SJAUDUBON

Beginner Birding at the San Joaquin River NWR
2025-11-29 08:00 - 23:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge, 2714 Dairy Road, Vernalis, CA, 95385, United States
Leader: Henry Koertzen
We will drive and/or walk from the parking lot along Pelican Road to enjoy the sunrise, bird sounds and the Geese and Cranes departing for the day from the wetlands. Binoculars will be available for use. There are bathrooms at the parking lot.
Directions: Meet at the refuge gravel parking lot on Dairy Road (2714 Dairy Rd, Vernalis, CA 95385)

Listening to Nature's Divas: What Female Songsters Tell Us
2025-11-11 19:30 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Central United Methodist Church, 3700 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, California
Speaker: Karan Odom

Most bird enthusiasts are familiar with the intricate, beautiful songs of male songbirds. However, it is less well known that females of many bird species also sing. While male songbirds sing to attract mates or defend territories, the reasons that females sing can be much broader, including competing for year-round resources for herself and her young. However, there is still a lot to learn about the extent of differences between male and female songs, the reasons that female songbirds sing, and the evolutionary pressures that led female songbirds to sing in the first place. Dr. Karan Odom will provide a glimpse into the world’s diversity of female bird songs and explain what these natural divas have to tell us.Bio: Karan Odom is an Assistant Professor at University of the Pacific and a behavioral ecologist. Karan is especially interested in the evolution of elaborate bird songs in female as well as male songbirds. She combines phylogenetic comparative methods with field studies to tease apart the evolutionary processes responsible for the sexual dimorphism we see in female and male song today. Karan recently came to Stockton after complete postdoctoral positions at the University of Maryland, College Park and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Karan received her Ph.D. at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) studying male and female song in troupials, a tropical oriole in Puerto Rico, and her Master’s at the University of Windsor in Ontario, studying the function and geographic variation in Barred Owl duets. Karan also runs a citizen science project (the Female Bird Song Project- www.femalebirdsong.org), encouraging wildlife enthusiasts to help document the understudied singing behaviors of female songbirds.

Tesla – “Hismet Warep” – “Sacred Earth” Presentation
2025-10-27 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Central United Methodist Church, 3700 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, California
Join us for special joint meeting of the Sierra Club and Audubon to learn about the state parkland known as Tesla. Located in eastern Alameda County near the San Joaquin County line, Tesla has been as the center of conservation efforts in the northern Diablo Range for over 2 decades. Celeste Garamendi, a founding member of Friends of Tesla Park, will discuss Tesla’s rich natural and cultural landscape. Generations of naturalists and scientists have studied Tesla’s exceptional biodiversity and sensitive habitats. Local Tribes call Tesla “Hismet Warep,” meaning “Sacred Earth” in the Ohlone Chochenyo language. Having fought back the destructive plan to open Tesla to OHV recreation, State Parks is now planning for what type of unit of the State Parks System Tesla will be. A large coalition, including the Sierra Club and Audubon, are working to establish Tesla as a State Park Reserve. Join us to learn more about the work to permanently preserve this important native landscape on our doorstep.
There is a short 6+ minute video that is on the website at www.teslapark.org (home page ‘Watch the Story” button, or at this post link https://teslapark.org/watch-video-tesla-hismet-warep-sacred-earth/

Birding by Bike at Clifton Court Forebay
2025-10-25 08:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Clifton Court Forebay, 5298 Clifton Court Rd, Discovery Bay, CA, 94505, United States
Leader: Henry Koertzen

Have a bicycle, e-bike or scooter, and like to bird? Join leader Henry Koertzen at Clifton Court Reservoir in eastern Contra Costa County, where we will do an out-and-back biking/birding trip of approximately 10 miles on a flat, paved levee road to see a myriad of bird species.

Clifton Court Forebay is an enormous reservoir that collects Delta water and sends it south through the Delta-Mendota canal. The reservoir itself can hold staggering numbers of waterfowl and gulls, and the surrounding habitat of slough, marshland, grassland, scrub and riparian woods is very productive.
Trip is approximately 3 hours, although participants can turn back at any time. There is plenty of free parking at the Forebay, but no restroom facilities or potable water. Must be able to transport your bike/scooter to the site. It can be windy out there, but is pleasant most of the time. We will monitor the forecast, gale-force winds will cancel.
Meet at the parking lot at the end of Clifton Court Road at 8am. Bring layers, sunscreen, water and a snack or lunch for when we get back to the cars.

Directions: 5298 Clifton Court Rd, Discovery Bay, CA 94505

Bird Sit at Louis Park
2025-10-11 06:30 - 09:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Louis Park, 3121 Monte Diablo Ave, Stockton, CA, 95203, United States
Guide: Henry Koertzen
Please join us for this fun event suitable for everyone. No matter your age, your knowledge of birds and your level of mobility. We will be sitting in one spot to enjoy, observe and/or discuss the birds, and all other parts of nature, around us. Come at any time between 6:30am and 9:30am and stay as short or long as you like. Bring a folding chair and binoculars if you have them. We will have extras if you don’t.

Just follow Monte Diablo Avenue until it ends at the boat launch in Louis Park.

Fieldtrip to Golden Gate Observation Deck
2025-10-04 09:30 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Golden Gate Observation Desk, 5701 Conzelman Road, Mill Valley, United States
Join San Joaquin Audubon for a day trip to Golden Gate Observation Deck, 5702 Conzelman Rd, Mill Valley, Marin county( Hawk Hill & road is temporarily closed) to see the annual Fall Raptor Migration. Fall is a great time to see a wide variety of Raptors migrating south over the Marin headlands. We hope to see a variety of hawks such as Broad-wing, Red tailed, Coppers, & Sharp shinned, we could also see falcons such as, peregrine, Merlin and more! Join Donna Marciano on Saturday for October 4th. If you would like to carpool meet us at Starbucks, 14820 Starr Rd, off Hwy 12. @ 7:00 am or you can meet us at the Golden Gate Observation Deck about 9:30-9:45 am. Dress in layers, it could be cold & windy, bring snacks and drinks. If we have too much fog, we will can go to Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District to bird instead. Please RSVP to Donna @ 209 403-4270 or if you have any questions.

Point Reyes National Seashore Trip
2025-09-20 09:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Bear Valley Visitor Center – Point Reyes Station, Bear Valley Visitor Center, 1 Bear Valley Road, Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956, United States
Guide – Ralph Baker
Point Reyes National Seashore, located in Marin County, offers some of the finest birding in the United States. The park’s coastal location and its wealth of unspoiled habitats, estuaries, grasslands, coastal scrub, and forest attract many migrating and wintering birds.

The Point Reyes peninsula projects some 10 miles seaward from the “mainland” and acts as a sort of funnel. Many land birds travel south along the coast during fall migration and when they reach the end of the peninsula, they see open water ahead of them and tend to stop and rest before heading “out to sea”. Many vagrants (birds that may have made errors in navigation and thus are unexpected in this area) pass through during September and October and the number of birds seen on or over the water from the fish docks can be astonishing. According to eBird, over 73% of the naturally occurring bird species in California have been reported in Marin County! We’ll see how many we can find.
The precise locations we will bird will depend upon what is being reported in the days leading up to the trip. This will be an all-day trip, so dress in layers, as the weather can be unpredictable, and wear comfortable shoes, as we may do a considerable amount of walking. Also bring water, lunch/snacks, a scope (if you have one) and don’t forget your binoculars. Mosquitoes are not usually a problem and there are restrooms available.

Please RSVP to Ralph at sharks_hockey_maniac@yahoo.com

Directions: Meet at 8:45am at the Bear Valley Visitor Center, 1 Bear Valley Visitor Center Access Road, Point Reyes Station, CA 94956

The 2025 Coastal Cleanup is a Trashure Hunt
2025-09-20 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Please join us Sat Sept. 2025 from 9am to 12pm at the Calaveras River site by University of the Pacific.
To preregister for the event please visit the website:
https://www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/ccd/ccd.html#:~:text=September%2020%2C%202025,sites%20all%20across%20the%20state.
You can download waivers and print them here also. Minors must have signed waivers from their parent or guardian. Registration and waiver forms will also be available onsite, however it will save time if you download and bring the completed waiver form with you.

if you are joining us this year, here are some important reminders and information;
*Wear closed-toed shoes
*Wear a hat or visor
*Bring sunscreen
if you can, but not necessary;
*Bring your own garden gloves
* Use a refillable water bottle
* Bring a bucket and garbage picker
Disposable gloves, water, and trash bags will be available at the site. We work in teams of two or three.
Please tell a Friend! The more the merrier.

Attendees should meet at 8:30 am for sign-in and instructions. Please meet at the Calaveras River at the Northwest corner of Pacific Avenue and Brookside Drive. Parking is available in the UOP Parking Lot #8. map: https://www.pacific.edu/sites/default/files/users/user243/stkCampusMap.pdf

If you have any questions, you may contact me directly as the site Captain, Antonia Hernandez at 209 589 4056, or dominantdolly5@yahoo.com.
Hope to see you at the 40th year Coastal Clean Up Sept. 20th. Earth Day Every Day!

Great Sierra River Cleanup - Mokelumne River Day Use Area
2025-09-20 08:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Mokelumne River Fish Hatchery Day Use Area, 25800 N Mcintire Rd, Clements, CA, United States
GSRC is a Sierra-wide watershed cleanup event coordinated by Sierra Nevada Alliance in collaboration with California’s Coastal Cleanup Day. We will be joining the cleanup at the Mokelumne River Day Use Area.
For more information and to register go to https://sierranevadaalliance.org/great-sierra-river-cleanup/
Questions: sjasfieldtrip@gmail.com

Bodega Bay Field Trip
2025-09-10 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Bodega Bay, 537 Smith Brothers Rd, Bodega Bay, 94923, United States
Nestled along the rugged California coastline, Bodega Bay is a haven for nature enthusiasts, especially birders. With its diverse habitats, including sandy beaches, rocky shorelines, estuaries, and coastal cliffs, Bodega Bay offers a rich environment for many bird species. Bodega Bay is a critical stopover point for many migratory birds along the Pacific flyway. During the spring and fall, thousands of birds make their way through the region, taking advantage of its resources before continuing their journey. (Above information borrowed from bodegabay.com)

There are many location options for birding that we will explore based upon what is being seen in the area but we will surely stop at Bodega Bay north shore (including rail ponds), Campbell Cove and Hole in the Head (bathroom available), Bodega Head, and the shore all along that route. We may enter Doran Beach or other areas that require a fee so be prepared.

This midweek trip will be an all-dayer, so dress in layers, as the weather can be unpredictable, and wear comfortable shoes, as we may do a considerable amount of walking. Also bring water, lunch/snacks, a scope (if you have one) and don’t forget your binoculars. Mosquitoes are not usually a problem and there are restrooms available.

Please RSVP to kaseyfoley@sbcglobal.net use Bodega Bay in subject line of email.

Directions: Meet at the US Post Office parking lot, 537 Smith Brothers Rd, Bodega Bay, CA 94923, at 9:00 AM. If you want to ride share meet at the Flag City Starbucks, 14820 Star St, Lodi, Ca 95242, at 6:00 AM.

How the Proposed Delta Conveyance Project Would Affect Birds and Birding in the Delta
2025-09-09 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Central United Methodist Church, 3700 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, California
Dave will give an overview of the Delta Tunnel Project and discuss the projects potential impacts on bird habitat. Locations of proposed mitigation sites will be detailed and evaluated.

Beginner Birding at the Oak Grove Park in Ripon
2025-08-23 07:00 - 10:00 UTC | Ripon Sewage Ponds (East) & Oak Grove park., 1250 S Stockton Ave, Ripon, CA, 95366, United States
Join leader Henry Koertzen for a beginner birding walk for folks if all ages through this beautiful oak grove on the bank of the Stanislaus River. ALL LEVELS OF BIRDERS ARE WELCOME, particulalrly newbies who are interested in learning more about birds and birding. Everyone has to start somewhere! Bring your own optics if you have them, but there will be a few loaners available.

Note: there are no bathroom facilities on site.

Directions: We will meet at the park’s gravel parking lot. The entrance is at the south end of S Stockton Ave, on the outside of the curve where it turns to become Doak Blvd. The entrance road is on the outside of the chain link fence. (1250 S Stockton Ave, Ripon, CA 95366)

Birding Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area
2025-07-26 07:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Cliffs Regional Recreation Area, 2500 Stanley Boulevard, Pleasanton, 94566, United States
Join leader Henry Koertzen for a birding walk through the riparian habitat with several ponds. The levee walk gives great views over the ponds and the lake (once a gravel pit). There are restrooms at the lake. Extra binoculars will be available.

Directions: We will enter the park from the south at 8am. There is an entrance and free street parking on Park Access Road.
A carpool will leave from the Tracy Applebee’s (3060 Naglee Rd, Tracy, CA 95304) at 6:45 am.

Waldo Holt Preserve Field Trip
2025-07-19 07:30 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Waldo Holt Preserve, Galt, CA, United States
Meet leader Dave Fries at the entry gate at 7:30 a.m. For those who haven’t been to the Preserve, it is located on Lower Sacramento Rd, on the left, about 200 yards north of where Liberty Rd tees in to Lower Sac. The plantings for the mitigation have grown considerably making good habitat for Western Bluebirds and other species. We will be walking on dirt roads with maybe a couple of pokes into the riparian area. Bring water and any food you might want for yourself. The is a port-a-pot on the site. Plan to leave the site around 11:00 a.m. Contact Dave at dfries.audubon@gmail.com if you have questions about the trip.

Silver Lake Field Trip
2025-07-13 06:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Silver Lake, Amador County
Meet field trip leader, Kasey Foley, in the parking lot of Young’s Payless Market, 18980 N Highway 88, Lockeford, CA at 6:00 AM to carpool or meet at the Plasse Resort, 30001 Plasse Rd, Pioneer, CA (38.64096, -120.1260) parking area at Silver Lake at 8:30 AM. Parking at the Plasse Resort is $10/vehicle. We will probably stop at Peddler Hill to look for Green-tailed towhee and other area specialties. Possible birds to see on this trip are Hairy woodpecker, Steller’s jay, Western Wood Pewee, Warbling vireo, Golden-crowned kinglet, Red-breasted nuthatch, Mountain chickadee, Western tanager, Bald eagle, Osprey and if we’re lucky maybe some Hermit warblers.

This will be an all day trip so bring lunch or snacks, plenty of water, sun protection, insect repellent, sturdy boots and hiking sticks, if you use them. Be prepared for changing weather conditions.
RSVP to kaseyfoley@sbcglobal.net using “Silver Lake” in the subject line (or I may never find your email).
Hope to see you there!

Black Hole Field Trip
2025-06-18 07:30 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Meet leader Dave Fries at the entrance driveway to the Black Hole on West Woodbridge Rd at 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, June 18. We will drive in to the clubhouse parking area as a group. Plan to walk for several hours on flat farm roads. Restrooms are available in the clubhouse area. Bring food and water for yourself. We will end the field trip by noon. Contact Dave at dfries.audubon@gmail.com if you have additional questions.

San Joaquin County Summer Butterfly Count
2025-06-14 08:30 - 15:30 UTC
Join us for our annual summer butterfly count (San Joaquin Audubon field trip) on Saturday, June 14, 2025, @ 8:30. It will be a full warm summer day, and in recent years we work hard to find more than ten butterfly species within the count area. But this is a very special year, the 50th year since this count was first started.

We will start out at Shumway Oak Grove Park off of Eight Mile Road, at 8:30am, there is a parking charge per vehicle, then we divide up into two groups, covering the entire Miwok Trail, the closest to natural areas at that park. After that our group visits three more sites: county and city parks, along with state open areas. We encourage all to bring nets, and we try to share our nets. We especially encourage children, who often find our best butterflies. You will need to bring lunch and wear hats, sunscreen and comfortable shoes. We will provide a complementary color, life sized butterfly field guide for each participant. Sponsors of the count are, San Joaquin Audubon Society, University of California Cooperative Extension & the North American Butterfly Association. Questions,
Please RSPV with leader Kathy Schick (209-612-5130 or kschick2@gmail.com) by Thursday June 12th so she can bring enough nets and free parking passes for all. Questions are welcome.

Indian Grinding Rocks SP Field Trip
2025-06-13 08:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Indian Grinding Rocks, 14881 Pine Grove-Volcano Road, Pine Grove, CA, 95665, United States
Join leader Donna Marciano for a day of birding at this beautiful State Park. We should see many species including Turkey Vultures, Scrub and Steller’s Jays, California Quail, Acorn and Hairy Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers, Hermit Thrushes, Wild Turkeys, and Black capped Chickadee. With the warmer weather upon us, many of the bright colors of the Western Tanager, Bullock’s Oriole, Calliope and Anna’s Hummingbirds can be seen in the nearby woods around the meadow. A bird list is available at the museum. Trip goes until 12 or 1 PM, so bring water, hat, sunscreen and a lunch for the small picnic area. There will be some light to moderate walking. Restrooms available, there is a park entrance fee of $8.00/car. Meet at 8am in the State Park parking lot. If you would like to carpool, meet at the Payless Market in Lockford at 7am.
Directions: 14881 Pine Grove Volcano Rd, Pine Grove, CA 95665

McDonald Island Fieldtrip
2025-05-31 08:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | McDonald Island – Tiki Lagoon Resort & Marina, 12988 W Mcdonald Rd, Stockton, CA, 95206, United States
Meet at the bridge to McDonald Island at 8:00am. The bridge is next to the Tiki Lagoon Marina. We must cross the private bridge to the Island as a group, so don’t be late. Birding will be a mix of driving and walking different habitat areas. The Island is usually a hot spot for Blue Grosbeaks, Tanagers and nesting Yellow Warblers, but expect the species count to reach the 70s. There’s usually a pot-a-pot somewhere along the route. Bring your on food and drink as we normally eat lunch somewhere along the levee drive. Expect to leave sometime around 2:00 p.m., but you can exit the Island earlier if necessary.

Contact Dave Fries at dfries.audubon@gmail.com with any questions.

Big Trees State Park, Calaveras County
2025-05-25 08:45 - 15:00 UTC | BIG TREES STATE PARK, CALAVERAS COUNTY, 1170 CA-4, Arnold, CA, 95223, United States
We will bird the North Grove Trail, the meadow, and Dardanelles Overlook. Species we may encounter include Mountain Quail, Band-tailed Pigeon, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Hairy, White-headed and Pileated Woodpecker, flycatchers, vireos, mountain and Chestnut-backed Chickadee, nuthatches, Brown Creeper, Canyon and Pacific Wren, GC Kinglet, Townsend’s Solitaire, warblers, sparrows, Western Tanager and Black-headed Grosbeak.

Bring lunch, as this will be an all-day trip, comfortable shoes, as we will be doing a considerable amount of walking, water and whatever else you need for a full day of birding.
Meeting Time: 7:30am at the Circle K, 4469 Escalon-Bellota Rd, Farmington, CA or
8:40am at the North Grove Visitor Center parking lot.
Please RSVP to Ralph at sharks_hockey_maniac@yahoo.com if you plan to attend.

Annual General Membership Meeting and Picnic
2025-05-24 10:30 - 12:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Mokelumne River Fish Hatchery Day Use Area, 25800 N Mcintire Rd, Clements, CA, United States
Join us for our General Membership Meeting and Picnic, this year we will be having elections taking place for a new president and secretary. We will have our monthly bird survey at 8:00 am and the elections and picnic to follow at about 10:30am. We will plan to utilize the picnic tables near the restrooms, but if you have a chair you might want to bring it along. You can either bring your own food or if you would like to bring something to share. Everyone is welcome to attend. We will meet at the parking lot closest to the dam to begin the day and will end the day at this location. Hope to see you there!

Medford Island Fieldtrip
2025-05-14 08:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Medford Island
Meet at the dock at the end of Eight Mile Rd at 8:00 a.m. for boat transport to the Island. Peter Ottesen will host us. The levee road at Potato Slough is closed, so you will need to tell the security guard that you are going to Medford Island. Access to the Clubhouse facility will be available. Plan to bird by walking parts of the Island all morning. Bring your own food for lunch at the clubhouse around 1:00 p.m., and transport off the Island shortly there after. We’ll especially be looking for signs of nesting Yellow-breasted Chats, as well as other late migrants.

Contact Dave Fries at dfries.audubon@gmail.com with any questions.

Pinnacles National Park Condor Trip
2025-05-11 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Pinnacles National Park, CA, 95043, United States
We will bird around the store and campgrounds, the areas along Bear Gulch and along the Sycamore Trail (where we found a horned lizard last year).

We will specifically be looking for California Condor (last year we saw several, including six in view at one time). Other species we may encounter include Golden Eagle, Wild Turkey, Greater Roadrunner, swifts, hummers, Steller’s Jay, Violet-green Swallow, Cayon Wren, Wrentit, BG Gnatcatcher, California Thrasher, Phainopepla, and who knows what migrants we might see.
Bring lunch, as this will be an all-day trip, comfortable shoes, as we will be doing a considerable amount of walking and a bit of hiking up the High Peaks Trail, water and whatever else you need for a full day of birding.
NOTE: There is a $30 per vehicle entrance fee.
Meeting time:
8:00am at McDonald’s, 13032 CA-33, Santa Nella, CA or
9:00am at Paicenes Reservoir 36.722429698009684, -121.27896651564524
Please RSVP to Ralph at sharks_hockey_maniac@yahoo.com if you plan to attend.

Connolly Ranch Field Trip
2025-05-04 08:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Connolly Ranch
Meet trip leader Dave Fries at Gate 2 (17676 Corral Hollow Road) of the Connolly Ranch at 8:00 a.m. The gate is on Corral Hollow Rd, just before the entrance to the OHV PARK. The Connolly’s have asked that we keep the numbers of cars to a minimum, so those coming from the Stockton area will meet at the old Toot Sweets parking area (4755 Quail Lakes Dr, Stockton, CA 95207) at 7:15 a.m. to form car pools. It’s extremely important to be at the gate on time, as once we enter, the gate will be closed and locked behind us. Expect to bird all morning then have a self provided picnic before leaving around 1:00 p.m. Wear boots as hiking in the hilly terrain can be difficult and rattlesnakes are abundant in this area.

Contact Dave Fries at dfries.audubon@gmail.com with any questions.

Beef Raised on Bird-Friendly Land
2025-04-08 19:30 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Central United Methodist Church, 3700 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, California
Speakera: 3 Calhoun Sisters
Please join us for a visit from the 3 Calhoun Sisters, cattle ranchers located in Livermore, Ca. They have been farming in the Livermore area for over 100 years. The 3 Calhoun Sisters have recently been certified by Audubon Conservation Ranching for Beef Raised on Bird-Friendly Land.
The ranch has set in place many conservation measures to assist in promoting wildlife some of them are;

The installation of bluebird boxes to increase the bluebird populations, bluebirds are one of the most desired birds as they eat destructive pests such as snails, grasshoppers, termites, moths, and mosquitos.
Owl boxes were also installed by Our friends at the NRCS/RCD to use the circle of life method of ridding the garden of the gophers instead of using rodenticides or traps.
All of the watering troughs on our ranch have ramps that allow wildlife that may become trapped in a trough an easy way out.
Oak Tree restoration Project started in 2020 to replant and restore some of the older mature trees that were falling over.

The Pollinator Program started a few years ago after finding native milkweed on the property, the sisters worked with local conservation districts to plant more milkweed and other pollinator plants.
Go from consumer to conservationist when you purchase beef and bison raised on Audubon Certified bird-friendly land! You can help Audubon protect birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Come listen The 3 Calhoun Sisters tell us their success stories on their ranch to help conserve all types of wildlife.

Stockton Butterfly Count - Talk by Kathy Schik
2025-03-11 19:30 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Central United Methodist Church, 3700 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, California
Speaker: Dr. Kathy Schick
In 1975 the Stockton Butterfly Count was launched under the coordination of county staff. San Joaquin County was one of the first counts in this nationwide event. Years later, the count was paused due to budget cuts until local Audubon members revived it in 1986, thanks to Dr. Kathy Schick.

Please join us on Tuesday, March 11, @ 7:30 to listen to Dr. Kathy Schick talk about the upcoming count and to learn about our local butterflies. Dr. Schick conducts the annual butterfly count in June and visits many local parks/ wildlife habitats to count areas butterflies. This program will familiarize you with the areas local butterflies.

The nationwide count is no longer hosted by the Xerces Society but now hosted by the North American Butterfly Association, and this local event is one of the few butterfly counts still being held to this day. In addition to leading the Annual San Joaquin Audubon Society Butterfly Count, Dr. Schick has her PhD in Entomology, her specialty being tiny, stingless parasitoid wasps. She is a Research Associate at U.C.Berkeley’s Essig Museum and the California Academy of Sciences at San Francisco Golden Gate Park.

Pace Preserve Field Trip
2025-03-08 08:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Pace Preserve
Pace Preserve field trip, Saturday, March 8. Meet leader Dave Fries at the gate on the levee at the west end of March Lane at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday morning, March 8. We will carpool from there and park on the levee near the entrance to the Preserve. We will walk the periphery of the Preserve, which will take 2-3 hours. Bring water for yourself. There are no restrooms or toilets at the site. Hiking boots and long pants are recommended. All persons will be required to sign a liability waiver before participating in the field trip. Contact Dave at dfries.audubon@gmail.com if you have questions.

Beginner Birding at the Ripon Sewage Ponds and River Trail
2025-02-22 08:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Ripon, 1260 S Jack Tone Rd, Ripon, CA, United States
Join leader Henry Koertzen for a beginner birding walk for folks if all ages. We will start at the gravel parking lot located at the south end of Jack Tone Road. We’ll be walking the smooth dirt/paved path, accessible by stroller or wheelchair.

First we will look for water and shore birds on the ponds, and then we will follow the path along the Stanislaus River. If we still have time and energy we will drive over to Oak Grove Park.

Note: there are bathroom facilities on site.

Trip to White Slough WTP (Lodi Sweage Ponds)
2025-02-12 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | White Slough WTP
We will bird for 1-2 hours (depending on the birding) walking on mostly level ground for 1 to 1 1/2 miles. Possible birds at the White Slough WTP (a.k.a Lodi Sewage Ponds) include Northern Shovler, Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead. Ruddy Duck, Greater Yellowlegs, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Least Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Bonaparte’s Gull, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Forester’s Tern. And, if we are lucky, we may see Short-billed Gull, Peregrine Falcon, American White Pelican, Western Sandpiper, Black-bellied Plover and who knows what else!
We have received permission to take up to 8 people for birding at this location. You will need to sign at the location and provide mandatory waiver form that Kasey will provide upon receiving your RSVP. RSVP is required
Please RSVP to Kasey Foley at kaseyfoley@sbcglobal.net and mention “White Slough WTP” in the subject line.
Meting Location:
Starbucks at 14820 Star St, Lodi to ride share. There is limited parcking at the birding location. There is no public restroom at the location, but may be nearby Flag City.

Zookeepers Don't Just Clean Exhibits
2025-02-11 19:30 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Central United Methodist Church, 3700 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, California
Come join us to learn more about the Mickie Grove Zoo on Tuesday, February 11 @ 7:30pm.

Micke Grove Zoo is a five-acre zoo with amphibians, mammals, birds, reptiles and invertebrates.The zoo that exists today is very different from the zoo that first opened its gates in 1957. Today, the collection of Micke Grove Zoo emphasizes uniqueness and quality over size and quantity with a concentration on the welfare of the animal ambassadors that live here. Ms. Madeline Chester, Education and Interpretative Specialist will discuss “Zookeepers don’t just clean exhibits,” and yes there is Plenty to do! Let’s start with the education program for elementary school children & being the primary caregiver for these animals, fundraising and special events for the zoo, while also working on the Species Survival Plan program, providing care to the non releasable wildlife that call the zoo home and providing training for the zoo’s volunteer program. Madeline will discuss her job at the zoo and how full filling the work is.
