A warm March hike through Dilley Reserve began with a search for tiny bird’s nest fungi. We found them, along with a surprising fungal party, busy butterflies, Pacific Chorus Frog tadpoles, and Splendid Mariposa Lilies blooming along the trails.

Four years after the first survey, Fairview Park continues to surprise with new species, memorable encounters, and the quiet rewards that come from returning to the same place month after month.

Three years into the Fairview Park bird surveys, familiar routes continued to produce memorable surprises, from Loggerhead Shrikes and Vermilion Flycatchers to owls, meadowlarks, and more.

The second year of Fairview Park bird surveys brought familiar species, exciting new discoveries, and a growing appreciation for one of Costa Mesa's most rewarding birding locations.

Follow my first year of monthly bird surveys at Fairview Park in Costa Mesa, discovering the birds, habitats, and seasonal changes that make this urban park such a rewarding place to explore.

A whale watching trip just off the Orange County coast delivered breaching Humpbacks, Ocean Sunfish, seabirds, dolphins, and a reminder that incredible wildlife adventures can happen surprisingly close to home.

A spring pelagic trip out of Dana Point brought storm-petrels, Red-necked Phalaropes, a Brown Booby, migrating warblers resting aboard the boat, and thousands of By-the-wind Sailors drifting across calm Southern California waters.

I had settled onto the beach with a book when a Gray Whale appeared just beyond the sand. For nearly half an hour, it rolled through the shallow water close enough for us to see its eye.

A young Snowy Owl appeared on a rooftop in Cypress and quickly became an Orange County celebrity. We visited this exceptionally rare Arctic traveler twice, watching her rest among the neighborhood’s chimneys with her bright yellow eyes and enormous feathered feet.

A fall pelagic trip from Dana Point took an unexpected route after an oil spill was reported off the Orange County coast. The day brought two remarkable Red-billed Tropicbirds, plenty of seabirds, and Brown Pelicans gliding through the boat’s wake.

A January pelagic trip from Dana Point took us into the Catalina Channel for a full day of seabirds, ocean views, and learning from experienced local birders. Highlights included a Black-legged Kittiwake following our wake, a rare winter Buller’s Shearwater, and Brown Pelicans playing behind the boat.

Quail Hill Loop is an easy two-mile trail through open grassland in Irvine. We came looking for Blue Grosbeaks and also found Western Kingbirds, House Finches, and Red-tailed Hawks watching the trail from above.