Greater Sage Grouse. Photo: John Heino / Audubon Society
Beetle and Butterfly Tour of Fish Slough with Ceal Klingler
© C. Klingler. A red milkweed borer takes off at Fish Slough.
For our First Saturday field trip in May, we’re heading to Fish Slough and taking a closer look at…arthropods! Trip leader Ceal Klingler is a biologist, conservationist, and writer who hopes you’ll admire and possibly adore your smaller neighbors. Here’s what Ceal has to say about what you’ll be looking for on May 2:
Arthropods (for example, blister beetles, harvester ants, and jumping spiders) play a starring role in the function of desert ecosystems such as Fish Slough. Not only do they pollinate relatively isolated wildflower species in desert wetlands, but they also:
Transform plants into biomass that other animals can eat (e.g. when Say’s phoebes eat Pyralid moths or horned lizards eat harvester ants)
Break flower parts down into soil nutrients (e.g., when blister beetles eat flower petals and transform them into floral packets of fertilizer), and
Transport nutrients into the soil (e.g., when above-ground honeypot ant workers carry nectar to underground specialized workers who serve as “repletes,” reservoirs for the colony).
Across deep time, these interactions have helped shape the bodies and behavior of small animals like birds and lizards as they co-evolve with host plants, predators, and prey.
Although the timing of Fish Slough’s charismatic minifauna might be off during this year’s chaotic weather extremes, we’ll have a good chance of seeing Inyo tiger beetles, harvester ants and their golden sand scoops, milkweed beetles, migratory painted lady butterflies (and possibly monarchs), and the flying, jumping, and lumbering animals who eat them.
Please come prepared to walk in hot weather and bring close-range binoculars if you have them. Meet at 9:30 AM at the southern turnoff for east Fish Slough from Fish Slough Road (approximately 37.43309, -118.40607; past the private houses and pavement; look for a turnoff and parking area to your right/east). Return by 1PM.
RSVP required due to limited space on this trip: fieldtrips@easternsierrabirds.org.
Spring Big Day
Birders at Black Lake Preserve for the Eastern Sierra Land Trust’s World Migratory Bird Celebration in 2025. Photo: Gena Wood.
Join Eastern Sierra Bird Alliance and the Eastern Sierra Land Trust for Spring Big Day.
May 9 is an important day for birds and for birders around the world. Each year, the second Saturday in May is recognized as World Migratory Bird Day for U.S. and Canada, where we are experiencing peak spring migration. A worldwide bird count is held on that day, called Global Big Day. (Fall migrations are celebrated on the second Saturday of October.)
You can contribute to Global Big Day by using eBird to record the birds you see on May 9. Want to go birding with a group? Join our COSA walk or go birding in the Black Lake Preserve.
Your eBird data helps researchers create more accurate and up-to-date maps of bird migration. And thanks to innovations in bird tracking, you can see those migrations in amazing detail:
Birdcast shows the flights of millions of birds as they are detected by radar. Find out how many birds flew over your county or community last night, or look at migration forecasts.
The Bird Migration Explorer shows the locations of actual tracked birds, as well as patterns based on studies—many of which use eBird data!
Enjoy spring migration and the birds it brings to the Eastern Sierra.
ESBA COSA BIRD WALK - MAY
Join ESBA on the 2nd Saturday of every month for our bird walk at the Bishop Paiute Tribe's Conservation Open Space Area - COSA.
Our May 9 walk is one of two bird walks we are hosting on Spring Big Day.
Come enjoy this natural area and the birds we find there.
All ages are welcome and no experience is required.
We have binoculars and field guides to share.
LOCATION
Meet us in the large parking lot behind the Bishop DMV, next to the USFS and BLM offices off of Line Street.
DMV address: 1115 W Line St, Bishop, CA 93514.
Breeding Bird Tour of Lee Vining Creek Diversion Pond Loop with Nora Livingston
Meet at Tioga Mobile Gas Mart at 7am. Caravan up to the Diversion Pond to discuss how water diversion can affect riparian birds. Hope to see wood-pewee, warbling vireo, green-tailed towhee, red-wing blackbird, and possibly an ouzel. Return by 11am.
ESBA COSA BIRD WALK - JUNE
Join ESBA on the 2nd Saturday of every month for our bird walk at the Bishop Paiute Tribe's Conservation Open Space Area - COSA.
Come enjoy this natural area and the birds we find there.
All ages are welcome and no experience is required.
We have binoculars and field guides to share.
LOCATION
Meet us in the large parking lot behind the Bishop DMV, next to the USFS and BLM offices off of Line Street.
DMV address: 1115 W Line St, Bishop, CA 93514.
Mono Basin Chautauqua
The Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua brings birders together to enhance appreciation and understanding of the Mono Basin’s diverse and abundant bird life and to educate the public about this area’s value to birds and people. The Chautauqua offers over 90 field trips, workshops, and presentations with renowned bird guides, naturalists, and artists. Add live music and delicious food, and you’ve got yourself a fantastic long weekend in nature with friends! To sign up and find out more, please visit the event website.
ESBA COSA BIRD WALK - JULY
Join ESBA on the 2nd Saturday of every month for our bird walk at the Bishop Paiute Tribe's Conservation Open Space Area - COSA.
Come enjoy this natural area and the birds we find there.
All ages are welcome and no experience is required.
We have binoculars and field guides to share.
LOCATION
Meet us in the large parking lot behind the Bishop DMV, next to the USFS and BLM offices off of Line Street.
DMV address: 1115 W Line St, Bishop, CA 93514.
ESBA COSA BIRD WALK - AUGUST
Join ESBA on the 2nd Saturday of every month for our bird walk at the Bishop Paiute Tribe's Conservation Open Space Area - COSA.
Come enjoy this natural area and the birds we find there.
All ages are welcome and no experience is required.
We have binoculars and field guides to share.
LOCATION
Meet us in the large parking lot behind the Bishop DMV, next to the USFS and BLM offices off of Line Street.
DMV address: 1115 W Line St, Bishop, CA 93514.
ESBA COSA BIRD WALK - SEPTEMBER
Join ESBA on the 2nd Saturday of every month for our bird walk at the Bishop Paiute Tribe's Conservation Open Space Area - COSA.
Come enjoy this natural area and the birds we find there.
All ages are welcome and no experience is required.
We have binoculars and field guides to share.
LOCATION
Meet us in the large parking lot behind the Bishop DMV, next to the USFS and BLM offices off of Line Street.
DMV address: 1115 W Line St, Bishop, CA 93514.
ESBA COSA BIRD WALK - OCTOBER
Join ESBA on the 2nd Saturday of every month for our bird walk at the Bishop Paiute Tribe's Conservation Open Space Area - COSA.
Come enjoy this natural area and the birds we find there.
All ages are welcome and no experience is required.
We have binoculars and field guides to share.
LOCATION
Meet us in the large parking lot behind the Bishop DMV, next to the USFS and BLM offices off of Line Street.
DMV address: 1115 W Line St, Bishop, CA 93514.
ESBA COSA BIRD WALK - NOVEMBER
Join ESBA on the 2nd Saturday of every month for our bird walk at the Bishop Paiute Tribe's Conservation Open Space Area - COSA.
Come enjoy this natural area and the birds we find there.
All ages are welcome and no experience is required.
We have binoculars and field guides to share.
LOCATION
Meet us in the large parking lot behind the Bishop DMV, next to the USFS and BLM offices off of Line Street.
DMV address: 1115 W Line St, Bishop, CA 93514.
ESBA COSA BIRD WALK - DECEMBER
Join ESBA on the 2nd Saturday of every month for our bird walk at the Bishop Paiute Tribe's Conservation Open Space Area - COSA.
Come enjoy this natural area and the birds we find there.
All ages are welcome and no experience is required.
We have binoculars and field guides to share.
LOCATION
Meet us in the large parking lot behind the Bishop DMV, next to the USFS and BLM offices off of Line Street.
DMV address: 1115 W Line St, Bishop, CA 93514.
Owens Lake Bird Festival
The Friends of the Inyo Owens Lake Bird Festival will return for an 11th year in April 2026, with birding tours on and off the famous Owens Lake, as well as photography, advocacy, botany, geology, mining history tours, and more! Eastern Sierra Bird Alliance is a partner of this event and several of our board members will be guiding bird walks. To sign up and learn more, please visit the event website.
Field Trip - Breeding Bird Atlas in the Eastern Sierra
When: Sunday, April 12th from 7:00 AM - 12:00 PM (PST)
Where: Bishop, CA (specific meeting location TBD)
Leader: Forrest English
Please join the Eastern Sierra Bird Alliance for a breeding bird atlas field experience! In this bird walk, we will learn how to search for breeding bird behavior and review how to submit your eBird checklists to the CA Bird Atlas Project. We welcome bird enthusiast of all experience levels!
This field trip is complemented by a webinar training on Monday, April 6th where we will be introduced to the Atlas project and protocol. We recommend attending both the webinar and field trip for a complete training. Please find details about this webinar on our calendar.
For questions, please reach out to Katie Smith at katie@easternsierrabirds.org
ESBA COSA BIRD WALK - APRIL
Join ESBA on the 2nd Saturday of every month for our bird walk at the Bishop Paiute Tribe's Conservation Open Space Area - COSA.
Come enjoy this natural area and the birds we find there.
All ages are welcome and no experience is required.
We have binoculars and field guides to share.
LOCATION
Meet us in the large parking lot behind the Bishop DMV, next to the USFS and BLM offices off of Line Street.
DMV address: 1115 W Line St, Bishop, CA 93514.
Webinar - Breeding Bird Atlas in the Eastern Sierra
When: Monday, April 6th from 6:00 - 7:00 PM (PST)
Where: Bishop, CA (specific meeting location TBD)
Leader: Katie Smith and Forrest English
Please join the Eastern Sierra Bird Alliance for a brief overview of the California Bird Atlas project! In this online webinar, we will introduce this new community science project, share how people like you can get involved, and review the protocol so you can start atlasing with confidence. We welcome bird enthusiast of all experience levels!
This webinar will be complemented with a field experience on Sunday, April 12th where we will put our new skills to practice and learn how to look for bird breeding behavior. We recommend attending both the webinar and field trip for a complete training. Please find details about this bird walk on our calendar.
For questions, please reach out to Katie Smith at katie@easternsierrabirds.org
Sage Grouse Lek Viewing with CDFW Biologist Dan Taylor
Meet EARLY at the Mono Basin Scenic Area Visitor Center just north of Lee Vining to figure out carpooling. Hopefully observe “thunder chickens” in the Bodie Hills and discuss breeding behavior and conservation challenges for the bi-state population of Greater Sage Grouse. Bring a spotting scope if you have one. Specific time and location TBD.
ESBA COSA BIRD WALK - MARCH
Join ESBA on the 2nd Saturday of every month for our bird walk at the Bishop Paiute Tribe's Conservation Open Space Area - COSA.
Come enjoy this natural area and the birds we find there.
All ages are welcome and no experience is required.
We have binoculars and field guides to share.
LOCATION
Meet us in the large parking lot behind the Bishop DMV, next to the USFS and BLM offices off of Line Street.
DMV address: 1115 W Line St, Bishop, CA 93514.
ESBA COSA BIRD WALK - FEBRUARY
Join ESBA on the 2nd Saturday of every month for our bird walk at the Bishop Paiute Tribe's Conservation Open Space Area - COSA.
Come enjoy this natural area and the birds we find there.
All ages are welcome and no experience is required.
We have binoculars and field guides to share.
LOCATION
Meet us in the large parking lot behind the Bishop DMV, next to the USFS and BLM offices off of Line Street.
DMV address: 1115 W Line St, Bishop, CA 93514.
ESBA COSA BIRD WALK - JANUARY
Join ESBA on the 2nd Saturday of every month for our bird walk at the Bishop Paiute Tribe's Conservation Open Space Area - COSA.
Come enjoy this natural area and the birds we find there.
All ages are welcome and no experience is required.
We have binoculars and field guides to share.
LOCATION
Meet us in the large parking lot behind the Bishop DMV, next to the USFS and BLM offices off of Line Street.
DMV address: 1115 W Line St, Bishop, CA 93514.