....Klamath Basin NWR and the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge

are in southwestern Oregon and northern California, less than 30 miles apart. See also this site.

Copyright © 1996, Don Baccus

of Shearwater Journeys pelagic trips by month. Use these as general guidelines which apply to all Monterey Bay trips. See also Don Baccus's Thumbnail Guide to Monterey Bay and Don Roberson's Monterey County page. The Monterey Peninsula Audubon Society also has a map of birding areas on the peninsula. 

California Current is a hundred mile wide river of ocean water running from north to south along the west coast of North America. Pelagic birding in central California centers on three areas: (1) the Cordell Bank and Bodega Canyon (2) Monterey Bay and submarine Canyon and (3) more southerly Channel Islands.

Sacramento River, and Sutter NWRs; and Butte Sink Wildlife Management Area.

NWRs). See also this site.

spans some of the most ruggedly beautiful landscapes to be found anywhere in the State ranging from the intertidal zone of the Big Sur coast, to the semi~desert of the Cuyama Badlands, to vast expanses of chaparral and, the conifer forests of Mt. Pinos. This environment provides an extremely wide diversity of plant communities and wildlife habitat. The Forest provides habitat for the endangered California Condor. Los Padres is largely roadless. The Forest provides a scenic backdrop for the urban communities of Ojai, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and the Big Sur coast.

of rolling oak woodland, salt marsh, freshwater marsh, and mudflat.

includes approximately 1,000 acres of open space. Upper Newport Bay Regional Park surrounds the Ecological Reserve.

 to a multitude of sites. More information on Tijuana Slough NWR, and  Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve.

types of trees, 1,400 flowering plants, 77 species of mammals, 250 varieties of birds, and 24 different types of amphibians and reptiles.

This protected bit of bay provides a starkly different world from the urbanization that surrounds it. It harbors 250 species of birds, including millions of waterfowl, shorebirds, and half the canvasback population on the west coast. Two endangered species -- the California clapper rail, the salt marsh harvest mouse -- exist year round at the refuge while three endangered species - the California brown pelican, the California least tern, and peregrine falcon -- frequent the Refuge. This is part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network.

California with birding statistics, sites and other resources for all 58 California counties.

released the final draft California Important Bird Areas report.  It provides information on over 200 sites in every county, suggested by bird experts from around the state.  Sites were selected using eight criteria, including concentrations of sensitive species, large numbers of individuals, unique bird habitats and long-term ornithological research. 

on the Pacific Flyway and provides habitat to many resident and migratory birds. Information is provided on birding hotspots in the four Counties of the Central Coast: Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.

having a full-time job, spends his weekends wandering around the Bay Area checking out the trees, birds, wildflowers, critters, and whatever else crosses his path. Luckily for us, he enjoys sharing his findings with others.

information on:
• Bolsa Chica State Ecological Reserve
• Border Field State Park
• Caspers Wilderness Park
• El Dorado Regional Park & Nature Center
• Elkorn Slough
• Ortega Highway
• San Elijo Lagoon Sanctuary
• San Gabriel River
• San Joachin Wildlife Sanctuary
• San Juan Creek at Doheny State Beach
• Santa Cruz Pelagic trip
• Sweetwater Marsh NWR
• Tijuana Slough NWR
• Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve

California's spectacular Eastern Sierra, Mono Lake is an oasis in the dry Great Basin and a vital habitat for millions of migratory and nesting birds. 

links to a wide selection of site guides for British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California. 

links to 36 California National Wildlife Refuge sites.

important bird area. Birders can see over 100 species in a day right on the preserve. We have almost 200 species nesting on or near this preserve. It is also one of the best places in So. California to see Lawrence's Goldfinch. Our nesting rarities include: Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo (June-August only), Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, Indigo Bunting, Lazuli Bunting, and Summer Tanager.

Kern County birding can be extremely rewarding. Five of California’s six ecological bioregions occur in Kern County making this region one of the most ecologically diverse counties in the state. The county comprises the southernmost section of the San Joaquin Valley, the southern Sierra Nevada, Tehachapi's, and the westernmost Mojave Desert. 

and Barbara Mansfield. Bakersfield's population is conservatively estimated at 350 individuals, making this flock far and away the largest recorded in North America.

County and is part of a growing network of regional nature preserves

north of Sacramento, California on the Feather River east of highway 99 at the east end of Laurel Avenue.

National Seashore lies along Highway 1 in western Marin County, about an hour northwest of San Francisco. It stretches roughly thirty miles from the tip of Tomales Point in the north -- past the towns of Inverness, Point Reyes Station and Olema -- to near Bolinas in the south. Another site on Point Reyes.

Information is provided on:
• Palas Verdes Peninsula
• Point Mugu
• Goleta Point
• Monterey Coast
• Pigeon Point

--and several hundred species of birds--all within a relatively small area, come to Arcata on northern California's Redwood Coast. Besides its widely-acclaimed Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary, located entirely within the city of Arcata, you can explore eight other birding areas all within 25 miles of Arcata. 

checklist of birds for the county as well as a listing of local birders who will show you around if you are visiting!

includes links to:
• Bette Davis Picnic Area
• Chatsworth Reservoir
• Descanso Gardens
• Franklin Canyon Reservoir
• Hansen Dam
• Malibu Creek State Park
• O'Melveny Park
• Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Area
• Van Norman Reservoir
• Veterans' Park

some of the best birding on the West Coast. Of the almost 1000 species of birds in the United States, more than 180 have been spotted at Las Gallinas, more than 300 on Mt. Tamalpais and over 450 species have been counted on Pt. Reyes.

with directions and descriptions.

only have a limited time to spend in Los Angeles, either on a business stop-over or perhaps a short family vacation, Martin reveals a great local park that can yield many southern California specialties.

urbanized over the past fifty years, but it still retains a number of good birdwatching spots. Birding in Orange County is good in all seasons, but it can be especially productive during migration.

information and locations of:
• Lake Crowley
• Birchim Canyon
• Aspendell
• Farmer's Pond
• Brockman Lane Area
• Warren and Klondike Lakes
• Steward Lane
• Tinemaha Reservoir
• Cottonwood Marshes
• Dirty Socks Hot Springs
• Keeler Wetlands
• North Haiwee Reservoir

hiking and biking along the salt marshes and sloughs. Trails connect with Shoreline Park in Mountain View providing the opportunity for even longer hikes and rides. Prime area for bird-watching. Also visit the Palo Alto Duck Pond and explore the San Francisco Bay ecosystem with the  assistance of the Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Preserve Interpretive Center. Map on website. See also this very informative site.

Audubon Christmas bird counts, the bay is a major stop on the Pacific Flyway and the winter home of over 70 migratory bird species.

Valley is located in the southeastern corner of California, bordered to the north by the Salton Sea, to the east by the Colorado River and the State of Arizona, to the south by Baja California, Mexico, and to the west by the Anza Borrego Desert State Park)

The Cosumnes River Preserve in southern Sacramento County is a mosaic of many habitats. Some of these include cottonwood-willow woodland, oak savanna, fresh water tidal wetlands and swamps, seasonal wetlands, managed wetlands, agricultural fields, grasslands, vernal pools, numerous sloughs off the main channel of the river, seasonal creeks, a small perennial lake, and the best remaining valley oak riparian woodland in California. Bird List for the Reserve.

southwestern part of the San Joaquin Valley, with almost all of its land area comprised of the flat valley floor and some, in the west, comprised of the rolling hills of the Kettleman and Kreyenhagen Hills. The key to birding in the County is the level of water, which shifts from season to season. When there is ample water, the County is great for shorebirds and waterfowl, and interesting gulls seem to turn up regularly. Water level is also key to some roads, as the dirt ones turn to mush and the paved ones flood out in wet winters.

The map and directions provide information on some of the best places to see most of the 300 bird species documented in this habitat-rich and bird-diverse county. Placer County is located in Northern California and reaches from the agricultural lands of the Central Valley, east through the oak and chaparral-covered foothills up over the high elevation habitats of the Sierra Nevada to the California-Nevada state line. 

Beach NWR is part of the Naval Weapons Stations, it has not been open to the public. However, in 1996, the refuge began offering monthly tours the last Saturday of each month. The refuge manager will also do arranged tours, but the request for the tour must be submitted to the Navy three weeks prior to the date of the tour. 

The wild parrots of Telegraph Hill (one of two San Francisco flocks) fly in a territory that extends from Walton Square near the Financial District to the eastern rim of the Presidio. The flock began in 1989 and includes the descendants of six or more Cherry-headed Conures, a Blue-crowned Conure, a Mitred Conure, and some Cherry-headed/Mitred hybrids. 

quiet estuaries to spectacular mountain peaks and sprawling desert plateaus, California's world-famous scenery is a haven for wildlife. The diversity of habitats and wildlife species here are the greatest in the United States. Information is provided on the best vewing sites for Yellow-billed Magpies, Birds of  Prey, Sandhill Cranes, Herons and Egrets 

a clickable map leading to site descriptions of all the California Wildlife Refuges.

On the drive back to Las Vegas we reflected on all of the things we had done and sights we had seen in this remote, but spectacular area of the country. Like everywhere else we've been, we hope to return here again one day.

Buckton. We had seen a total of 181 species during the holiday including 69 lifers. The hugely impressive and varied scenery never ceased to surprise us, and the laid back atmosphere and superb weather all helped to make this a truly memorable holiday. This is a richly illustrated trip report with many photos and maps. 

by Urs Geiser. "It wasn't really a birding trip," I kept saying, as my wife Mary and I spent two wonderful weeks taking in the natural sights all over northern California. And great sights they are, from the windswept headlands of Point Reyes to the rugged coast of Mendocino and Trinidad, the majestic redwoods of Muir Woods and Humboldt-Redwoods State Park, the huge ice cap of Mount Shasta towering 9000 feet over the surrounding plateau, the geothermal features of Lassen Volcanic National Park, sapphire-blue Lake Tahoe, the bizarre tufa formations of briny Mono Lake, the basalt columns of Devil's Postpile National Monument, the glacier-carved domes and valleys of Yosemite National Park, the unexpected rock formations at
Pinnacles National Monument, and the great crescent of Monterey Bay. However, I squeezed in a fair amount of birding anyway. 

2003. This website provides details of the species seen, along with many photographs, on a five day birding trip to Southern California, in particular in the San Diego and Salton sea areas. The website has been written by a British birder and therefore gives a perspective which is perhaps of particular interest to non-US birders.  Therefore, I have included as many photographs as possible, including the common species, in order to give an idea of what can be seen in the area over a few days

from Blake Maybank's "Birding the Americas: Trip Report and Trip Planning Repository".

& Arizona. Whether it's an easy stroll along the Colorado River, or a dawn-to-dusk marathon around the Salton Sea, we'll design a custom  tour exclusively for you and help you find the birds you're seeking. And if you'd like, we'll take you to bubbling mud pots, wildflowers, reptiles, and historical sites! Southwest Birders is a partnership of birdwatchers who love the sport and would like to introduce you to the joys of birding in the Imperial and Lower Colorado River Valleys, Orange County, Southern Arizona, and coastal Southern California.  We know the area well and want to assist you in finding any birds that reside here. 

and start planning your next northern California pelagic adventure! 

California is a state of tremendous diversity. Within the contiguous United States, it boasts the highest mountain, the lowest desert, the oldest and biggest trees and, once again, the largest flying bird. It also possesses some of the most beautiful forests, mountains, and coastlines, and probably the finest pelagic birding in the country. 

to field trips conducted by Southern California birding organizations. The trips are listed by date and then alphabetically for each month. Only trips for the current month should be considered to be complete.

Area. You can now sign up for programs that require reservations over the Internet.

....California Birding Festival Calendar - this site is ALWAYS up-to-date 

about the upcoming birding festivals in California. But it only works in Internet Explorer. 

Held every year in January. Celebrate the return of the wintering birds in Morro Bay, a Pacific Flyway coastal area known for its natural beauty and over 230 bird species. The weekend includes 38 field trips (including kayak and canoe excursions), pelagic cruises, and special tours to see California Condors and Sandhill Cranes. Also join in some of the 17 workshops and programs, including presentations by Dr. Luis Baptista, an expert on bird songs, and Keith Hansen, a nationally prominent artist who will teach a workshop on field sketching. Contact: Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce, 880 Main Street, Morro Bay, CA 93442; 800-231-0592 or 1-805-772-4467; fax 805-772-6038.

Vallejo, Calfornia. The 7th Annual San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival celebrates the return of over one million shorebirds and hundreds of thousands of waterfowl which migrate through or winter in San Francisco Bay. 

The Snow Goose Festival’s mission is to increase public awareness, understanding, appreciation and conservation of the diverse wildlife and unique habitats of the northern Sacramento Valley.

Wintering birds and area specialities, field trips and seminars. Phone: 619-282-8687

Hundreds of thousands of ducks, geese and shorebirds can be seen in this Sacramento Valley festival. Contact: California Duck Days - Box 73333 - Davis, CA 95617 - Phone: 800-425-5001

California. Guided tours in the Imperial Valley and Northern Baja. Phone: 760-344-5FLY

CA. Visit the largest remaining block of wetlands in California’s Central Valley, and see some of its 200 species of birds, including the Aleutian race of the Canada Goose, Peregrine Falcon, and White-faced Ibis. Guided tours offer spectacular viewing of herds of the magnificent Tule Elk, enormous flocks of wintering waterfowl, and colorful wildflower displays. Workshops will highlight bird identification, banding, and wildlife photography. Contact: Los Banos Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 2117, Los Banos, CA 93635; 800-336-6354; fax 209-826-9689.

celebrating the return of spring and the annual gathering of the world’s entire population of Aleutian Canada Geese. Watch at dawn, when the birds rise from their offshore island’s night rest and fill the sky with voice and wing as they move to feed in nearby mainland pastures. Down to less than 800 in the early 1970’s and now numbering nearly 30,000, the Aleutian Goose is an Endangered Species Act success story. 

Contact Redbud Audubon Society TEL: (707) 994-2024.

Extraordinary birding opportunities await you at the 9th annual Godwit Days shorebird celebration.  Located on California's North Coast we offer towering redwoods, rocky ocean coasts, wild river valleys, expansive mudflats of Humboldt Bay and the world-renowned Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary, home to 253 species of birds and mammals...just minutes from the historic Arcata Plaza.

California. Over 300 species can be seen in this area during migration. Bird banding demonstrations and ID workshops will be presented. Contact: Karen Philips, Box 854 - Weldon, CA 93283 - Phone: 760-378-3345 or 800-350-7393.

California. 3 days of evening presentations, seminars, field trips, music, and great birding! Registration opens April 15, 2004. Events fill fast as soon as registration opens. All proceeds support continuing research in the Mono Basin. Contact: 760-647-6595 or birding@monolake.org.

Valley, California.Migrating raptors including including Golden Eagles and Prairie Falcons, plus the largest migration of Turkey Vultures (25,000 plus) in the United States. When you're tired of looking up, you can also check out migrating warblers and bird-banding demonstrations. Contact: Kern River Preserve, Box 1662 - Weldon, CA 93283 - Phone: 760-378-3345.

Established by the Elkhorn Slough Foundation, P.O. Box 267, Moss Landing, CA. TEL: (831) 728-5939.

800-304-LODI

Contact the Central Valley Bird Club, Lodi, CA. TEL: (209) 235-2219

Route 1, Box 74, Tulelake, CA 96134, Tel. 916-667-2231, Fax 916-667-3299, e:mail Tom_Stewart@fws.gov

& Trinity counties) Hotline: (707) 822-5666

With the passion of a life-long birder and the precision of a former professor of engineering, John Kemper has written an exceptional, new site guide for northern California. Detailed information is given for 81 major locations from the Oregon border through Monterey, King, and Tulare counties plus the Kern River Valley in Kern County; Mono County and the White Mountains are included on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada.

guide was the first of the original Lane/Holt birdfinding guides to undergo a thorough revision when ABA assumed ownership of the series in 1990. It seems that change is synonymous with Southern California, and to keep the book useful and current a new edition has been prepared. New to this edition are chapters covering sites for finding California Condors, Death Valley National Park, Antelope Valley, and much more.

by Mel White. For outings near home or far, in habitats ranging from forests to seashores, this guide includes site descriptions, starred species lists, best seasons and vantage points, and travel and visitor information. 100 full-color photos, 8 maps. 

printed in 1944,this edition includes all the original text plus appendices and maps. It details the habitat and distribution of every bird species found in the state in 1944. Because this book is so detailed and thorough, it is a useful baseline for monitoring avifaunal changes in the past 45 years. It belongs on the bookshelf of every environmental consultant or dedicated birder in the Golden State. 

Naturalist) by James Kavanagh, Raymond Leung (Illustrator). 

(Illustrator), Henry Weston. Pictures and text identify the physical characteristics, habits, and habitat of a variety of birds native to California. 

Kathleen Ort (Editor).  Photos of over 200 species in their natural surroundings mark a fine identification handbook which is more accessible for beginners than most. From discussions on the nesting habits and song attributes of each bird to identification tips and techniques, this packs in basic and important advice which beginners will appreciate. 

non-technical treatment of 215 common species from nine habitats. Includes 252 good color photos.

Taylor Gray, Herbert Clarke (Photographer), Kathleen Ort (Editor)

Association Bookstore.

Association Bookstore.