March 3, 8:00 am Work Day Hedrick Ranch Nature Area, Leader: Sandy Hedrick 805-340-0478.
Arrive at 8:00 for self-guided birding which usually yields some interesting birds. Work from 9am – noon. Long pants and boots or closed shoes are required. Bring water, gloves & sun protection.
March 10 2019, 8:30 am Port Hueneme Exploration/Bubbling Springs, Walter B. Miranda Park, and J Street Canal to the Port Hueneme Beach
Leader: Kay Regester 805-258-1025
Bubbling Springs is a fantastic place to view many gulls and ducks up close such as Mallards and Widgeons, warblers and hummers. Then we will check out J St Canal and walk the Hueneme Beach to the East, towards the estuary, and then to the West toward the pier where we will see a variety of gulls, grebes and shorebirds.
March 12, 7:30 p.m. VAS Monthly Program: Ventura Seabird Restoration on the California Islands… with Annie Little (USFWS) at the Poinsettia Pavillion – 3451 Foothill Road, Ventura (Free to the Public)
The presentation will highlight restoration efforts for seabirds on the Channel Islands and Baja California Pacific Islands, including invasive species removal, habitat restoration, and social attraction.
March 16, 8:00 am Carpinteria Salt Marsh, Leader: Tevin Schmitt 661-904-1563
The Salt Marsh Reserve is an excellent birding location due to the estuary, wetlands, and upland habitats. Special birds of concern can be found here, including Belding’s Savannah Sparrow, and White-tailed Kite. Several species of heron are often seen at once.
March 17, 8:30-10:30 am Camino Real, Leader: Reann Koener 805-701-1919
Camino Real is a grassy park surrounded by pines and eucalyptus and is an excellent place to see birds. Target birds will include Red Shouldered Hawk, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Yellow Warbler and Townsend’s Warbler.
March 19, 8:30 am Lake Casitas. Leader: Adele Fergusson 805-415-4304
Join us for a walk by the lake. We will be looking for hummingbirds, western bluebirds, blackbirds, grosbeaks, gnatcatchers as well as ducks, geese and waterfowl.
March 23, 8:30 am Lake Los Carneros and Santa Barbara Hot Spots, Leader: Adele Fergusson 805-415-4304
We will walk around this lovely lake, we should see a variety of shorebirds and possibly some rails, blackbirds, munia, white tailed kites, etc. Afterwards we will stop at a park in downtown Santa Barbara to see if there are any migrating vagrants. Bring your lunch and if we have time we will stop at the creek in Carpinteria on the way back to Ventura.
March 31, 8:30 AM Canada Larga; Leader: Linda Easter 818-519-2833
Meet near the beginning of the road off Hwy 33. We will carpool from that location as we walk and drive this long county road. Target species will include Barn Owl, Western Bluebirds, Lark Sparrow, Roadrunner, Phainopepla and various species of swallows.
