Notes about your surroundings.

Bay Tours--The Friends of Upper Newport Bay will offer guided tours of the Back Bay area Saturday.

Those who go on one of the tours will be able to see several species of birds who make their winter home there, including light-footed clapper rails, dowitchers, willets, plovers, sandpipers, pintails, shovelers and American bitterns.

The walking tours are free and last about two hours.

Tour groups will start every 15 minutes or so beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday. The last tour group will leave at 10:15 a.m.

Those who would like to participate are asked to meet at Back Bay and Eastbluff drives in Newport Beach. For more information, call (714) 646-8009.

Native Plant Project--Volunteers are needed to help in the re-vegetation efforts at Irvine Regional Park on Saturday.

The work begins at 8 a.m., and directions to the planting site will be posted at the park entrance. Participants are asked to bring gloves and a shovel, and lunch, if they wish.

The park is at 21401 Chapman Ave., Orange. For more information, call the Sea & Sage chapter of the National Audubon Society at (714) 543-7393.

Anaheim Wetlands Tour--Also on Saturday, a naturalist-led tour of the Anaheim wetlands will be held. The 8 a.m. tour is sponsored by the Oak Canyon Nature Center, and preregistration is required.

Call (714) 998-8380 for more information. The center is at 6700 Walnut Canyon Road, Anaheim.