EVENT CALENDAR - Fresno Audubon Society
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
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2
3
4
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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7
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...
8
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10
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...
12
13
14
Lost Lake Christmas Bird Count 2024
Lost Lake Christmas Bird Count 2024
Dec 14 all-day
Lost Lake Christmas Bird Count 2024
Lost Lake Christmas Bird Count Details Subject to Change.   On Saturday, December 14, 2024, Fresno Audubon will be hosting the annual Lost Lake Christmas Bird Count, which covers sections of both Fresno and Madera Counties. Participants will be assigned to particular sections, and will...
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28
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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Nov
25
Fri
2022
#optoutside Opt Outside Bird Walk @ Millerton Lake (Madera Side)
Nov 25 @ 8:00 am – 2:00 pm

Opt Outside November 25, 2022

Please register here.

As we all know, Thanksgiving this year is on Thursday, November 24, and the day after is Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year. Instead of braving the crowds and heading into the stores on Friday November, 25, please join Fresno Audubon for our #OptOutside event at Millerton Lake State Recreation Area! We will be meeting at 8:00 at the Four Corners Park & Ride at Hwy 41 and Hwy 145 and from there we’ll carpool to the Madera County side of Millerton.

There is a $10 entry fee per vehicle (up to 9 people per vehicle). The cost for seniors is $9 per vehicle. If you have a State Parks pass, definitely bring it along! To reduce costs, we would like to encourage carpooling among members of the same households/social circles. Parking vehicles outside the entrance and walking in is not allowed per park rules. The plan is to check out the lake from various parking spots along the road and to hike on the nature trail which parallels the road. Our target species will include Bewick’s Wren, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren, California Towhee, Spotted Towhee, Eared Grebe, Western Grebe, Bald Eagle, and many more! We will likely be wrapping up at Millerton Lake around 1:30 or 2:00.

 

 

If there is interest afterward, we will visit Road 208 between Highway 41 and Road 211 to look for Ferruginous Hawks and Lewis’s Woodpeckers. Participants should bring day packs, hats, sunscreen, sunglasses plenty of water, snacks, lunch (if desired), and binoculars, and should dress in layers. Hiking shoes are recommended.

 

 

 

 

Registration is required for this event. Please reach out to trip leader Rachel Clark at tanagergirl@gmail.com or 515-357-0122 with any questions you might have. 

Please register here.

 

 

Even if you’re not able to join us, we hope that you are able to Opt Outside on Friday following Thanksgiving!

 

 

 

 

Nov
30
Wed
2022
Lake Yosemite in Merced Nov 30, 2022 @ Lake Yosemite
Nov 30 @ 8:00 am – 2:00 pm

Register Here

The Fresno Audubon Society Wednesday Walk to Lake Yosemite in Merced will be on November 30. We will meet in front of the Target at El Paseo Shopping Center(at the corner of Herndon Avenue and Highway 99 in northwest Fresno) at 8am on the 30th and go from there. Participants will be responsible for arranging their own carpooling beforehand.

 

Bring lunch and warm clothing. We expect to see many wintering birds, including Bald Eagles, Ospreys, several species of ducks, bluebirds, woodpeckers, shrikes, sparrows, and possibly Ferruginous Hawks and falcons, among others.

 

Any questions, contact Larry Parmeter at lanpar362@gmail.com or at 559-288-3456.

 

 

Register Here

 

Dec
7
Wed
2022
FULL Evening Owl Walk at Jensen River Ranch @ Jensen River Ranch
Dec 7 @ 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm

Evening Owl Walk at Jensen River Ranch

This event is currently full. You can try using the register here link to see if there are any cancellations.

Registration is required for this event.

Register Here

Join FAS for an evening Owl Walk on the Jensen Trail.  We plan to start close to sunset to be on the Jensen Trail at dusk when the Great Horned owls and Barn owls come out to hunt. The outing should take about 1 1/2 hours.  We will meet at 4:00 p.m. in the parking lot adjacent to the Art of Life Healing Garden in Woodward Park.

 

 

The $5.00 City entrance fee applies if you park in Woodward Park. Alternative parking may be available in the Fort Washington Shopping Center.

 

Registration is required for this event. Any questions, please contact trip leader Larry Cusick at (559) 313-1777, larrywcusick@gmail.com.

Register Here

Dec
14
Wed
2022
Field Trip to Merced National Wildlife Refuge 2022 @ Merced National Wildlife Refuge
Dec 14 @ 11:45 am – 5:30 pm

Merced National Wildlife Refuge

Wednesday, December 14

Please register here.

 

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, December 14 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 female Vermillion Flycatcher have recently been seen at the refuge as well.

 

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.

Please register here.

Jan
18
Wed
2023
Wednesday Walk – Avocado Lake/Choinumni Park
Jan 18 @ 7:45 am – 1:00 pm

Registration Required.

Link to Registration.

 

On January 18, Fresno Audubon will have its Wednesday Walk to Avocado Lake and nearby Choinumni Park, led by Larry Parmeter. Avocado Lake, an often-overlooked little jewel of a birding site, has a large open lake, riparian areas along the Kings River, and oak woodlands. It’s a great place for woodpeckers, nuthatches, sparrows, finches, including Lawrence’s Goldfinch, towhees, and raptors. Wintering waterfowl may be on the lake, along with possible Common Loons. Choinumni Park is known for woodpeckers and raptors among many other species. We’ll meet at 7:45am at the Walmart parking lot at Ashlan and Blackstone for an 8am departure. Carpooling arrangements must be made beforehand.

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

Trip Leader: Larry Parmeter (559)276-8753, lanpar362@gmail.com

Registration Required.

Link to Registration.

Click here for a map to the meeting place

Jan
21
Sat
2023
Saturday Field Trip – Merced Grasslands & Merced NWR
Jan 21 @ 6:45 am – 5:45 pm

Registration required for all FAS field trips.

Registration for this trip is here.

Event details subject to change.

Jeff Seay will lead this trip through the Merced Grasslands Important Bird Area finishing at Merced National Wildlife Refuge. Meet at that Walmart parking lot at Ashlan and Blackstone at 6:45 am for a 7 am departure. The trip will cover the Madera County’s foothill Grasslands on the way to the Merced Wildlife Refuge. We expect to see wintering raptors and other birds of the low foothills and grasslands. We will mostly be driving and getting out of the car periodically with possible small walks. At the end of the trip we will enjoy the spectacle of sandhill cranes, snow and Ross’s geese, and other waterfowl. It will last most of the day, ending about 5:45 at the refuge.

Checklist: binoculars, spotting scopes, cameras, radios, jackets, lunch/snacks, water, and insect repellent.

Registration for this trip is here.

Directions to the assembly point are here.

Trip leader: Jeff Seay, ‭(559) 960-0849‬, jeffseay@sbcglobal.net

 

Jan
28
Sat
2023
Field Trip to River West Open Space @ River West Open Space
Jan 28 @ 8:00 am – 12:30 pm

Field Trip to River West Open Space, Saturday, January 28, 2023

Event Details Subject to Change

Register here!

Join Fresno Audubon for a bird hike at River West Open Space on Saturday January 28. We will meet at River View Dr and W Bluff Ave at 8 a.m.

This is a rich area with many target species. We can expect to see a wide variety of ducks, including Goldeneye, Mergansers, and Bufflehead. There are many resident raptors – including Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks, and occasional Osprey and Bald Eagle sightings. There are many songbirds waiting to be discovered as well – sparrows, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Anna’s Hummingbirds, and Loggerhead Shrikes. It is not unusual to log more than 40 species.

Participants should bring snacks, water, hat, sunscreen, and binoculars, and should dress in layers. There really isn’t anywhere to eat lunch at this property; we will likely be wrapping up by 12:30.  Registration is required for this event.

The trip leader is Susan Estep. She can be reached at (402)212-1215 or sbse820@gmail.com if you have any questions. There is plenty of on street parking available on River View Dr and W Bluff Ave. It is about a 3-mile loop of flat walking. There are no restrooms or water available so come prepared!

Register here!

Feb
1
Wed
2023
Field Trip to River West Madera @ River West Madera
Feb 1 @ 8:00 am – 12:30 pm

Field Trip to River West Madera

Wednesday

February 1, 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). For those who participated in Rachel Clark’s outing last fall from Wildwood Native Park, a lot of the terrain will look familiar. However, as the park is not open during the work week, we will be assembling west of the park.

 

Weather and trail conditions permitting, the plan is to take Palm Avenue down from the golf course, 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 (that walk is set for January 28 and led by the incomparable Susan Estep), be prepared for some different birds on the Madera County side, including black-crowned night heron, wigeon, green-wing teal, cinnamon teal, phainopepla, various wrens, and acorn, Nuttall’s and downy woodpeckers. We may also see early signs of nesting activity by the returning osprey and great-horned owls, and perhaps an appearance by one or two bald eagles.

 

Bring suitable clothing (layers) and walking shoes (note the trail may be sloppy in some areas), 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!

Feb
15
Wed
2023
Wednesday Walk – Lions Park @ Lions Park
Feb 15 @ 7:45 am – 1:00 pm

Registration Required.

Link to Registration.

 

On Wednesday, February 15, Fresno Audubon will travel to Lions Park in Kerman for its Wednesday Walk. This is a small park in what used to be a rural area outside Kerman but is now surrounded by residential homes. Nevertheless, it is still a major bird attractor, with many different sparrows, woodpeckers, Robins, nuthatches, and other species. A pond on the premises has ducks, wading birds, and grebes. It’s a little-known and overlooked but wonderful birding place.

 

We will meet the Walmart at Blackstone and Ashlan at 7:45 and go from there. If time permits, we will go to nearby Kerman Rotary Park, which is also a good birding site. People are responsible for arranging their carpooling beforehand. Bring a lunch.

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.

 

Feb
25
Sat
2023
Parkfield/Cholame Valley, Feb 2023 @ Parkfield/Cholame Valley
Feb 25 @ 6:45 am – 3:45 pm

 

Parkfield/Cholame Valley Bird Walk

February 25, 2023

Register here

 

Join Kevin Enns-Rempel on February 25 for a birding trip to Cholame Valley and Parkfield. We will meet in the Wal-Mart parking lot at Ashlan & Blackstone at 6:45am, and depart there by 7am. It’s about a 90-minute drive to our destination, so we’ll try to do as much carpooling as possible.

From the junction of Highway 41 & Cholame Valley Road, we’ll bird our way slowly up to the little community of Parkfield. Expect to see good numbers of wintering raptors as well as grassland birds. With some luck we’ll also see both Tule Elk and Pronghorns.

 

Bring lunch and water. This will be mostly a stop-and-go driving route, so there won’t be much walking. From Parkfield, participants are free to retrace their steps back to Fresno or take the Parkfield-Coalinga Road back home through Coalinga. We should be done birding by early afternoon, so expect to be back in Fresno by late afternoon.This is always a great trip, so we hope that lots of you can make it.

 

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

 

Register here