By Michele E. Buttelman
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service approximates there have to do with 45 million birders in the United States. The variety of individuals accepting birding as a pastime grew throughout the COVID-19 pandemic with individuals looking for brand-new outside home entertainment choices.
Living in the Santa Clarita Valley many people recognize with the many ravens, hawks, doves and sparrows that can be seen almost daily in our lawns or while driving on the 14 and 5 highways.
However, California hosts the biggest, most varied concentration of birds in the United States.
More than 600 bird types have actually been identified in California. That number comprises about two-thirds of all bird types in North America.
Placerita Canyon Nature Center
One of the very best methods to start birding in the Santa Clarita Valley is to take part in a bird walk with specialists.
The Placerita Canyon Nature Center and Placerita Canyon Natural Area, 19152 Placerita Canyon Road, Newhall, CA 91321, use the best place to see a range of birds in the SCV.
The Nature Center provides a bird walk two times a month on the very first and 2nd Saturdays starting at 8 a.m.
“We usually see between 15 and 25 species of birds, depending on the season, and how lucky we are,” said Ken Yasukawa, a Nature Center bird walk leader. “The birds we mostly see are acorn woodpeckers, California scrub jays and Anna’s hummingbirds. We also see red-tailed hawks and sometimes Cooper’s hawks and red-shouldered hawks.”
Yasukawa encourages very first time birders to participate in a bird walk and to acquire a quality set of field glasses.
“I would suggest not to purchase cheap plastic binoculars, they aren’t worth the money,” he said. “I recommend spending enough to purchase binoculars that are filled with nitrogen so they don’t cloud up on the inside and are more water resistant.”
Birding likewise needs a specific quantity of persistence, said Yasukawa.
“When we are on bird walks, we see birds as we are walking, but we have our best luck when we stop and wait for the birds to come to us,” he said.
Yasukawa said birding is a terrific pastime for numerous factors.
“Being out in nature is always a good thing, it is calming,” he said.
The pastime likewise enables people to set obstacles on their own, said Yasukawa.
“Some birders are big listers, they keep detailed lists and know exactly how many species they’ve seen in their lifetime,” he said. “They know the exact day, place and time where they’ve seen a bird they having been looking for.”
In addition to the bird strolls at the Nature Center a freshly opened Know Your Nature Center show deals visitors a “Let’s Go Birdwatching” video and likewise includes academic display screens and info on “Bird Nests of Placerita Canyon” and “Birds of Placerita Canyon.”
Animal programs are held the very first and 3rd Saturdays of the month at 10 a.m. where you can fulfill a great-horned owl and a red-tailed hawk. Guests require to keep a 10-foot range from the birds due to the fact that of the recent break out of bird influenza.
The SCV is likewise home to numerous other types of birds consisting of pigeons, doves, waterfowl, gulls, turkey vultures, 7 types of owls consisting of barn owls and shriek owls, lower goldfinches and the American robin, to call just a couple of.
Vasquez Rocks Natural Area
Vasquez Rocks Natural Area and Nature Center, 10700 W. Escondido Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91390 likewise provides animal programs on Saturdays at 10 a.m. Among the birds provided are a red-tail hawk, excellent horned owl and a falcon.
Britney Gilroy, of the Vasquez Nature Center, said the park provides a wide range of birding opportunities consisting of seeing birds of victim and songbirds.
Among the birds regularly identified are quail, roadrunners, red-tail hawks, ravens, California towhees, Say’s Phoebes and White Crowned sparrows.
“We just had a large group of robins stop by the park,” Gilroy said. “They are migrating and have moved on now.”
Birders at Vasquez Rocks have actually reported seeing numerous other birds consisting of the House finch, Western bluebird, scrub jays and the occasionally-spotted, stunning Golden Eagle.
Other SCV Birding Locations
Another popular area in the SCV for enjoying birds is the Bridgeport neighborhood in Valencia. The manufactured lake has actually brought in a population of Canada geese, along with a range of various types of ducks and other waterfowl, consisting of egrets and herons. There are likewise a variety of non-native types at the lake, such as the great-tailed grackle.
The lake is a regular “stop-over” environment for birds moving from north to south, or south to north, depending upon the season. Be sure you are not trespassing on personal property when you go to.
Different routines support various birds which suggests that a few of the birds you see at Vasquez Rocks, which is more dry, may be various than birds you may identify at Placerita Canyon or Castaic Lake.
Castaic Lake State Recreation Area, 32132 Castaic Lake Drive, Castaic, CA 91384 deals birders a possibility to see a a great deal and range of waterfowl at a number of lakeside areas and tracks consisting of the West Ramp Loop path and the upper lake and lower lagoon.
Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Area
6350 Woodley Ave.,
Van Nuys, CA 91436
The Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Area in the San Fernando Valley is another choice for birders.
The 2,000-acre flood control basin hosts the 225-acre Wildlife Reserve that boasts a list of almost 200 bird types. It is thought about among the finest sanctuaries of its kind within a significant metropolitan location. See the bird list at /pdf/SepulvedaBasinBirdChecklist2007.pdf
The reserve provides a very first Sunday of the month bird walk at 8 a.m. For more info on the three-hour walk contact Kris Ohlenkamp, (818) 521-8799 or go to the website.
