Notes about your surroundings.

AUDUBON UPDATE: Volunteers from Orange County’s Sea and Sage Audubon Society will be busy Saturday morning in Irvine Regional Park in Orange as part of an ongoing effort to reintroduce native plants to the park.

Native plants in the park and in other undeveloped parts of the county have been largely pushed out in many cases by introduced species. Last year’s planting brought in 435 plants, but this year just 110 will be planted to fill in areas. The day will also be spent mulching and otherwise maintaining plantings from years past.

Saturday’s planting begins at 8 a.m. and should be done before noon. For information on volunteering for the project, or for continuing maintenance of the plantings, call Susan Sheakley at (714) 552-5974.

Local Audubon members are also gearing up for the annual Christmas Bird Count. This year, the Orange County inland count will take place Dec. 18 and the coastal count Jan. 1. Some members will be also be taking part in the first-ever count on Santa Catalina Island on Dec. 17. Surveyors will camp on the island the night of Dec. 16, count birds on Dec. 17 and be back on the mainland in time for the county’s inland survey the next day.

Last year’s count in Orange County netted 215 species, tying for first place in the nation, while the inland count alone tallied an all-time high of 157 species.

Birders of all skill levels are sought for the count. For information on joining, call Jerry Tolman, (714) 539-8040.

For information on other society activities, call the chapter office, (714) 543-7393.