San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society

2011-2012 Christmas Bird Counts

Morongo Valley
Saturday, December 17, 2011, 7:30 am
Compilers: Dee Zeller (760) 363-7190 & Margaret Hoggan

Let's hope this year brings a few more of the rarities, but more than that, let's hope that our regular birds continue to be found in healthy numbers. Please call Dee or his wife Betty for information, or simply arrive at the parking lot at Big Morongo (11055 East Drive; map) at 7:30 am sharp. Note that volunteer counters may be assigned to any of the eight areas within a 15 mile radius of Big Morongo Canyon Preserve. We'll compile as a group by a cozy wood stove at the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve office (map) while munching pizza and seasonal treats. Please note: it will probably be very cold during count day, so remember to wear warm clothing.

Redlands (Mill Creek)
Saturday, December 17, 2011, 7:00 am
Compiler: Gene Cardiff (909) 875-5358

We will meet at the Mill Creek Ranger Station (map) just north of the intersection of Mill Creek Rd. (State Highway 38) and Bryant St. at 7:00 am.  The portion of the count circle that you would like to help count can be arranged at that time, or a prior choice can be made.  Information and details regarding this count can be obtained by calling Gene at the number given above. At the end of the day, around 5:00 pm, (with those coming in from the “boondocks” arriving slightly later), we will meet at the Casa Maya Mexican restaurant (map) to share the day’s experiences, enjoy some good food (on a no-host basis -- order from the menu) and do a quick tally of the count. Casa Maya is located at 1837 Mentone Blvd. (Highway 38 - north side) in Mentone, near the Post Office and the hardware store.

Santa Ana River Valley
Sunday, December 18, 2011, 6:45 am
Compiler: Larry LaPre (951) 276-1213(h), (951) 697-5218(w)

The Santa Ana River Valley CBC covers most of the cities of Riverside, Corona, and Norco. Within the count circle are some outstanding riparian areas like Prado Basin and Robidoux Nature Center, and some duck filled lakes, like Lake Norcorian and Lake Mathews. Meeting places and times for the subgroups are listed below.
Rubidoux Nature Center: meet at the Nature Center Parking (map) lot at 6:45 am. Take Riverview (Limonite) from Mission Ave. in Rubidoux to Riverview Drive (watch for a sign), then bear left and go about a mile to the Nature Center.
Prado Basin, Lake Norconian and Hidden Valley Wildlife Area: meet at the gate to Hidden Valley (map) located at the dirt road entrance off Arlington Ave. across from the cemetery at 6:45 am. (To enter Lake Norconian, the Navy requires the names of all participants in advance.) Call Larry LaPre to get the details.

Idyllwild
Sunday, December 18, 2011, 8:00 am
Compilers: Sherri Stange (951) 925-4007 & Steve Adkison (951) 652-2907

Meet at the Lake Hemet Store (map) at 8:00 am. After viewing the birds on and around the lake we will divide into smaller groups and, with a leader, canvass the count circle. Expert or beginner, we need your eyes! Come prepared! Although, over the years, the weather has been remarkably cold, clear, and mostly snow free, anything can happen. If the forecast is for very bad weather, the count will be postponed to the next possible day. Call Sherri the night before if the weather looks questionable. Bring binoculars, field guide, sack lunch, and a hot drink. Dress in layers. We will regroup at the Anchor Restaurant in Hemet (map) at 5:30 pm to tally and admire who found what. Come join us in the mountains.

San Jacinto Lake
Tuesday, December 20, 2011, 7:00 am
Compilers: Tony Metcalf (951) 242-7038 & Tom Benson (909) 648-0899

We will meet at 7:00 am on the corner of Bridge Street and the Ramona Expressway (map) about three miles east of Lakeview.  The San Jacinto Lake Count is in the top 1-2% of all North American Christmas Bird Counts, and regularly leads the nation in species diversity for inland CBC’s.  We average over 150 species.  The San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society is very fortunate in having so many talented and enthusiastic birders who regularly find the time to count birds all day on a certain brisk Tuesday in December; call it the San Jacinto flu. This year, as in past counts, we will be working closely with the San Jacinto Wildlife Area biologist in ensuring that we have another successful count.  We will try to have group leaders in the same count areas as last year.  Please notify Tony Metcalf prior to count week if you are interested in a particular area. So, for science, for the birds, and mostly for the fun, grab a friend and join us for another great count. At the end of the day, we will meet at 6:00 pm at Coco’s (map) at the corner of Perris and Sunnymead Blvd., in Moreno Valley, to tally and compile our findings.

San Bernardino Valley
Friday, December 23, 2011, 7:00 am
Compiler: Dori Myers (714) 779-2201

Come join San Bernardino Valley Audubon's longest running count.  We will meet at 7:00 am at the San Bernardino County Museum (map).  From there we will form small groups to cover the count area. Remember, the counts are for pleasure as well as science.  Anyone can help and the more pairs of eyes out there in the field, the more birds we find. We will regroup around 5:30 pm at the Marie Callender's in Redlands (map) to share stories and tally the day's findings.

Mojave River Valley
Saturday, December 24, 2011, 6:30 am
Compilers: Steve Myers (951) 634-9767(h), (951) 369-8060(w)

The meeting place is the Starbuck's (map) on the southwestern corner of the intersection of Bear Valley Road and Hesperia Road. This intersection is just over three miles east of Interstate 15 (take the Bear Valley Rd. exit). We will meet at 6:30 am. A post-count compilation will take place at a restaurant to be specified at the meeting place. It can get mighty cold (and windy) on the count, so bring plenty of layers.

Joshua Tree National Park
Monday, January 2, 2012, 7:00 am
Compiler: Joe Zarki (760) 367-5520(w), (760) 366-8913(h) & Bill Truesdell (760) 362-4132

The daily use fee for the park will be waived for the Christmas count participants. Bring layers of clothing, it can be cold and windy or it can be warm and calm, we’ve had everything from 78 degrees to snow blowing straight at you. Also bring snacks, good walking shoes, lunch and drinks, or you can pick up lunch in Twentynine Palms if you choose Group 1.  Group 2 will have to rough it, no phones, no restaurants, but just beautiful country. Some Group 1 and Group 2 routes require hiking on trails or in rough, rocky terrain. We will meet about 5:30 pm at a restaurant in Joshua Tree to compile the results. See the flyer for more details.
Group 1: Meet at the Indian Cove Ranger Station at 7:00 am. The Ranger Station is located just inside the park boundary on Indian Cove Road. Turn south (uphill) onto Indian Cove Road from Hwy 62 (map). Birders meeting here will cover the north side of the count circle including the Indian Cove area, 49 Palms Oasis, the Oasis of Mara, and the North Entrance area of the park. In-town locations include Knott Sky Park, Luckie Park, the Twentynine Palms Inn, and any place birds can be found. Group 1 covers low elevation areas of the count so temperatures are fairly mild.
Group 2: Meet at the West Entrance Station of the park at 7:00 am. In the community of Joshua Tree, turn south (uphill) from Hwy 62 onto Park Boulevard and continue about 5 miles to the Entrance Station (map). Areas covered include Hidden Valley, Lost Horse area, Barker Dam, Keys Ranch, Ryan Ranch area, Queen Valley, Jumbo Rocks, and the Geology Tour Road. Group 2 covers higher elevation habitats from 3000-5000 feet so temperatures are 5-10° cooler.

Salton Sea - North
Sunday, January 1, 2011,  6:30 am
Compiler: Chet McGaugh (951) 781-3699(h), (951) 369-8060(w)

We will meet at 6:30 am, at the big ARCO AM/PM (map) on the corner of 66th and the 86S Expressway near Mecca; Dress warmly, it can be cold in the early morning hours.  We will form six or seven groups and spread out over the count circle for a day of counting the multitudes of birds that spend the winter around the north end of Salton Sea. Bird identification skills are helpful but not a prerequisite; the group leaders will handle any identification problems. Counting ability is a prerequisite.  Each group leader needs people to count common birds (like Eared Grebes, Ruddy Ducks, American Coots, gulls), and someone to record the numbers, so that he/she can concentrate on finding the unusual and/or hard-to-find species. If you want a mellow day of birding at Salton Sea, save yourself $5 and we’ll see you in January on the field trip.  If you want a rather intense day of birding, and would like to contribute to the ever-growing (since 1969) data bank, come on out. You will see lots of birds. We typically record 130-140 species. After the count we will compile our results at a local restaurant.