Birding Opportunities this Fall in the Coachella Valley region

Get Out and Bird! Regularly Scheduled Area Birdwalks Big Morongo Canyon Preserve: bird & nature walks on Weds and Sats (7:00 a.m. Apr-Sept; 8:00 a.m. Oct – Mar) except none the first Sat of any month and no Sats at all in Sept. 11055 East Drive, Morongo Valley, CA. (760) 363-7190. www.bigmorongo.org Coachella Valley Preserve Most first three Thurs 7:45 a.m. Sept thru Apr. 29200 Thousand Palms Canyon Rd, Thousand Palms, CA. For schedule call (760) 343-2733 or check website. www.coachellavalleypreserve.org Coachella Valley Wild Bird Center has a birdwalk on the first Sat of each month (Oct.-May) from 8:00-10:00 a.m. 46500 Van Buren St., Indio, CA. (760) 347-2647. www.coachellavalleywildbirdcenter.org The Living Desert has members-only birdwalks on the second Thurs of each month. Oct - May. Meet at the admissions gate at 7:30 a.m. for early admission. 47900 Portola Ave, Palm Desert, CA. (760) 346-5694 ext 82506. www.livingdesert.org Whitewater Preserve Every second and fourth Tues. 8:00 a.m. all year. 9160 Whitewater Canyon Rd, Whitewater, CA. www.wildlandsconservancy.org/preserve_white water.html (760) 325-7222. Fall Bird Classes Gearing Up There are several classes in the offing aimed at area birders. All are taught by Kurt Leuschner of College of the Desert. The Birds of Joshua Tree National Park—Sept 21-23, Joshua Tree National Park. Contact the Desert Institute at (760) 367-5535 for details. Birds of the Mojave Desert—Natural History & Conservation. Oct 12-14, Desert Studies Center at Zzyzx. Contact UCR Extension at (800) 442-4990 for particulars. Birds of Anza-Borrego—Oct 26-28, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Call UCR Extension at (800) 442-4990 for more information.