and Westervelt Ecological Services have partnered for this unique field trip. Though not on the Kings River, the property is situated along the western extent of the historical Kings River floodplain. There are approximately 1.5 acres of open water on the site where Virginia Rails have been heard calling for over a year. Join us for an educational birding excursion led by Westervelt’s senior ecologist, Francesca Carrizo, and FAS President, Rick Grijalva. Likely bird species include a variety of hawks, warblers, sparrows, blackbirds, ducks, and other waterfowl.

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Meet at Faller Park at 7:45 a.m. to arrange carpools to the site. Park cars on 10th Street. We will leave at 8:00 a.m.  for the Mitigation Site.

NOTE:

• Participants will need to sign a Westervelt Ecological Services waiver;
• There are very little defined trails on the property, so the field trip will require walking off trail in uneven terrain with potentially tall grass – I recommend everyone wear pants and sturdy shoes they don’t mind getting dirty;
• There are cows on the site and will likely have to avoid cow patties when we walk;
• There are no bathrooms on the property.

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Registration Link

Merced National Wildlife Refuge

Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Registration Link

Details Subject to Change.

All participants must agree to the FAS Liability Waiver Form when they register. Use the QR code below or the form can also be found here

FAS Release of Liability Form

With winter migrants filling local refuges and putting on a tremendous show, it is a wonderful time to bird Central Valley wetlands. Join Fresno Audubon on Wednesday, November 13 for a tour of the Merced National Wildlife Refuge. We will meet at the MacDonald’s parking lot in the Marketplace at El Paseo (6741 N Riverside Dr, Fresno, CA 93722, see map below) at 11:45 for a noon start.

Secondary meet up is at the first parking lot of the refuge, near the bathrooms and the first observation deck, at 1:00pm (see map). After driving the auto tour, we will gather at the second observation deck at sundown for the spectacular crane fly-in, which should end around 5:30pm.

Target birds include Lesser Sandhill Cranes, Black and Say’s Phoebes, White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows, American Pipits, Northern Shovelers, Northern Pintails, Gadwalls, Green-winged and Cinnamon Teals, Greater White-fronted Geese, Snow Geese, Ross’s Geese, American White Pelicans, Great and Snowy Egrets, Great Blue Herons, American Coots, Black-necked Stilts, White-faced Ibis, Long-billed Dowitchers, Dunlin, Wilson’s Snipe, Least Sandpipers, Long-billed Curlews, Red-tailed Hawks, and Northern Harriers. Also possible are Cackling Geese, Red-shouldered Hawks, Cooper’s Hawks, Bald Eagles, Kestrels, and Great-horned Owls. Both a Burrowing Owl and Vermillion Flycatchers.

Participants should bring day packs, hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, plenty of water, snacks, lunch (if desired), and binoculars, and should dress in layers. We probably will not be doing much hiking, but comfortable walking shoes are recommended. Please bring radios (walky-talkies) if you have them.

Registration is required for this event.

Registration Link