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2024 Christmas Bird Count
December 14
Saturday, December 14, 2024
Birders Needed
2024 has been an insane and rather tense year, but now that we have made it through the election, it is time to do something we are all in favor of: counting birds. The Christmas Bird Count (CBC), the National Audubon Society’s annual bird census, is right around the corner, and as always, the San Fernando Valley Audubon Society will be joining other Audubon chapters and Bird Alliances across the western hemisphere to help gather critical data on bird populations for National Audubon’s 125th CBC. The San Fernando Valley has been providing CBC data continuously since 1957, so this will be our 68th year participating. Over the years, we have tracked some interesting changes in bird populations within our count circle as The Valley has transitioned from an agricultural area into a more residential one.
On last year’s count, we totaled 129 species and 14,733 individual birds, slightly lower than our average of 131 species and 15,985 individuals over the last 20 years; see the February-March 2024 Phainopepla for more details.
In order to properly understand the bird populations in the San Fernando Valley, we need to cover as many parks as possible. CBC participation is free and open to all, and extensive birding experience is not a prerequisite, only a willingness to come out and count, wind, rain, or shine. Ten locations that are putting together teams are listed below. If you are unable to join an existing CBC team, you may count on your own at your backyard bird feeders, local parks, and anywhere else in your neighborhood, as long as you are within our survey area, which is a 7.5 mile radius from Balboa and Nordhoff (an interactive map of the CBC circle is available here). Please report all bird species, the individual numbers of each species, and the time you spent birding to Alexander deBarros by email, alexanderdebarros@yahoo.com no later than January 3, 2025. You may also post your sightings on eBird, but please email the checklist to ensure it gets counted.
Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve and Lake Balboa
Meeting Time: 7:30 am
Directions: Exit 405 fwy at Burbank Blvd and head west (turn left if you’re on the northbound side, turn right if you’re on the southbound side). Turn right onto Woodley Ave, and take the second right into the wildlife reserve. Meet in the first parking lot on the right. (34.179677,-118.479737)
Other stops: none
Terrain: flat
Approximate distance: 7.2 miles
Leader: Kris Ohlenkamp, kris.ohlenkamp@sbcglobal.net
L.A. River, Tujunga Wash, and L.A. Valley College bike ride
Meeting Time: 8:00 am
Directions: Exit 101 N at Sepulveda Blvd and turn right. Take the second possible right onto Valleyheart Dr, and park on the street. Or, exit the 405 fwy at Ventura Blvd and turn left (turn once if you’re on the northbound side, turn twice if you’re on the southbound side. Turn right onto Valleyheart Dr, and park on the street. (34.161259,-118.465578)
Other stops: none
Terrain: flat, done by bike
Approximate distance: 17 miles
Leader: Jordan Ellison, jellison8640@gmail.com
Hansen Dam
Meeting Time: 7:30 am
Directions: Exit the 5 fwy at Osborne St and head east (turn right if you’re on the northbound side, turn left if you’re on the southbound side. Turn right onto Foothill Blvd, and make the first possible right into the parking lot. (34.272949,-118.383438)
Other stops: none
Terrain: mostly flat, some slopes
Approximate distance: 7.75 miles
Leader: Eric Shaphran, emshaph@umich.edu
O’Melveny Park and Bee Canyon Park
Meeting Time: 8:00 am
Directions: Exit 118 fwy at Balboa Blvd and head north (turn left if you’re on the eastbound side, turn right if you’re on the westbound side). Turn left onto Session Blvd and take the second right into the park. (34.307617,-118.511292)
Other stops: None
Terrain: mostly flat, some light hills
Approximate distance: 3.77miles
Leader: Paula Orlovich, (747) 237-3720
Reseda Park
Meeting Time: 8:00 am
Directions: Exit the 101 fwy at Reseda Blvd and head north (turn right if you’re on the northbound side, turn left if you’re on the southbound side). Turn right onto Victory Blvd, then left into the big parking lot (after the pool). (34.186875,-118.532978)
Other stops: Encino Park and Los Encinos State Historic Park
Terrain: flat
Approximate distance: 3 miles total
Leader: Pat Bates, batesbird@gmail.com
Veteran’s Memorial Park
Meeting Time: 8:00 am
Directions: Exit the 210 fwy at Hubbard St and head east (turn right if you’re on the westbound side, turn left if you’re on the eastbound side). Turn left onto Eldridge Ave, then right onto Sayre St. Follow Sayre into Veteran’s Memorial Park, where it ends. Turn left, and meet in the parking lot where that road ends. (34.326364,-118.419471)
Other stops: El Cariso Park
Terrain: mostly flat, some slopes
Approximate distance: 5 miles
Leader: Joey Di Liberto, jfdiliberto@gmail.com
Wilson Canyon
Meeting Time: 8:00 am
Directions: Exit 210 fwy at Roxford St, and head north (turn right if you’re on the westbound side, turn left if you’re on the eastbound side). Stay on Roxford as it turns right and becomes Olive View Dr. After passing the hospital, turn right into Wilson Canyon Park, then turn left to reach the main parking lot. (34.329932,-118.444875)
Other stops: Stetson Ranch Park
Terrain: moderate hills
Approximate distance: 6 miles total
Leader: Chelsea Abrahamian and Ari Cuellar, chelsea.am@icloud.com
Small East Valley Parks
Meeting Time: 7:00 am
Directions: Exit 405 fwy at Nordhoff St and head west (turn right if you’re on the southbound side, turn left if you’re on the northbound side). Turn right onto Amestoy Ave, and immediately turn left onto Dearborn St. Park on the street. (34.237221,-118.508417)
Other stops: Valley Sod Farms, Sepulveda Rec Center, Panorama Park, Branford Park, Branford Settling Pond, Sheldon-Arleta Park, Fernangeles Rec Center, Sun Valley Park
Terrain: mostly flat
Approximate distance: 7 miles total
Leader: Oscar Rodriguez, rodthebirder@gmail.com
Limekiln, Moonshine, and Mormon Canyons
Meeting Time: 8:00 am
Directions: Exit the 118 fwy at Porter Ranch Dr and head north (turn right if you’re on the westbound side, turn left if you’re on the eastbound side). Follow Porter Ranch Dr to where it ends, turn right onto Sesnon Blvd, and immediately turn right again to park at Holleigh Bernson Memorial Park. (34.293032,-118.571073)
Other stops: none
Terrain: moderate to steep hills
Approximate distance: 7 miles
Leader: Richard Armerding, rarmerding@gmail.com
Aliso Canyon and Wilbur-Tampa Park
Meeting Time: 7:30 am
Directions: Exit the 118 fwy at Tampa Ave and head north (turn right if you’re on the westbound side, turn left if you’re on the eastbound side). Turn right onto Wilbur Ave, and park on the street. (34.288315,-118.556146)
Other stops: none
Terrain: light to moderate hills
Approximate distance: 7 miles
Leader: Charlie Wilken, cswilken@gmail.com
Devil’s Canyon
Meeting Time: 7:30 am
Directions: Exit the 118 fwy at De Soto Ave and head south (turn right if you’re on the eastbound side, turn left if you’re on the westbound side). Turn right on Chatsworth St, then right again on Canoga Ave. Park on the street, just after you cross under the freeway. (34.275852,-118.595369)
Other stops: none
Terrain: light to moderate hills
Approximate distance: 5.5 miles
Leader: Alexander deBarros, alexanderdebarros@yahoo.com
Chatsworth Hillside Parks
Meeting Time: 7:00 am
Directions: Exit 118 fwy at Topanga Canyon Blvd and head south (turn right if you’re on the eastbound side, turn left if you’re on the westbound side). Turn right onto Devonshire St, and follow Devonshire to where it ends in Chatsworth Park South. (34.260446,-118.617713)
Other stops: Stoney Point Park, Chatsworth Park North, Chatsworth Oaks Park, Oakwood Cemetery, Chase Park
Terrain: moderate to steep hills at Stoney Point and Chatsworth Oaks, light hills at Chatsworth Park South and Chase Park, flat at Oakwood Cemetery and Chatsworth Park North
Approximate distance: 5 miles total
Leader: Robin Share, robindshare@gmail.com
Old Mission Trail
Meeting Time: 7:30 am
Directions: Exit 118 fwy at Tampa Ave and head south (turn right if you’re on the eastbound side, turn left if you’re on the westbound side). Turn right onto Tunney Ave, and park on the side of the road. (34.258823,-118.557665)
Other stops: Porter Valley Country Club
Terrain: light hills
Approximate distance: 6 miles
Leader: Alex Dopp, alex.dopp@gmail.com