Irvine Ranch Conservancy
  • Home
    • Landmarks Blog
  • What We Do
    • Programs >
      • Habitat Restoration and Enhancement
      • Wildfire Prevention
      • Community Engagement and Education
      • Invasive Species Control
      • Plant Materials
      • Monitoring and Research
      • Planning and Infrastructure
      • Volunteer Management
    • Where We Work
    • About Us >
      • Meet the Team
      • Our Partners
      • Careers
      • Contact Us
  • Volunteer
  • Donate

Flock to the Landmarks for International Migratory Bird Day

5/13/2016

 
Picture Yellow-rumped warblers have left the Landmarks after fall migration, leaving room for other seasonal birds such as orioles and blue grosbeaks.
Buck Gully, Limestone Canyon and Orchard Hills are ideal areas in the Landmarks to see and hear birds.

Hundreds of native birds call Orange County home year-round, but there are also many migratory species drawn to the warmer Mediterranean climate of the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. The variety of migratory birds in the Landmarks is incredibly diverse, due in part to the number of unique habitats found here.

​International Migratory Bird Day, on May 14, celebrates these birds and highlights conservation efforts made to protect them and the habitats they need to thrive. First started in 1993 and now coordinated by the nonprofit Environment for the Americas, the day is celebrated in Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.

From birding walks aimed at teaching visitors how to identify these important species, to fitness hikes traveling through open space popular with migratory birds, the Landmarks provide the perfect backdrop to catch sight of birds that have nested after migrating. Seasonal bird species that can be seen out in the Landmarks include the Western tanager (Piranga ludoviciana), Bullock’s and hooded orioles (Icterus bullockii and Icterus cucullatus, respectively), lazuli bunting (Passerina amoena), black-headed grosbeak (Pheyticus melanocephalus) and blue grosbeak (Guiraca caerulea). The City of Irvine’s Orchard Hills, Agua Chinon in OC Parks’ Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve and the City of Newport Beach’s Buck Gully Reserve are prime locations for birders looking to catch a rare glimpse of migratory species. Visitors can also spot native birds such as the acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus), California quail (Callipepla californica), Western scrub jay (Aphelocoma californica) and red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) throughout the entire Landmarks. Look for migratory and native birds during a variety of upcoming guided programs, including:
  • Adopt a Canyon – Agua Chinon Stewardship (Tuesday, 5/17): Come listen to the song of the black-headed grosbeak – one of the latest migratory birds to be seen in Agua Chinon – while giving back to the land. Remove invasive weeds and plant native seedlings on a weekday morning, an ideal quiet time to see and hear birds. 
  • Be a Friend to the Cactus Wren (Friday, 5/20): Simple things like weeding greatly improve habitat for the threatened coastal cactus wren. Help this native bird while enjoying the scenery along Mule Deer Trail in the City of Irvine Open Space Preserve. 
  • Better Birding Basics: Migrating Birds (Tuesday, 5/24): Embark on an easy walk in Orchard Hills around an avocado orchard, where the extra moisture from irrigation attracts many migratory birds. Visitors will look for birds while learning how to identify rare species often only seen during this time of year.
  • The Birds of Limestone Canyon (Sunday, 5/28): Those new to birding can explore the beautiful oak woodlands of Limestone Canyon and learn more about birds seen in the Landmarks.

Visitors to the Landmarks can also look and listen for birds while enjoying self-guided access in Buck Gully and the City of Irvine’s Bommer Canyon. Enjoy a solitary birding walk at your own pace along designated trails open daily from dawn to dusk (click on the location titles for more information). Make sure to bring binoculars, field guides, and a checklist of local species and migratory birds to make identification easier. You can also print and bring along a copy of the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks Birds Field Guidefor pictures of native birds commonly seen in the Landmarks.

​All guided programs on the Landmarks listed above are free with pre-registration, which closes 4 p.m. the day prior to each activity. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian. For more information on these events or to register, click the titles above or search for more upcoming programs at LetsGoOutside.org/activities.
Picture
From left to right, top to bottom: Migratory birds seen in the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks include the hooded oriole, lazuli bunting, Western tanager, Bullock's oriole, black-headed grosbeak and blue grosbeak. Photos Courtesy of the Natural History of Orange County: http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/

Comments are closed.

    About

    Welcome to the Irvine Ranch Conservancy "News from the Field" blog. These articles are written by Conservancy staff about activities and projects in and near the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. 

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012

    Categories

    All
    Agua Chinon
    Baker Canyon
    Big Canyon
    Birds
    Black Star Canyon
    Bommer Canyon
    Buck Gully
    City Of Irvine
    City Of Newport Beach
    Crystal Cove
    Dripping Springs
    Equestrian
    Family Friendly
    Fire
    Fire Watch
    Fremont Canyon
    Grasslands
    Habitat Restoration
    Hicks Haul Road
    Hiking & Fitness
    Interpretive
    Invasive Plants
    Irvine Open Space Preserve
    Irvine Ranch Open Space
    Irvine Regional Park
    Laguna Coast
    Limestone Canyon
    Mesa Loop
    Mountain Biking
    Native Plant Nursery
    Native Plants
    Native Seed Farm
    Nighttime
    OC Parks
    OC Zoo
    O'Neill Regional Park
    Orchard Hills
    Peters Canyon Regional Park
    Quail Hill
    Red Rocks
    Round Canyon
    Safety
    San Joaquin
    Santiago Oaks Regional Park
    Stewardship
    The Sinks
    Tracking
    Trails
    Trail Work
    Upper Newport Bay
    Volunteers
    Weir Canyon
    Wilderness Access Day
    Wildflowers
    Wildlife

    RSS Feed

Irvine Ranch Conservancy  •  4727 Portola Pkwy. Irvine, CA 92620  •  714-508-4757  •  info@irconservancy.org

© 2016 Irvine Ranch Conservancy, All Rights Reserved.   Irvine Ranch Conservancy reserves all rights under copyright, including (without limitation) rights to photographs. No permission to copy or publish any portion of this web
site or any material posted on the website is granted without the express written permission of Irvine Ranch Conservancy. 
  • Home
    • Landmarks Blog
  • What We Do
    • Programs >
      • Habitat Restoration and Enhancement
      • Wildfire Prevention
      • Community Engagement and Education
      • Invasive Species Control
      • Plant Materials
      • Monitoring and Research
      • Planning and Infrastructure
      • Volunteer Management
    • Where We Work
    • About Us >
      • Meet the Team
      • Our Partners
      • Careers
      • Contact Us
  • Volunteer
  • Donate