EVENT CALENDAR - Fresno Audubon Society
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
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Field Trip to River West Madera 8:00 am
Field Trip to River West Madera @ River West Madera
Dec 4 @ 8:00 am – 12:30 pm
Field Trip to River West Madera @ River West Madera
Field Trip to River West Madera Wednesday December 4, 2024 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 River West Madera December 4, 2024 ...
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Saturday Field Trip – Merced Grasslands & Merced NWR 6:45 am
Saturday Field Trip – Merced Grasslands & Merced NWR
Dec 7 @ 6:45 am – 5:45 pm
Saturday Field Trip - Merced Grasslands & Merced NWR
Saturday Field Trip – Merced Grasslands & Merced NWR Registration required for all FAS field trips. 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 for this...
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11
Merced Wildlife Refuge  (off Sandy Mush Rd) Location Change 10:00 am
Merced Wildlife Refuge  (off Sandy Mush Rd) Location Change @ Merced Wildlife Refuge
Dec 11 @ 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
Merced Wildlife Refuge  (off Sandy Mush Rd) Location Change @ Merced Wildlife Refuge
Audubon Field Trip to Merced Wildlife Refuge Location changed from Eastman OR Hensley (TBD) due to lack of birds in this location. All participants must agree to the FAS Liability Waiver Form when they register. Use the QR code below or the form can also...
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Introduction to Birding Saturday Dec. 21, 2024 9:00 am
Introduction to Birding Saturday Dec. 21, 2024 @ River Center
Dec 21 @ 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Introduction to Birding Saturday Dec. 21, 2024 @ River Center
Introduction to Birding at the River Center 11605 Old Friant Rd Fresno, CA 93730     Registration link  All registrants must agree to the FAS Liability Waiver Form when they register. Use the QR code below or the form can also be found here Description...
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Field Trip to River West Open Space 8:00 am
Field Trip to River West Open Space @ River West Open Space
Dec 28 @ 8:00 am – 12:30 pm
Field Trip to River West Open Space @ River West Open Space
Field Trip to River West Open Space Saturday, December 28, 2024 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 Register here! Join...
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May
10
Wed
2023
CANCELLED: Wednesday Bird Walk at Lost Lake @ Lost Lake
May 10 @ 8:30 am – 12:00 pm

Lost Lake Audubon Field Trip Wednesday May 10th

This trip has been canceled due to flooding and park closure.

Registration is required for this event.

Register Here

Location: Lost Lake , Fresno County Park

                  Lost Lake Rd, Friant, CA 93626

Date and Meeting time: 8:30 am , May 10th

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: 8:30 am – 12 pm

 

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: Lynda Schafhauser

Contact information: cell for voicemail or text: 559-474-0651

Email: rufusradar@att.net

 

Register Here

May
13
Sat
2023
Birding at Roeding Park @ Roeding Park (meet in parking in front of zoo)
May 13 @ 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

Birding at Roeding Park

Registration is required for this event.

Register Here

 

Join trip leader Maureen Walsh for birding at Roeding Park.  We will start at Lake Washington where we will see Wood ducks among other waterfowl in the lake and see the Cattle egret, Black-crowned night herons, and Double-crested cormorants in the rookery on the island. There are hundreds of birds nesting in the rookery.  Then we will walk other areas of the park to see a variety of woodpeckers, raptors, warblers, etc.  

 

We will meet at the parking lot in front of the zoo, across from Lake Washington.  There is a $5.00 entry fee to the park and a new automated parking system.  

 

If you wish to bring lunch, there are plenty of picnic tables available for eating and calculating our bird count.  

 

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 Maureen Walsh at mewnew10@yahoo.com or (559) 706-4980.

 

Register Here

May
20
Sat
2023
Introduction to Birding May 20, 2023 @ Sumner Peck Ranch
May 20 @ 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Introduction to Birding at the Sumner Peck Ranch

14439 N Friant Rd
Friant, CA 93626

Please register for the May 20 event here.

 

The Parkway Trust and Fresno Audubon Society have joined forces to offer a birding class that combines instruction, exploration, and fun! Beginning birders will see and learn about local and migratory birds that might be visiting the Sumner Peck Ranch. New birders will discover easy ways to identify migrating and year-round, local birds. The class will include a walk looking for birds in the various habitats found at the Sumner Peck Ranch. We will meet at the new picnic shelter on the north side of the center. After entering the grounds, proceed straight ahead towards the river. There is a parking area and a picnic area at the river. After learning about using binoculars and various aids in bird identification like guide books and phone apps, we will bird around the property. Bring binoculars, lunch, water and sun protection.  Fresno Audubon will have binoculars to loan if you do not have your own. Children are welcome! Rain cancels this event.
Class is held from 9 AM -12 PM on the third Saturday of each month from October through May.

 

Please register for the May 20 event here.

May
24
Wed
2023
Elkhorn Slough, May 24, 2023 @ Elkhorn Slough
May 24 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Long-billed Curlew, Marbled Godwit and Willet by Peter Nagayama

 

This event is currently full.

 

When: Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Time: 10:00 am – 12 noon on the Private Chartered Boat
12 noon – 1 pm Birding on the Shore
1:00 pm Lunch

Cost: $40 per person (NON-REFUNDABLE)

(If the event is canceled due to 18 person minimum not being met a refund will be issued)

 

 

Join FAS and Monterey Bay Eco Tours on a one-of-a-kind, private chartered electric powered catamaran ride for birding and a naturalist led wildlife tour along one of California’s largest tidal waterways, the Elkhorn Slough. Along with the many species of birds that inhabit the slough, we hope to see otters (and pups!) as well as Harbor seals, and other marine mammals. Friends, family, and all ages are welcome, but seating is limited, so please register early.

 

This is an out of town trip starting at 10:00 am, so you can either stay the night before nearby (Watsonville is the most economical) or leave Fresno  to arrive before 10:00. After the catamaran ride we will bird the  Moss Landing North Jetty and State Beach eBird Hotspot and then go to an optional lunch at Phil’s Fish Market before returning home.

 

Please Note: Registration Closes Wednesday, April 26, 2023

 

Where: 10932 Clam Way
Moss Landing, CA 95039

Cost: $40 per person (NON-REFUNDABLE)

(If the event is canceled due to 18 person minimum not being met a refund will be issued)

Contact: Maureen Walsh
mewnew10@yahoo.com
(559) 706-4980

 

This event is currently full.

 

Checklist: binoculars, bird guide, water, layered clothing and sun protection.

 

Jun
10
Sat
2023
Shaver Lake/Swanson Meadow: Saturday, June 10, 2023 @ Shaver Lake/Swanson Meadow
Jun 10 @ 6:45 am – 3:45 pm

 

Shaver Lake/Swanson Meadow Bird Walk

June 10, 2023

Register here

 

We’ll be heading up into the Sierra Nevada on June 10 for a day of mid-elevation birding. It’s not yet clear whether there will still be weather-related limitations for access in this area, so the details will need to remain a bit vague. We hope to start at Swanson Meadow near Shaver Lake. Expect wet conditions in the meadow. Rubber boots might be a good idea, though it’s possible to stay on the higher and drier ground around the edge of the meadow. If the road is open, we’ll go up to McKinley Grove.
Exact details will be worked out as the date gets closer.
We’ll meet at 6:45am in the WalMart parking lot at the corner of Blackstone & Ashlan Avenues for a 7:00am departure time. Bring lunch, insect repellent, and sunscreen. We plan to be back my mid-afternoon.

 

Contact Kevin Enns-Rempel (559-313-4546) for more information.

 

Register here

 

 

Jun
14
Wed
2023
Wednesday Walk – Fish Camp and Goat Meadow @ Fish Camp and Goat Meadow
Jun 14 @ 8:00 am – 3:00 pm

Registration Required.

Link to Registration.

 

Fresno Audubon’s Wednesday Walk to Fish Camp and Goat Meadow will be on June 14, 2023. We will leave from the Walmart parking lot at Ashlan and Blackstone at 8am and head north on Highway 41.

 

Our first stop will be at Fish Camp, where we will bird around the creek and the willow meadow, looking for Dippers, warblers, and mountain meadow birds.

 

Then we will head for Goat Meadow, about two miles away, just before the entrance to Yosemite National Park. This area is good for woodpeckers, including Pileated Woodpecker and Williamson’s Sapsucker, Nuthatches, mountain warblers, and mountain sparrows, among many other birds. A caveat: because of heavy snow and water runoff this year, we may not be able to access Goat Meadow. If so, we will go to an alternative site.

 

Even though it’s June, still bring warm clothing, waterproof boots, and a lunch. For more information, Contact Larry Parmeter at lanpar362@gmail.com or at 559-288-3456.

 

For more information, contact Larry Parmeter at lanpar362@gmail.com or at 559-288-3456.

 

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

Registration Required.

Link to Registration.

 

Sep
9
Sat
2023
Fresno/Clovis Wastewater Treatment Plant Field Trip @ Fresno/Clovis Wastewater Treatment Plant
Sep 9 @ 7:30 am – 12:45 pm

Pectoral Sandpiper by Gary Woods

Use this link to register

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

 

On Saturday September 9th we will be birding the Fresno WTP with co-leaders George Folsom and Gary Woods. The trip is limited to the first 30 people who sign up by Sept. 6th at 6pm. 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.

 

We will be meeting at 7:30 at the Walmart parking lot at the SE corner of Blackstone and Ashlan for preliminary carpooling and departing from there at 7:45 sharp. Alternatively, participants may go directly to the guard building at the entrance at 5607 W. Jensen Ave and tell the guard you are with the Audubon field trip. You will then be allowed to drive through the gate and will park in the first lot immediately on the right to wait for the main group. 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.

Fresno Meeting Location:

Alternate Meeting Location:

Leaders: George Folsom 351-7192 and Gary Woods 567-6005
Sep
20
Wed
2023
Wednesday Walk – Balsam Meadows Snow-Park and Forebay
Sep 20 @ 7:45 am – 2:00 pm

Registration is required. Register here for the event here.

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 Walmart, Ashlan and 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

Sep
23
Sat
2023
Grant Grove, Sept. 23, 2023 @ Grant Grove
Sep 23 @ 7:00 am – 4:00 pm

 

Grant Grove Bird Walk

September 23, 2023

Register here

 

Join Fresno Audubon on Saturday, September 23, as we journey up Highway 180 to the Grant Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park and beyond. Registration for this trip is required. Register here

 

We will meet at 7:00 AM in the parking lot between Javier’s Mexican Restaurant (5680 E. Kings Canyon Rd.) and the Educational Employees Credit Union to arrange carpooling. See Map Below.

 

The group will depart by 7:15 AM. Our first stop will be Grant Grove Village, where we will bird around the meadow. We will then drive about 6.5 miles farther on Highway 180 to the Indian Basin Grove Interpretive Trail/Princess Campground. Depending on time, we may also stop at the Big Stump Grove on the way back. We will head back down by about 4 pm. Participants can certainly leave earlier if they’d prefer.

 

Participants should bring snacks, lunch, water, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, and binoculars. Registration is required and there is a limit of 25 participants.

 

Please reach out to trip leader Kevin Enns-Rempel (559-313-4546 or kevin.enns.rempel@gmail.com) with any questions. 

 

Oct
11
Wed
2023
Field Trip to River West Madera @ River West Madera
Oct 11 @ 8:00 am – 12:30 pm

Field Trip to River West Madera

Wednesday

October 11, 2023

Register here!

 

We will meet at 8:00 a.m. just outside the Valley Golf Center (which is south and down the hill from Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera County). The walk will mostly follow along the San Joaquin River downstream toward Sycamore Island. Although the river is also accessible from Wildwood Native Park, we will start from the Golf Center as the status of the Park is uncertain at this time.

 

We plan to take Palm Avenue south toward the river from the golf course, past the pipe gate, then following the river downstream, first on the service road to Sycamore Island, then along the Riverfront Trail, ultimately emerging at a grouping of several ponds and a large lagoon just north of the river channel. The Riverfront Trail follows a berm next to the river and is somewhat narrow and uneven. For anyone not comfortable with it, the Sycamore Island road can be followed instead. Total distance is about 3.5 miles.

 

Although this is directly across the river from River West Open Space, be prepared for some different birds on the Madera County side. We will be looking especially for our some of our early returning winter friends, including common merganser, white-crowned sparrows, black-crowned night heron, white-throated swift, northern flickers, phainopepla, Say’s phoebes, ruby-crowned kinglets, yellow-rumped warblers, and black-throated gray warblers.
Bring suitable clothing (layers) and walking shoes, snacks, water, head covering, sunscreen, and binoculars. The ponds and lagoon will be quite amenable to spotting scopes, although they are more than a mile and a half from the assembly area.

 

Directions: Take Highway 41 north from Fresno, to the first exit north of the San Joaquin River (Exit 138A). Turn right at the intersection and follow Cobb Ranch Road back toward Fresno until you get to the first intersection. Turn right and proceed under the Highway 41 bridges to the parking area just outside the golf course where we will assemble.

 

Leader: John McDaniel

Phone: (559) 779-7186

Email: mandomac@comcast.net

Register here!