Anza-Borrego Birding & Ecology Field Experience
Description
This immersive multi-day birding experience combines classroom learning with field exploration in one of California’s richest desert ecosystems. The program begins with a virtual lecture that introduces participants to bird identification, behavior, and desert adaptations. In the field portion, participants will explore desert oases and open landscapes to observe a wide variety of resident and migratory bird species. Wildlife ecologist Kurt Leuschner will provide a detailed interpretation of habitat relationships, survival strategies, and ecological roles.
The lecture portion of this class takes place via Zoom. The outdoor portion takes place at Anza-Borrego State Park.
Anyone may attend! No expertise or experience is required.
Entry to Joshua Tree National Park is not needed for this program. Entry to Anza-Borrego State Park is not included in the cost of enrollment. Please purchase your A-B park pass ahead of time by visiting the California State Parks website. Link: https://www.parks.ca.gov/.
Participants are responsible for booking their own camping or hotel accommodations. No meals, lodging, or equipment are provided.
Participants are responsible for their own transportation; carpooling with other participants is encouraged.
This class is moderate. It requires less than 5 miles of walking with limited elevation gain on somewhat variable terrain and/or more than one hour outdoors in the elements throughout the weekend.
Required Items:
Water (3 to 4 liters per person per day)
Appropriate hiking attire
Meals and snacks
Closed-toe athletic shoes
Sun protection: A hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen are recommended
Daypack
Compass or GPS device
Binoculars (recommended)
Camera (optional)
Personal equipment for camping
A full tank of gas (or full charge for EVs) prior to arriving at the meeting location
Discount Policy: Only one discount may be applied per registration. Discounts cannot be combined. Eligible discounts include Friends & Family, Teacher, Veteran, Active Duty Military (and spouses), Park Lover Member, and Student discounts. The highest applicable single discount will be applied at checkout.
Meet Your Instructor: Kurt Leuschner, M.S., Wildlife Ecology, is a professor of Natural Resources at College of the Desert. Leuschner's specialties include ornithology, entomology, and desert ecology. He has led hundreds of field trips both locally and as far afield as Africa. He teaches natural history courses for the Bureau of Land Management, UCR Extension, Desert Institute, Living Desert, California State Parks, Riverside County Parks, and many other conservation organizations.
Photo Credit: NPS/Carmen Aurrecoechea
FAQs
- Who do I contact if I am running late?
Please plan to arrive on time for your class. We allow a 10-minute grace period for check-in before the class officially departs or begins. If you find that you will not be making it, please notify us in advance via email at desertinstitute@joshuatree.org.
- What if I need to cancel?
Desert Institute will provide a full refund if we are notified more than 7 days in advance. We are unable to process refunds for any cancellations less than 7 days in advance.
- Does Desert Institute cancel activities for weather or low enrollment?
If we do not meet our minimum of 10 registered participants for any given activity, we will likely cancel the activity with at least 48+ hours’ notice. Desert Institute runs classes rain or shine, except for astrophotography classes, which require mostly clear skies to be successful. If weather poses a safety risk, the class will be cancelled or postponed. We recommend that you purchase travel insurance, as we are unable to reimburse for expenses you incur due to a canceled class, such as airfare and hotel.
- What if I forgot something I need?
Our visitor centers and park stores are stocked with amazing essentials for your adventure. Preview or purchase items from our online shop; we carry hats, shirts, bandanas, water bottles, notebooks, maps, books. And more!
- Can I bring my kids? My Spouse? Pets?
Only registered participants may attend Desert Institute activities (unless noted in the activity description). If this is a kid-friendly activity, please make sure your child(ren) are registered and meet the age requirements. As much as we love pets, we don’t allow them in the field with any of our activities.
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