SAN BERNARDINO VALLEY AUDUBON SOCIETY

Sunday, October 4, 2026, 8:00-10:00 am
Beginning Bird Walk - Glen Helen Regional Park
Leader: Ross Thrasher 909-645-2282
Offering a surprising variety of habitats, Glen Helen Regional Park sits at the base of the Cajon Pass with scenic views of the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountain ranges. There is a $15/car fee so carpooling is recommended unless you want to wander in on foot for $3/person. We will meet in the Small Lake and Island Parking Lot by 8:00 am.​ After the entrance, turn left at the first stop sign, then right at the next stop sign into the parking lot.
​

Saturday, October 10, 2026, 8:00 am

Bearpaw Ranch

Leader: Tony Metcalf 951-347-7710

This is a beautiful spot and very accessible from the Riverside/San Bernardino area, so we expect to see a lot of you there. Birding in the area will be led by Tony Metcalf. To really enjoy the day, bring binoculars, sturdy shoes, water and maybe a jacket for the mountains, depending on the weather, and don't forget a lunch if you are planning to stay for a while. We will meet at Bearpaw Ranch at 8:00 am. To get there, travel east on Hwy 38, stay right at the fork to Forest Falls, then turn right into the driveway immediately after the fork. Follow the dirt road across Mill Creek, through the gate, and into the parking area on the left.

 

Wednesday, October 21, 2026 7pm

SBVAS General Meeting, San Bernardino County Museum

James Bond and the Mysteries of Bird Taxonomy and Conservation in The Bahamas

Presented by William K. Hayes, Dept. of Earth and Biological Sciences, School of Medicine, Loma Linda Univ. 

 

Unbeknownst to many, the real James Bond was not a fictional secret agent but an ornithologist who stalked birds rather than Machiavellian evildoers. Working in The Bahamas, he operated in the spirit of the taxonomic “lumping” era, when geographically distinct populations were often folded into a single species, thus effectively erasing their identities. For decades after Bond’s investigations, only three endemic bird species—found nowhere else on Earth—were recognized in The Bahamas. However, new species concepts and increasingly sophisticated methods for delineating species boundaries have led to newly elevated taxa and important questions about their conservation status. Meanwhile, other threatened birds across the archipelago remain under surveillance. In this talk, we’ll follow the evidence by revisiting some old taxonomic “files” and uncovering what modern ornithology reveals about the identities and threats to some intriguing birds of The Bahamas.

 

Bill Hayes is a professor of biology at the Loma Linda University School of Medicine. He and his students also study a variety of venomous animals, including rattlesnakes, spiders, scorpions, and centipedes. They also examine the behavioral ecology and conservation of reptiles and birds—some threatened or endangered—in the California, Caribbean, and Galapagos Islands biodiversity hotspots. He has published in scientific journals and has co-edited several volumes. He has also written articles about environmental stewardship in an effort to promote a stronger conservation ethic among faith groups. 

​
Saturday, October 24, 2026, 8:00 am
Morongo Valley and Twentynine Palms
Leaders: Dori Myers 714-336-1420 and Tricia Thrasher 951-288-5539
We will spend the morning in Covington Park and Big Morongo Canyon Preserve and surrounding area and then travel, stopping on the way at various parks and venues looking for migrants and resident species. We will probably end the day, at sunset, in Twentynine Palms. Bring a lunch, snacks, water and all birding essentials, including a scope if you have one. We will meet at the north parking lot for Covington Park in Morongo Valley at 8:00 am.

 

 

Sunday, November 22, 2026, 7:00 am
Northern San Jacinto Valley
Leader: Tony Metcalf 951-347-7710
Ah, cooler weather. Wintering birds of prey and waterfowl, coastal sage scrub and wetlands, all close by. Please join us for our fall field trip to the northern San Jacinto Valley. We have two goals for this trip. First is to have fun. Second, is to see 100 species. We always accomplish the first goal and have come very close to the second. Maybe this is the year. The northern San Jacinto Valley is known for its high species diversity. We have ranked highest in number of bird species seen for inland areas in North America for Audubon's Christmas Bird Counts, and are usually in the top 1-2% for all counts. At the heart of the region is the public San Jacinto Wildlife Area. We will meet at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area headquarters parking lot on Davis Road at 7:00 am. The San Jacinto Wildlife area may be closed so be prepared for alternate sites. As Davis is a dirt road, it is not recommended if there have been recent rains. The dirt roads are too dangerous for normal travel when wet. You can call or e-mail Tony Metcalf or the San Jacinto Wildlife Area headquarters (951-654-0580) for updated road info at the wildlife area.