Pomona Valley Audubon Society
Projects and Volunteer Opportunities
Continuing Projects
Dan Guthrie Bird Oasis
PVAS acting in conjunction with the city of Claremont has established a bird observation and feeding station along the Thompson Creek Trail. This station provides feeders and a solar powered dripping water supply where cyclists,walkers, and dog owners can gaze upon the feeding birds. There is an illustrated guide to the common birds of this area to aid in identification. Volunteers are needed to monitor and restock the bird feeders and to do minor cleanup and planting jobs. for details contact:
Suzanne Thompson: sthompson@pomona.edu
Eyes and Ears on Burrowing Owls
Since 2017, the dedicated volunteers in our PVAS owl project have monitored Burrowing Owl nesting sites in Chino and Ontario during the nesting season. In addition to surveying owls and burrows, we are working on protecting the remaining nesting places so the owls are not totally extirpated from our area.
Each year we start monitoring the owls in March and are looking for volunteers to keep a record of the birds at some of the known sites in our area and look for additional burrowing sites. The extent of your involvement is up to you: either once a week or once a month is fine. Skipping a time for travel or other activities is doable. Also, unlike most owls, Burrowing Owls are often active during the day, so they are easier to observe. If you would prefer to work directly on owl conservation, that is also an option. We will focus on how to improve the mitigation areas in Chino to do a better job of attracting nesting owls to those safe areas. This is an opportunity to get to know Burrowing Owls better, to spend a little time observing these fascinating birds, and to help protect the owls to ensure that they will be nesting in our area for years to come.
For more information, please contact Suzanne Thompson, sthompson@pomona.edu
North Etiwanda Preserve
The NEP is a habitat conservation area established in 1998 as the result of a mitigation for construction of the 210 Freeway. It is located at the north end of Etiwanda Ave. in northeastern Rancho Cucamonga at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. It consists of over 700 acres of unique Riversidean Alluvial Fan Sage Scrub plant community and is home to the birds and animals associated with both coastal sage and chaparral. Twice a year in April and October (Check calendar for dates here http://pomonavalleyaudubon.org/calendar/) PVAS takes a field trip to the preserve and counts the wild birds. This is one of our major Citizen Science projects and our data is shared with the county biologist who manage the habitat. The survey involves a moderately strenuous 5–6-hour hike through the trails of the preserve; volunteers are always welcome. For details contact: tinastoner@earthlink.net
La Casita Girl Scout Camp
Each summer PVAS leads Girl Scouts attending La Casita summer day camp in Claremont on a short bird walk along the Thompson Creek Trail adjacent to camp La Casita. Enthusiasm is more important than birding knowledge here because so many of the children are first time birders. For details contact: tinastoner@earthlink.net
Happening NOW
PVAS at Fairplex MAY 10 We’re going to the LA County Fair! PVAS is teaming up with our friends from the San Dimas Canyon Nature Center to have side by side booths in the Great American Outdoors section of the Fairplex (behind the flower pavilion). We’d love for you to join us in the booth on Friday, May 10 from 3 to 7 p.m. to talk to the public about raptors and the dangers of rodenticides (rat poison). This will be the first time both organizations have been to the fair and we hope to reach out to a broader audience. If you are interested in volunteering, please email tinastoner@earthlink.net. Thank you!
Unique Opportunities
PVAS takes our ‘show on the road’ several times a year by participating in popular public and environmental education events in the community. You can join our crew of volunteers to educate the public, young and old alike, about the importance of birds and conservation.
for more information on any of these events, please contact us at pomonavalleyaudubon@gmail.com
We regularly have a booth at Claremont’s Village Venture Arts and Crafts Faire and Earth Day Celebration as well as two special events at the CA Botanic Garden, the Family Bird Festival in February (held in conjunction with the Great Backyard Bird Count) and Things That Go Bump in the Night in October. We have participated in school science fairs, special events at the San Dimas Canyon Nature Center, and we invite the public to “Meet the Birds” on the Thompson Creek Trail at the Dan Guthrie Bird Oasis. Our mission is to share the excitement of birds and nature with our community, and that’s what we are passionate about.
We have a variety of displays on important topics like the dangers of rodenticides and how to prevent birds from flying into glass windows. Ideas new displays and help with creating them is always welcome.
We also partner with Wild Wings of California, our local wild bird rehabilitation organization. They provide live wild birds of prey for us to display to the community. Non releasable because of their injuries, these education ambassador birds allow the community to have a close encounter with birds they would normally see at great distances if at all. PVAS volunteers staff our booth and share information a variety of information about birds and conservation as well as information about our organization and our events (bird outings and meetings). Specialized training is provided for those interested in handling the birds from Wild Wings of California.
