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Field Trips

FIELD TRIPS

Field Trip Coordinator: Christiane Omer 775.354.2634 or happycpo AT aol.com

Field trips are free to Audubon members and non-members. Birders of all skill levels are encouraged to participate. Trips are subject to change or cancellation. Please reserve your space with field trip leaders. Reservations provide leaders with contact information so they can reach you in the event of trip changes, or cancellations. Remember to dress for the weather, and bring something to eat and drink.

Field Trips by Date - click on link for details on trip.

The near by Plumas Audubon Society also has field trips scheduled that area birders may find of interest. For more details please visit http://www.aviancenter.com/Plumas_Audubon.htm

Field Trip Reports

Previous field trip reports can be found on the Field Trip Reports Page.

Saturday and Sunday, June 14-15, 2008

Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge Workday/Field Trip
Leader: Mike Goddard 775.423.5128 or Mike_Goddard@fws.gov
Place: Badger Campground
Purpose: Saturday Fence Making with potluck and Sunday Refuge Tour Sheldon NWR is investigating horse impacts on the refuge springs. We will be linking together metal panels to exclude horses from the springs in order to gage their effect on the spring and immediate habitat. Please join us to help set up the project. The workday will be Saturday, May 3. Sunday will be a tour with Brian Day, Sheldon NWR Manager. Please bring gloves, sunscreen, and plenty of water. Plan to eat lunch in the field on Saturday. Make sure your spare tire has air and good tread as we have encountered flat tires in the past during our adventures at Sheldon. Fuel up at Cedarville, Alturas, or Gerlach. I heartily recommend caravanning with others and having a Nevada Gazetteer. Bring your own main course and a side dish to share for the Saturday night potluck. We are camping at Badger Campground and conditions are primitive with pit toilets and campfire rings available. Bring your own drinking and cooking water. There should be plenty of wildlife to keep us company. Sage Grouse, pronghorn, Great-horned Owls, and Sandhill Cranes are some we have seen in the past. A high clearance vehicle is strongly recommended but 4x4 is not necessary. Please contact Mike and he will send you a Sheldon NWR brochure with maps and information. Mike will arrive Friday afternoon to greet early arrivals. Anyone interested in caravanning with him on Friday, or anyone needing a ride may contact him. Please go to the LAS web site for complete directions, and please RSVP Mike Goddard so we know how many people to expect.

DIRECTIONS:

From Reno:
Take 395 North to Alturas, CA. Take 299 East through Cedarville and on to Vya, NV. CA 299 turns into SR 8A in Nevada. At Vya, stay on SR 8A as it goes east. About 12 miles on, the Massacre Ranch Road junctions 8A from the south. Keep going east on 8A. About 16 miles further take a right turn on the road leading to Summit Lake. Follow the Summit Lake road to the turnoff to Badger Campground, several miles on the right.

From Gerlach: Route 1
Just North of Gerlach, turn right onto SSR 34 and follow it east around the base of the Granite Range. Stay left at the Junction about 10 miles past Gerlach. Stay on this road and after about 20 miles you climb up through Leadville Canyon. About 8 miles after you begin the climb into Leadville Canyon and after you top out, you will see the Swingle Place on your left. This is a good place to stretch your legs and see if birds are on the small stock tank just uphill from the old trailer. Stay left, on SSR 34, at the junction two miles past the Swingle Place. At the next junction, about 7 miles more, stay right, still on SSR 34, where a road comes in from your left. Stay right again at the next junction, coming in from the left about 9 miles further. About 3 miles further, High Rock Canyon Road leaves on your right. Stay left here across Antelope Flat. Somewhere along this stretch, between Swingle Ranch and the High Rock junction, on your left, are some petrified trees in wire enclosures. About 16 miles past the High Rock junction, a road will enter from the south on your left. Stay right to Vya and follow the directions from Vya the same as if you had come up 395 from Reno.

From Gerlach: Route 2
Just North of Gerlach turn left onto SSR 447, a paved road that goes through Eagleville and on to Cedarville. SSR 47 turns into CA 81 at the state line. Follow the instructions above to get to Badger campground from Reno.

Michael Goddard
Project Leader, Stillwater NWR
Telephone (775) 423-5128
Facsimile (775) 423-0416

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Thomas Creek
Time: 7:00 A.M.
Leader: Alan de Queiroz 775-453-5388 or alandqz@yahoo.com
This will be a good opportunity to see riparian and mountain birds in a pleasant, forested canyon on the edge of Reno. Possibilities include three nuthatch species, Red-breasted Sapsucker, White-headed Woodpecker, Cooper's Hawk, Brown Creeper, Clark's Nutcracker, Spotted Towhee, and Western Tanager, among many others. Birders of all experience are welcome. We'll meet at 7 A.M. in the parking lot of the Starbucks at the Raley's Shopping Center at the corner of Wedge Parkway and the Mt. Rose Highway. Heading west on the Mt. Rose Highway from Highway 395, Wedge Parkway is the first street on the right. The Raley's and Starbucks are just before (east of) Wedge Parkway. We'll carpool from the Starbucks the short distance to the Thomas Creek Trailhead on Timberline Dr. We'll be out until noon or a little later, so bring water and a snack. The number above is a cell phone that I'll have with me, so if you're lost or late you can call me.

Unionville Weekend - June 20-22, 2008

Leader: Alan Gubanich

Join us for a wonderful weekend in the West Humboldt Mountains birding in Buena Vista, Wilson, and Straight Canyons surrounding the historic mining town of Unionville. Located south of I-80 about halfway between Lovelock and Winnemucca, Unionville is rich in history and bird life. Over 60 species have been seen here in Spring and Summer, including Lazuli Bunting, Bullock's Oriole, and Western Tanager. We will stay Friday and Saturday nights and return to Reno on Sunday. Most of us will stay in the Old Pioneer Garden Country Inn, a beautiful Bed & Breakfast dating from 1864. Contact Alan Gubanich at 857-0191 or aag@unr.nevada.edu to register for the trip. For those who plan to stay at the B&B, here is the contact information:

Reservation information: Call the Old Pioneer Garden Country Inn in Unionville at (775)-538-7585. Ask for either Mitzi (the mother) or Dave (the son). Best times to call are early in the morning, by 8:30 or so (that's when they have breakfast), or around 6:00 pm or later. Dave said noon would also work. During the day Dave is down in the valley working on building a house. Tell them you are reserving for the LAS field trip the weekend of June 20-22 -- staying Friday and Saturday nights, leaving on Sunday.

The cost is $95 + tax/night, which includes breakfast. They will also cook dinner for anyone who wants, for $7.50/person. Or, we can cook our own dinners if we want. Plan to make your own lunches. You can use a credit card to secure your room, but they prefer you pay the final bill by check or cash. We recommend you make reservations as soon as possible because the B&B is a popular place.

People can camp if they wish instead of staying at the B&B. There is a flat, grassy area up the road from the B&B, referred to as the Girl Scout camp. Port-a-potties are available, but no showers.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Birding and Wildflower Trip, Tahoe City
Time: 7:30 A.M. sharp
Trip Leader: Richard Carlson 530.581.0624 or rccarl@pacbell.net
Lahontan Audubon Society is sponsoring a small-group birding trip to the north Lake Tahoe area. Enjoy a profusion of birds and wildflowers as the group searches for such species as Mountain Bluebird, Willow Flycatcher, Red-Breasted Sapsucker, McGillivray's Warbler, Black-backed Woodpecker, and Pine Grosbeak in Tahoe's flower-covered alpine meadows. The area also has tree carvings by Basque shepherds and an old Basque oven. Bring a bag lunch to enjoy Calliope Hummingbirds from a private deck overlooking Lake Tahoe. Free but reservations are required. Contact leader Richard Carlson for the meeting place. This is a popular trip and space is limited to twelve people, so sign up early.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Washoe Lake
Time: 7:00 A.M.
Leader: Steve Ting, 775.849.3725, scting@charter.net (preferred)
The several ponds and marshy areas near Washoe Lake are good spots to find many of the local duck species as well as many shore birds. (Avocets, Black-necked Stilt, Snipe, Western and Least Sandpiper).Wading birds such as Great and Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron and White-faced Ibis also frequent the area. Other possible species are American White Pelican, Forster's Tern, Western, Clark's and Eared Grebe. Come enjoy a few hours of birding with Steve who not only birds these areas regularly, but also photographs the many birds he finds. Please be prompt, it can get very hot at this time of year and there is very little shade in the area. Meet in the parking lot for the observation tower at the south end of Washoe Lake. From US 395 take the East Lake Blvd Exit (EXIT #42), and head East approximately 2 miles, turn into Washoe Lake State Park Parking area. Make sure you take the East Lake Exit at the South end of the lake. Bring drinking water, sunscreen, hat, binoculars and spotting scopes for those that have them. There is a limit of thirty participants, so please reserve your space with Steve.

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Spooner Lake State Park
Time: 7:30 A.M.
Leader: Nancy Santos, 775.884.1570, nancylas@att.net
Join us for an easy morning walk around Spooner Lake State Park. We will search the shoreline for Spotted Sandpiper, Osprey, and area waterfowl. Forest, sagebrush and riparian habitat are also found along the perimeter of the lake, and will offer us the opportunity to search for such species as the Western Tanager, White-headed Woodpecker, Green-tailed Towhee, and Warbling Vireo just to name a few. More common species we can expect to see are Steller's Jay, Mountain Chickadee, Hairy Woodpecker, Western Wood-Pewee, and Yellow-rumped Warbler. Please contact Nancy to reserve your spot and for further information. There is a State Park entrance fee per vehicle, so car-pooling is recommended.