Join Fresno Audubon Society experts for an entry-level bird walk at the River Center. This is a follow-on birding trip for our Introduction to Birding class, but all (including children) are welcome. Bring your own binoculars or borrow a pair from Fresno Audubon. Also bring sun protection such as a hat and sunscreen, plus water and snacks. This class will begin at the picnic tables just south of the Ranch House.

Please register for the event here.

Western Tanager by Clayton Dahlen

Register Here

Swanson Meadow/McKinley Grove/Courtright Reservoir

Join Fresno Audubon on Saturday, June 11 as we journey up Dinkey Creek Road and McKinley Grove Road to visit various birding hotspots. We will meet at 6:00 AM in the Wal Mart parking Lot at Ashlan and Blackstone (36.793565, -119.789792, near El Pollo Loco) to arrange carpooling. The group will depart by 6:15 AM. Our first stop will be the Edison Rest Area (located just outside the town of Shaver Lake at 37.104806, -119.309209). We will bird around the rest area for approximately 30 minutes. Goal birds at this location include Fox Sparrow, Mountain Chickadee, MacGillivray’s Warbler, Black-headed Grosbeak, and Western Tanager. From there, we will head to Swanson Meadow (37.095708, -119.291487), where we will bird for approximately 1.5 to 2 hours. Goal birds at Swanson Meadow include Green-tailed Towhee, Lazuli Bunting, Cassin’s Vireo, Chipping Sparrow, Lincoln’s Sparrow, and many more!

Our next stop will be McKinley Grove (37.022900, -119.108313), where we will bird for approximately 1.5 hours. Goal birds at McKinley Grove include Hermit Warbler, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Pacific Wren, Purple Finch, and White-headed Woodpecker.

Our next stop will be Courtright Reservoir (37.076151, -118.974566), where we will sit down for a picnic lunch and spend approximately 2 hours birding. Goal birds at Courtright Reservoir include Hermit Thrush, Mountain White-crowned Sparrow, Violet-green Swalllow, Clark’s Nutcracker, Cassin’s Finch, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Williamson’s Sapsucker, and Black-backed Woodpecker. The plan is to depart the Courtright area around 3:30 or 4:00 PM.

Participants can certainly leave earlier if they’d prefer. Participants should bring snacks, lunch, water, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, and binoculars, and should dress in layers.

Registration is required and there is a limit of 25 participants.

Please reach out to trip leader Rachel Clark at 515-357-0122 or tanagergirl@gmail.com with any questions. 

Meeting Place Map

Please register for the event here.

Green-tailed Towhee by Gary Woods

Register Here

Let’s Go Birding Together!

Fresno Audubon Society (FAS) President Rachel Clark will be leading a beginning birding trip exploring various locations along Dinkey Creek and McKinley Grove Roads in the Sierra National Forest, near Shaver Lake. This event is co-sponsored with LGBT Fresno. Stop by our booth at Fresno Pride on June 4th!

FAS invites the Fresno LGBTQIA++ community to join us in celebrating not just the diversity of the birds in area, but also our people. Let’s Go Birding Together! is a birding walk intentionally welcoming of the LGBTQIA++ community and is designed to be a space where people can be themselves without fear of judgment. Let’s Go Birding Together! bird walks are held nationwide during June to build community and create diversity, reflecting the biodiversity in our ecosystems.

 Our FAS leaders will point out birds, enthusiastically identify them and share their knowledge about the birds. All ages, allies, and families are welcome, but youth under 18 years should be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Loaner binoculars will be available.

Even if you have never been birding before, you are specifically welcome to join!

We will be meeting at 7:00 AM in the Walmart parking lot at Blackstone and Ashlan, near the El Pollo Loco, to arrange carpooling (36.793721, -119.789637). The plan will be to depart Fresno by 7:15 AM. We will wrap the birding festivities up around 2:30 PM and head back down to Fresno.

Participants should bring plenty of water, snacks, a lunch, sunscreen, a hat, binoculars (if you have them), and should dress in layers. We will have some loaner binoculars available for participants’ use. Registration is required for this event, and is limited to 30 people, so sign up as soon as you can!

Please reach out to trip leader Rachel Clark at 515-357-0122 or tanagergirl@gmail.com if you have any questions or concerns. 

Meeting Place Map

For more perspective on this topic, feel free to check out the following article:

“For the LGBTQ Community, Birding Can Be a Relief—and a Source of Anxiety”

Register Here

Sierra Foothill Conservancy (SFC) 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 fall migratory birds visiting the McKenzie. Birders will discover easy ways to identify migrating and year-round, local birds. The class will include a walk looking for birds in the habitat found on the lower McKenzie Preserve. We will meet at the parking lot and then bird up towards the picnic tables. Bring binoculars, lunch, water and sun protection.  Fresno Audubon will have binoculars to loan if you do not have your own.

This event is hosted by Sierra Foothill Conservancy. Cost is $15 to members or $25 per non-members, with special family pricing. Please register at https://sierrafoothill.org/events-listing/#event=73892498;instance=20221009090000?popup=1

Introduction to Birding at the Coke Hallowell Center for River Studies

11639 Old Friant Rd, Fresno, CA 93730

Please register for the October 15 event here.

Please register for the October 15 event here.

Register Here

Intermountain Nursery will host a birding class given by Fresno Audubon Society on the beautiful nursery grounds.  Beginning birders will see and learn about fall migratory and resident birds in the foothills. Birders will discover easy ways to identify migrating and year-round, local birds. The class will include a walk around the nursery looking for birds.  Bring binoculars, lunch, water and dress in layers.  Fresno Audubon will have binoculars to loan if you do not have your own. Children are welcome. Rain cancels this event.

Here is a map of the location of Intermountain Nursery.

Introduction to Birding at the Coke Hallowell Center for River Studies

11605 Old Friant Rd, Fresno, CA 93730

Please register for the November 19 event here.

Please register for the November 19 event here.

Introduction to Birding at the Coke Hallowell Center for River Studies

11605 Old Friant Rd, Fresno, CA 93730

Please register for the December 18 event here.

Please register for the December 17 event here.

Introduction to Birding at the Coke Hallowell Center for River Studies

11605 Old Friant Rd, Fresno, CA 93730

Please register for the January 21 event here.

Please register for the January 21 event here.