Bear Divide is a low, narrow, pass or saddle within the San Gabriel Mountains just above Soledad Canyon. It is home to amazing morning flights of migrating birds in the spring from March through May with the height of migration usually towards the end of April. Thousands of migrating birds have been known to funnel over the narrow divide daily, sometimes so close an observer feels the need to duck or dodge. 

The Moore Lab of Zoology at Occidental College runs a regular count to quantify the numbers and identities of birds migrating through Bear Divide. As this is on public lands, the public is welcome to watch and participate. By 9 or 10 AM, the show is usually over. Clear days after a storm front are best, fog or winds in the wrong direction tend to shut migration down though.

Our field trip is timed to hopefully experience spectacle at the height of north bound migration. 

Meet: We will convene in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan, leaving at 5:30 AM sharp.

We should be back in Whittier by 12:00 noon.

Bring: Be prepared for anything. Cold, wind, rain, heat. No need for a lunch as we will be done before then. 

Trip Leader: Larry Schmahl

This is, perhaps, the best place to see just about every kind of raptor there is for Southern California.  Last year, a juvenile gyrfalcon had been seen making an early morning appearance starting in early January. Rough-legged Hawks, Kestrels, Harriers and Red-tails are everywhere. It seems like there is usually at least one of each duck and a fair bit of peeps. There will be plenty of birds.

IMPORTANT: Everyone entering the wildlife area is required to be in possession of a CDFW Lands Pass.  A one-day pass can be purchased for $5.66 ($32.14 for annual pass) on the CDFW website - need to enter the location and date of visit. 

We will be doing some driving and stopping.

Meet: We will convene in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan, leaving at 7:00 AM sharp.

We should be back in Whittier between 4:00 and 5:00.

Bring: I recommend that everybody bring some folding chairs. As long as the weather cooperates, a clear sunny day is about all that is required. A sandwich, Coke and a folding chair are about as close to heaven as one gets in the Inland Empire. 

Trip Leader: Nathan Huber and Steve Huber

Meet: We will convene in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan at 6:00 AM, leaving at 6:15 AM.

Arrive at Crystal Cove State Park about 7:15 AM

• People meeting us there please arrive by 7:15 AM (see below for directions)

Begin birding about 7:30 AM

Be prepared for rain as AccuWeather forecast for Sat morning at Crystal Cove is:

• 55% chance of rain but only 0.03 inches predicted 

• Visibility 9 miles

• Temp 55 to 60 (F)

• Wind gusts to 10 mph, but 8 mph from SE

• Cloud cover 94%

Bring: Bring a lunch but we may need to eat in car if rain starts

• Bring rain gear, prepare to protect your binoculars and cameras.

Please RSVP: Text your cell phone number and name if you plan to attend to (714) 244-8063

• Will make a group text if we need to cancel or need to find you.

Trip Leader: Jim McNamara

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Directions from Whittier:

• 605 S to 405 S and exit MacArthur Ave.

• right (south) on MacArthut to PCH

• left (south) on PCH stay in right lane

• turn right at Newport Coast Dr. 

• pay $15 to park, $1 senior discount if asking

• TURN LEFT & Drive to end South most parking lot.

THIS TRIP IS FULL

We will meet at the Community Center parking lot at 6:00 AM and carpool to the PearBlossom/Lancaster area. Our first stop will be the McDonalds in Pear Blossom (8507 Pearblossom Highway in Littlerock). If you wish, you may meet us there at 7:30 AM.  This will be a coffee and rest room stop.

The trip will begin along the California Aqueduct and then move northerly.

The areas we bird should offer Rock Wren, Bell's Sparrow, Goldeneyes, Mountain Plover, Mountain Bluebird, Ferruginous Hawk, Prairie Falcon, and other winter desert specialties. 

Bring: Binoculars, a scope if you have one, a lunch, water. Be prepared for cold and windy weather. However, it may warm up nicely in the afternoon. 

Trip Leader: Larry Schmahl

Jay Oberholtzer will lead our yearly Bulmer Bird Walk beginning at Legg Lake in Whittier Narrows Recreation Area.

This tradition began with an invitation to a local journalist, the late Bill Bell, from his neighbor, the late Thelma Bulmer, a past chapter president, as a way to show our city that yes, indeed, Whittier has wild birds. Let’s see who is in town for the winter!

Meet: at the Whittier Narrows Area D Parking Lot on Santa Anita Ave.

THIS TRIP HAS BEEN CANCELED DUE TO RAIN.

THIS TRIP IS FULL

We will take the Island Packers boat (see details below***) to Santa Cruz Island allowing us to see pelagic birds from the boat as well as island birdlife and wildlife which includes the Island Scrub Jay and the Island Fox.  Upon arriving at Prisoner’s Harbor, Santa Cruz Island, we will take an easy stroll around the Island.  

Meet: We will convene in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan, leaving at 5:30 AM sharp.

Bring: Bring your usual birdwatching stuff, sack lunch, water, hat and a thirst for adventure. (There is no water at Prisoner's Harbor, although there are bathrooms.)

Trip Leader: Larry Schmahl

***Boat Trip details***

You must book your own individual trip through Island Packers. Santa Cruz Island Prisoner’s Cove is the destination. Be sure you book both coming and going or you won’t have a seat on the way back. Their web site is at https://reserve.islandpackers.com/ Phone is (805) 642-1393. 

Departure: Ventura Harbor 9:00am, arriving at Prisoner's Harbor at 11:00am. There is a short ladder to get on and off the boat on the dock. 

Return: The boat departs Prisoner’s Harbor at 3:45pm.

Prices are:

• $31.50 each way for adult, 

• $29.00 each way for seniors (55+), and 

• $22.50 each way for children (3-12).

We will start at Harriet Wieder Park before heading over to Bolsa Chica. Bolsa Chica is one of the great local birding spots. Ducks, shorebirds, and waders can be found in abundance. Gulls, terns, and pelicans are regular, as are raptors that nest on the bluffs. 

Meet: We will convene in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan, leaving at 6:30 AM sharp.

We should be back in Whittier around 4:00.

Bring: Bring your usual birdwatching stuff, sack lunch, water, hat and a thirst for adventure. 

Trip Leader: Jim McNamara

This Saturday's field trip will be to the San Gabriel Mountains.  Unfortunately, most of the Angeles Crest Highway is closed due to winter storm damage so our options are limited.   We will be going to Mount Wilson with a couple of stops on the way.  

We will be leaving the Whittier Community Center parking lot at 7:00 AM, arriving at the Red Box trail head parking area just before 8:00 AM.  Since there are very few trails trail heads that are reachable by auto, the parking area is likely to be pretty full so we should car pool as much as possible.  

We will bird the area and use the available restroom facilities and then move on towards Mt. Wilson, stopping at the Eaton Saddle trailhead.  We will walk down that trail a bit (often good for Canyon Wren) before we make it to Mt. Wilson around 10:00 AM when the gates open.  

IMPORTANT: Drivers will need an Adventure Pass or America the Beautiful Pass to park and use amenities where we will be stopping.  Adventure Passes are $30 for the year and $5 for the day.  The most reliable and easy place to purchase an Adventure Pass are the Big 5 Sporting Goods stores - check the Angeles National Forest website for other locations.  

Meet: We will leave from the Whittier Community Center at 7:00 a.m. sharp.

Bring: Bring your birding equipment, water, lunch, sunblock and a chair might be a good idea. It should be sunny and in the low 70's on Saturday.

Trip Leader: Steve Huber

RSVP: Let me know if you are coming and if you will meet us in Whittier or at the Red Box parking area. stevekhuber@hotmail.com

OUR MAY FIELD TRIP WILL BE TO BIG MORONGO CANYON PRESERVE, which is located north of Palm Springs. Big Morongo is a great place for migrant flycatchers and warblers as well as interesting local residents. Great looks a Vermillion Flycatchers are almost guaranteed. Strolling through the tree shaded boardwalk is reason enough to go there. It can get hot, so be prepared for warm weather. Bring you usual birding stuff along with water, junk food, a lunch, a hat, and sunscreen. We will bird Big Morongo and Covington Park and have lunch in the park. 

Meet: We will convene in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan, leaving at 7:00 AM sharp. It’s close to a 2-hour drive, so we must leave promptly at 7:00.

If you would rather meet us at Big Morongo, plan to rendezvous in the parking lot there at 9:00.

We should be back in Whittier between 4:00 and 5:00. The website for the Preserve is https://www.bigmorongo.org. 

Bring: Bring your usual birdwatching stuff, sack lunch, water, hat and a thirst for adventure. 

Trip Leader: Jay Oberholtzer

Please let me know if you are coming.  Either send an email (tvulture@earthlink.net) or leave a message at my office, (562) 945-2838.

Bear Divide is a low, narrow, pass or saddle within the San Gabriel Mountains just above Soledad Canyon. It is home to amazing morning flights of migrating birds in the spring from March through May with the height of migration usually towards the end of April. Thousands of migrating birds have been known to funnel over the narrow divide daily, sometimes so close an observer feels the need to duck or dodge. 

The Moore Lab of Zoology at Occidental College runs a regular count to quantify the numbers and identities of birds migrating through Bear Divide. As this is on public lands, the public is welcome to watch and participate. By 9 or 10 AM, the show is usually over. Clear days after a storm front are best, fog or winds in the wrong direction tend to shut migration down though.

Our field trip is timed to hopefully experience spectacle at the height of north bound migration. 

Meet: We will leave from the Whittier Community Center at 5:30 AM. We will caravan up there. Carpool if you can.

Bring: Be prepared for anything. Cold, wind, rain, heat. No need for a lunch as we will be done before then. 

Trip Leader: Larry Schmahl

Update for March 18, 2023 Field Trip:

With all of the  rain we have had, and the forecast of more rain for this coming week, we may not be able to go to the San Jacinto Wildlife Refuge.  The roads throughout the Refuge are dirt and prone to being muddy. 

The alternate plan will be to go to the San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Preserve.  This is a fairly extensive network of trails through a tidal basin that ends at Seaside State Beach.  The drive is nearly 1 ½ to 2 hours, but no dirt roads.  If we go there, we won’t need to bring any folding chairs. 

This rainy weather situation  will cause some last minute decisions to be made.  Please let me know by email if you are thinking of going this coming Saturday.  In any case, we will leave the parking lot at the Whittier Community Center at 7:00 am this coming Saturday, March  18, 2023. Whether we go the San Jacinto Wildlife Refuge or San Elijo Lagoon will depend on how wet this coming week winds up being.

Jay Oberholtzer

tvulture@earthlink.net

Original plan:

This is, perhaps, the best place to see just about every kind of raptor there is for Southern California. Rough-legged Hawks, Kestrels, Harriers and Red-tails are everywhere. It seems like there is usually at least one of each duck and a fair bit of peeps. There will be plenty of birds.

We will probably spend our whole time at the San Jacinto wildlife refuge. We will be doing some driving and stopping. The little 22 Channel radios are very handy to have. There are no picnic tables or the like, anywhere in the refuge. There are plenty of places to pull over. I recommend that everybody bring some folding chairs. As long as the weather cooperates, a clear sunny day is about all that is required. A sandwich, Coke and a folding chair are about as close to heaven as one gets in the Inland Empire. Bring your birding stuff, junk food and a lunch. Folding chairs will bring a touch of civilization.

Meet: We will leave from the Whittier Community Center at 7:00 a.m.

Bring: A sandwich, Coke and a folding chair are about as close to heaven as one gets in the Inland Empire. Bring your birding stuff, junk food and a lunch.

Trip Leader: Jay Oberholtzer

Bolsa Chica is one of the great local birding spots. Ducks, shorebirds, and waders can be found in abundance. Gulls, terns, and pelicans are regular, as are raptors that nest on the bluffs.  Bring water, a lunch, a hat, and sunscreen. We will bird Bolsa Chica and possibly nearby spots like Central Park or Harriett Wieder Park.

Meet: We will convene in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan, leaving at 7:00 a.m. sharp.

Bring: Bring a sack lunch, sufficient junk food to last the trip, and your usual birdwatching stuff. We will meetup at Central Park East (Slater Rd Parking Lot) for lunch and do a little birding after lunch.

Trip Leader: Jim McNamara, JPMTCC@yahoo.com (text or call is 714 244-8063)

If you plan on attending, please email or text Jim McNamara and advise if meeting us at Whittier Community Center (7:00 AM departure time) or Bolsa Chica PCH parking lot (8:00).  Jim will send routes, map, and intended timeline.

NOTE: parking is very limited so carpooling is encouraged.

ALSO: if we bird Brightwater trail, we will need to park in a residential area. Please be respectful and quiet while we access this trail at Kennebunk Ln.

We will meet at the Community Center parking lot at 6:00am and carpool to the PearBlossom/Lancaster area. Our first stop will be the McDonalds in Pear Blossom (8507 Pearblossom Highway in Littlerock). If you wish, you may meet us there at 7:30am.  This will be a coffee and rest room stop.

The trip will begin along the California Aqueduct and then move northerly.

The areas we bird should offer Rock Wren, Bell's Sparrow, Goldeneyes, Mountain Plover, Mountain Bluebird, Ferruginous Hawk, Prairie Falcon, and other winter desert specialties. 

Bring: binoculars, a scope if you have one, a lunch, water. Be prepared for cold and windy weather. However, it may warm up nicely in the afternoon. 

Trip Leader: Larry Schmahl

Jay Oberholtzer will lead our yearly Bulmer Bird Walk through Whittier Narrow’s Legg Lake.

This tradition began with an invitation to a local journalist, the late Bill Bell, from his neighbor, the late Thelma Bulmer, a past chapter president, as a way to show our city that yes, indeed, Whittier has wild birds. Let’s see who is in town for the winter!

This year the walk will take place at Legg Lake at Whittier Narrows Recreation Center.

Meet: at the parking lot on Santa Anita, just south of the Pomona Freeway.

The Madrona Marsh Preserve is a mix of several micro-habitats including back dune, coastal prairie, alkali margin, vernal pool and vernal marsh area and is situated within the greater El Segundo Sand Dune System. The fine sand particles of this ancient dune system have been carried from the coastal dunes by winds for thousands of years. Each of the Preserve's habitats houses its own specifically adapted native plant species.

The Preserve provides a valuable habitat for birds, insects, spiders, frogs, reptiles and small mammals. It is one of the last vestiges of the extensive marshland that once covered the Southern California Coastal Plain.

To carpool: Meet at Whittier Community Center at 7:00am

Whittier Community Center Parking Lot
7630 Washington Ave., Whittier, CA

Or meet us at Madrona Marsh at 8:00am
Madrona Marsh Preserve and Nature Center Parking Lot
3201 Plaza del Amo, Torrance, CA

Bring: Bring a sack lunch, sufficient junk food to last the trip, your usual birdwatching stuff.

Trip Leader: Linda LeRoy

Santa Fe Dam can produce interesting vagrants during the autumn months, including atypical water and shore birds and unusual warblers.

Meet: We will leave from the Whittier Community Center at 7:00 a.m.

Bring: Bring a sack lunch, sufficient junk food to last the trip, and your usual birdwatching stuff.

Trip Leader: Steve Huber

Check back to learn more about this month’s field trip, and to confirm the time we will leave.

Meet: We will leave from the Whittier Community Center at (or before) 7:00 a.m.

Bring: Bring a sack lunch, sufficient junk food to last the trip, and your usual birdwatching stuff.

Trip Leader: Larry Schmahl

Mt. Pinos is a great place for mountain species.  Green tailed Towhees, White Headed Woodpeckers, Creepers, Nuthatches, Chickadees, Stellar’s Jays and Mountain Quail are to be expected.  California Condors are always a possibility. 

We will leave from the Whittier Community Center at 7:00 a.m. for the drive to Frazier Park.  We will bird a couple of spots near Frazier Park. We will stop at a few spots outside of Frazier Park on the way to the old Condor Viewing spot. (It used to be called "The Sign.”)  We will look for raptors and pray for Condors.  We will then turn around and head up to Mt. Pinos for more birds and lunch.

Bring a sack lunch, sufficient junk food to last the trip, your usual birdwatching stuff and a car with gas.  Scopes will come in handy at a couple of stops.  It is about an hours drive from Whittier to Frazier Park.

Steve Huber leads.

Meet at the Claremont Hills Wilderness Park at 3:00pm. Parking is available at the trail head for $5. This location is known for the Spring presence of Black Swifts. We will then drive to Encanto Park in Duarte to look for Lesser Nighthawks flying over the riverbed. Bats are also a possibility.

Directions:

• Take the 210 Fwy East to exit 50 toward Towne Ave. Turn left on Towne Ave.

• Turn right on Baseline Rd. Follow W. Baseline Rd. to N. Mills Ave.

• Drive up Mills Ave. until you see the parking lot on the left.

The map of Irvine Regional Park can be found online here: https://www.irvineparkrailroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Irvine_Regional_Map.pdf

Entry fee for park is $3.00 Monday - Friday

Expect good warm weather but consider bringing a light sweater / jacket in event it gets windy. Bring water, a hat, lightweight flashlight and wear long sleeves / pants to avoid the bugs.

Directions:

• From Interstate 5 south, take Jamboree North (left turn at end of off-ramp). Stay on Jamboree and it dead ends into park.

• As you pay the kiosk attendant, ask for a map to the park, maps are free to all visitors

• At first opportunity after the entrance kiosk, turn left and park in Lot A

Plans for the evening:

• Lot A borders Sycamore Hill where Lark Sparrows, Chipping Sparrows, Sapsuckers, and Pine Siskins are sometimes found. If people are late we may bird this area a short time (15-20 minutes) to wait for late arrivals

• Drive to Lot D and park. We will look for the Lewis's Woodpecker that has been reported here frequently, and recently in the Sycamores near the stables. This beautiful red-faced, pink bellied bird is often seen chasing off Acorn Woodpecker & Lesser Goldfinch.

• Next we drive to Lot T where we may see Barn Owls, Great Horned Owls and can hear a captive Western Screech Owl's bouncing ball behind zoo fence. There is GHOW nest very near here that with three Owletts that have not yet pledged.

• Lot P is next stop. We walk from there East and North along the closed road and look east near sunset where Lesser Nighthawks have been seen recently. The nighthawks are usually found flying into park from across the visible 241 toll road bridge and then fly along the hillside ridges. I photographed a few birds last year but is easier to see in the bins than to get a usable photo.

• From Lot T to Lot P we can sometimes hear Common Poorwill and California Quail from the dry creek.

Jim McNamara leads.

Be there at 6:30am!

DIRECTIONS:

1. Take I-5 north and Exit 162 CA N14. 

2. Take Exit 3 Placerita Canyon Rd. and turn right for 5 miles. 

3. Turn right onto Sand Canyon Rd. 3 miles. 

4. Turn right onto Forest Route 3N17 (Santa Clara Truck Trail) 2 tenths of a mile. 

5. Find all the field ornithologists counting migrating birds.

This is a narrow canyon and migrating birds are funneled through the divide. Occidental College recently discovered this location and started tabulating bird migration.

The Madrona Marsh Preserve is a mix of several micro-habitats including back dune, coastal prairie, alkali margin, vernal pool and vernal marsh area and is situated within the greater El Segundo Sand Dune System. The fine sand particles of this ancient dune system have been carried from the coastal dunes by winds for thousands of years. Each of the Preserve's habitats houses its own specifically adapted native plant species.

The Preserve provides a valuable habitat for birds, insects, spiders, frogs, reptiles and small mammals. It is one of the last vestiges of the extensive marshland that once covered the Southern California Coastal Plain.

To carpool: Meet at Whittier Community Center at 7:30am

Whittier Community Center Parking Lot
7630 Washington Ave., Whittier, CA

Or meet us at Madrona Marsh at 8:30am
Madrona Marsh Preserve and Nature Center Parking Lot
3201 Plaza del Amo, Torrance, CA

We will convene in the parking lot of the Whittier Community Center and carpool/caravan, leaving at 7:00 AM sharp. If you would rather meet at Bolsa Chica, plan to rendezvous in the PCH parking lot at 8:00.

Bolsa Chica is one of the great local birding spots. Ducks, shorebirds, and waders can be found in abundance. Gulls, terns, and pelicans are regular, as are raptors that nest on the bluffs.  Bring water, a lunch, a hat, and sunscreen. We will bird Bolsa Chica and possibly nearby spots like Central Park or Harriett Wieder Park.

Larry Schmahl leads.

We will meet at the Community Center parking lot at 6:00 AM and carpool to Lancaster. Our first stop will be the Carl's Junior at the Ave. K off ramp from the 14 Freeway. If you wish, you may meet us there at 8:00 AM.  This will be a coffee and rest room stop.

The areas we bird should offer Mountain Plover, Mountain Bluebird, Ferruginous Hawk, Prairie Falcon, Great Horned Owl, five species of Sparrow and, if we are lucky, Snow Goose, Long-billed Curlew, Roadrunner and perhaps an early Sage Thrasher. 

Bring a lunch and be prepared for cold and windy weather. However, it may warm up nicely in the afternoon. 

Larry Schmahl leads.

Steve Huber, our Chapter’s President, will lead our yearly Bulmer Bird Walk through Whittier Narrow’s Legg Lake.

This tradition began with an invitation to a local journalist, the late Bill Bell, from his neighbor, the late Thelma Bulmer, a past chapter president, as a way to show our city that yes, indeed, Whittier has wild birds. Let’s see who is in town for the winter!

This year the walk will take place at Legg Lake at Whittier Narrows Recreation Center. Meet at the parking lot on Santa Anita, just south of the Pomona Freeway.