Best Places For Bird Watching Near Orange County
There are many hobbies that involve nature and the outdoors. For the bird enthusiasts, Southern California is the home to many unique birds and offers some of the best birding locations that bring people from around the world. From bird sightings, identification, status and distribution, there are many things to put into consideration when taking on this hobby. Here are top locations in Orange County for bird watching.
Crescent Bay
Crescent Bay Drive
Laguna Beach, CA 92652
www.lagunabeach.com
Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, this location is ideal for those who are looking to spot the Wandering Tattlers, Surf Birds and Black Turnstones from the overlook. It is at the northern end of Laguna Beach and has some of the best views in Southern California. This location is known to many locals as a hidden gem and is a very stark contrast to the city life from surrounding cities.
San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary
5 Riparian View
Irvine, CA 92616
(949) 261-7963
www.seaandsageaudubon.org
Peer Swan is the visionary behind the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary and it is easily one of the best birding locations in Southern California. Whether you are a bird watcher or not, this location proves to be a great place to get a dose of nature and tranquility. More than 282 bird species have been documented at this particular location where 170 of them still regularly migrate. There are year-round resident birds, wintering species and seasonal species of birds that can be viewed all year long.
Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve
2301 University Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 923-2290
ocparks.com/parks
Open every day from 7:00 a.m. until sunset, this 1,000 acre spot is a great place to observe birds in their natural habitat. The park includes the Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center. The preserve is about 135 acres that are made up of bluffs surrounding the bay. The coastal wetlands in this area and are one of the most renowned areas for bird watching in North America. More than 35,000 birds migrate to the Bay and it is home to six rare or endangered species. These include the Light-Footed Clapper Rail, Brown Pelican, Beliding's Savannah Sparrow, Black Rail Peregrine Falcon and the California Least Tern.
Related: Best Camping Sites Near OC
Heisler Park
375 Cliff Drive
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 497-3311
www.lagunabeachcity.net
The amazing view from this park by the ocean makes for a great place to enjoy the scenery. The park overlooks Bird Rock and has direct access to Pacific Coast Highway. Its location just north of the Main Beach proves to be a great place for local birdwatching. The north side of the Main Beach is one of the best habitats where shore birds live. It is also a location that is part of the California National Coastal Monument.
Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve
3842 Warner Ave.
Huntington Beach, CA
(714) 846-1114
www.bolsachica.org
The 300-acre coastal sanctuary is bordered on one end by Pacific Coast Highway and oil fields on the other. It is a sanctuary for migratory birds and many of these birds are dependent on the wetlands where 20 percent of North America's migratory birds use the Pacific Flyaway. The California wetlands in the winter have gone from 60 million birds to 2 million, largely due to the destruction of the habitat. More than 163 pairs of endangered Belding's Savannah Sparrows live and breed at the Bolsa Chica. You can also see the rare Clapper Rails and on any given day you can see Great Blue Herons, Avocets and Black-necked Stilts, Snowy Egrets, White and Brown Pelicans and much more
Related: Most Unique Tours In Orange County
