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Sea and Sage Audubon Society
Creating an Understanding of Nature…
Sea and Sage Audubon Society is one of more than 500 chapters of the National Audubon Society. The non-profit, environmental organization has worked to protect wild bird populations and their habitat in Orange County since 1958. Its members accomplish this through environmental education, conservation and research projects. The chapter also offers a variety of environmental education classes, publications and volunteer opportunities. In 1992, Sea and Sage Audubon entered into a partnership with Irvine Ranch Water District to provide environmental education programs about freshwater wetlands at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary (SJWS). Every day between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., volunteers in the historic Audubon House cottages greet visitors, loan binoculars for on-site use at no cost; sell a variety of nature items in the bookstore, and assist visitors and callers with nature-related questions. At the SJWS, Sea and Sage Audubon offers something for everyone, including art and science discovery programs for elementary schools; summer day camps for children; bird walks and bird monitoring projects for bird enthusiasts; nature walks for families; popular evening bat walks; spring brunches; community tours; and much more. Surrounded by high-rise commercial and residential buildings, the 300-acre freshwater reserve is a place of tranquil enjoyment for all visitors. "The San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary offers people a relaxing walk or jog through a nature preserve with excellent close-up encounters with wildlife," says Trude Hurd, project director of Education, Sea and Sage Audubon. "Joggers, families, birders, and photographers share the trail with great blue herons, song sparrows, bobcats, cottontail rabbits and others." The SJWS also is a haven for migrating and resident animals. The riparian area and freshwater ponds contain insects, aquatic invertebrates and fish that attract many types of wading shorebirds, ducks, songbirds, and raptors. Some of the more notable birds include osprey, white pelicans, black skimmers, black-necked stilts and American avocets. In the spring, visitors are treated to the sight of wildflowers blooming, nesting shorebirds in their bright breeding colors, baby ducks, lizards and fluttering butterflies. As they walk on easily-traveled paths, visitors are surrounded by native plants such as willow, cottonwood, coyote brush and aromatic sages. "Our partnership with Sea and Sage Audubon is critically important in monitoring the bird species within the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks," says David Raetz, director of Public Programs, Irvine Ranch Conservancy. "They supply their expertise in identification and counts through various programs, such as the Christmas Bird Count and regular point counts. With Sea and Sage, we're confident that this area of wildlife monitoring is covered to a high standard of excellence." To learn more about Sea and Sage Audubon, visit http://www.seaandsageaudubon.org/index.html. 
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