California Bird Atlas Big Weekend

California Bird Atlas Big Weekend was held on June 4-7, 2026. You can find more information about this event at: https://www.californiabirdatlas.org/bigweekend

It’s early on Sunday morning, and Kai Russell leads a small group of birders onto the Laguna Seca Golf Ranch for a stroll along the back nine holes of the golf course. It is the first time Monterey Audubon has hosted an event there, and it is especially important since this Sunday is part of the California Bird Atlas Big Weekend. Despite the typical gloomy summer weather, the outing is successful

The California Bird Atlas Big Weekend is an opportunity to engage many people throughout California as a celebration of birds and the new California Bird Atlas. The weekend featured dozens of field trips, community events, and a collective mission to document as many species breeding in as many blocks, or regions, as possible. Learn more about the California Bird Atlas 

Four trip leaders from Monterey Audubon Society took small groups of relatively new to experienced birders to four locations for the Big Weekend. The Big Weekend was a local success since we were able to introduce people to atlasing.

To learn more about the species seen by Monterey Audubon Society during this time period, visit the eBird page.

World Oceans Day at Glen Deven Glen Deven

Big Sur Land Trust co-hosted a field trip to their property Glen Deven Ranch, with Fred Hochstaedter as trip leader, including six participants, three of whom were new to birding. One, originally from Peru, had just moved here from Maine and found the area beautiful. Our three experienced birders are regulars with Monterey Audubon and saw a Black Swift, which is rare in Monterey County due to its patchy distribution. Both the Cliff Swallows outside the barn and Barn Swallows in the barn had nests. Fred pointed out the difference in how the nests are manufactured. 

They also heard singing birds, but didn’t see them, sadly. However, the group saw and heard an olive flycatcher, which was a treat since their numbers are declining.

Since this was Fred’s third year leading the World Oceans Day at Glen Deven Ranch, he had planned to head out for the beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, the weather was windy and gloomy, so he opted to take the group into the canyon instead of the ridge. The creek in the canyon had running water with chaparral almost down to the bottom. Pines, willows, and poison oak were abundant. 

This trip’s checklist is available on eBird at  https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/checklist/S352550929 

Laguna Seca Golf Ranch 

For his first time leading a trip to Laguna Seca Golf Ranch, Kai Russell was hoping for great weather to see and record a diversity of birds. Alas, the group of five attendees was treated to a cool and windy morning. 

Despite the developed habitat of the golf course, they were still able to see quite a bit of wildlife. They walked the back nine holes and were even permitted to walk on the greens by the Golf Manager. For the Atlas, they were able to list baby coot, baby barn swallows (recent fledglings with orange gape/fleshy mouth, down), granary trees and acorn woodpeckers,

Kai said that if the weather had been nicer (e.g., warmer and sunnier), they would have seen hawks, who loop above the course quite a bit. However, this small group enjoyed the outing, especially a new location with privileged access.

This trip’s checklist is available on eBird at https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/checklist/S353986364

Palo Corona Regional Park

As we left the main parking lot, we took in the major construction at this site. Palo Corona is undergoing a significant floodplain restoration to bring it back. Andrew Vernon shares the story of this effort by the Monterey Peninsula Regional Parks District while our small group of 10 watches giant earth-moving equipment push giant mounds of dirt to create contours. The Rancho Cañada Floodplain Restoration Project “transforms a former golf course into thriving riparian habitat for rare steelhead and other wildlife.” And, “transform” it is doing.

We documented some foraging birds singing and swallows flying near us, but we saw significantly more bird activity as we moved west from the construction and closer to the Carmel River. Since we were conducting an Atlas of the area, we observed a variety of behaviors, including singing and fledglings.

The group led by Andrew Vernon at the bridge crossing the Carmel River.

As we approached the river, we observed more birds flying and singing. We crossed the bridge and saw quite a bit of water, but sadly, no birds wading. Our patience was rewarded as we saw recently fledged bluebirds playing on a branch while a common yellowthroat sang sweetly.  

This trip’s checklist is available on eBird at https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/checklist/S352879765 

Getting Started with Monitoring Black Oystercatchers in Monterey Bay

What Are Black Oystercatchers and Why Monitor Them?

Black Oystercatchers are excellent indicator species of the rocky shoreline habitat, and desgnated as a species of conservation concern. One thing that makes them a valuable indicator species is that they do not go across any other habitats. They only nest on rocky shores: they are not found inland, on sandy beaches, or in any other habitat. For another, they are large and visible. It is much easier to see and track an oystercatcher than, say, an anemone. Lastly, oystercatchers are territorial: they pick a territory and tend to stay there for life. This means we can get years' worth of data out of a single pair. Black Oystercatchers nest on beaches and are very vulnerable to human encroachment, oil spills, and severe ocean conditions.

Rick Hanks monitors/watches the birds from shore

About the Black Oystercatcher Monitoring Project

Since 2011, Monterey Audubon has been supporting Audubon California's efforts with the California Central Coast BLOY Monitoring Project. In 2021, Monterey Audubon Society took over local monitoring in two study areas - the Monterey Bay South Coast, consisting of 3 monitoring sections (Monterey Peninsula, Pebble Beach, and Point Lobos), and the Monterey Bay North Coast (northern Santa Cruz County coast and southern San Mateo County coast). There are other BLOY monitoring efforts south in San Luis Obispo County and north in San Francisco that we regularly communicate and strategize with. But thanks to funding from our Monterey Audubon members and supporting donors, the project monitors BLOY territories from Greyhound Rock in San Mateo County south through Point Lobos in Monterey County.

We have an informative webpage that shares the full story of the project and summary data while showcasing the territories we monitor on an interactive map. The project is managed by Regional Coordinator Rick Hanks.

Black Oystercatcher adults with chicks, photo courtesy of Jane Smith.

To learn about the results of the project so far, you can watch our recent lecture about the BLOY Monitoring Project, with Judith Romero, Assistant Project Biologist

Become a Volunteer Monitor

Volunteers are invited to join the monitoring team. To be part of the Black Oystercatcher Monitoring Program’s community science program, you are required to do the following:

1. Register as a Monterey Audubon volunteer at http://MontereyAudubon.org/volunteer.

2. Attend the lecture about monitoring, hosted at the beginning of March. If you are unable to attend the lecture, you are required to watch the virtual training on YouTube https://youtu.be/wS8vtSRwn_4.

3. Read the accompanying guide.

4. Complete the BLOY Volunteer Project Registration on Get Connected. You will need an account.

5. Participate in the field training.

Once you have completed all these steps, the Regional Coordinator assigns the monitoring sites for all volunteers. Don't worry, you'll be paired with a mentor first! Once you feel comfortable monitoring and entering data, you'll be able to monitor your site or be assigned to another one by the Regional Coordinator.

Reference material from the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History and Monterey Audubon Society website.

Atlasing at Rana Creek Preserve - 5/24/26

We had a fantastic trip to Rana Creek Preserve, managed by Wildlands Conservancy. Natural Resource Manager Kat Hardisty-Cranstone and Docent Ernie. With Trip Leaders Kai Russell and Karen Kreiger, we were astounded by the beauty and biodiversity of this area, from 56 bird species seen over the course of 3 hours to a hillside of California bunch grasses, a wolf spider and some late blooming Elegant Clarkia. This event is part of the California Bird Atlas project, where community scientists converge to document bird breeding and how birds use our landscape.

Trip Report written by Kai Russell

The low cloud cover meant that raptors were readily visible - a pair of Golden Eagles, a Bald Eagle, Turkey Vultures, and Red-tailed Hawks were all circling low above the valley of Rana Creek as we walked along. Many passerines like Western Warbling Vireo, Purple Finch, and Lawrence's Goldfinch were present, and we observed breeding behaviors in several species at this peak time of year. We were happy to confirm breeding for Western Bluebird, Black-headed Grosbeak, Western Tanager, and Black Phoebe. Rufous-crowned Sparrow and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher were slightly surprising to find, and will make good targets to confirm breeding for on our upcoming June 6 trip. All were in good spirits from observing the many birds in this beautiful habitat. A big thank you to Kat Hardisty-Cranstone and Ernie for hosting us!

eBird trip report by Kai Russell: https://ebird.org/tripreport/528489

Kai Russell is a volunteer Monterey County Regional Coordinator for the California Bird Atlas and Board Member of Monterey Audubon Society,

Trip Photos

Select photo credits:

Red-tailed Hawk: Karen Kreiger

Acorn Woodpecker, : Greg Plowman