Notes about your surroundings

Starr Ranch Trip--The Sea & Sage chapter of the National Audubon Society is holding a field trip to Starr Ranch Audubon Sanctuary Wednesday.

The trip will begin at 8 a.m.

Birds are attracted to the sanctuary’s native vegetation, including oak and sycamore riparian areas.

Participants are asked to bring binoculars, their lunch, water, a camera if they wish and to wear comfortable shoes.

The group will meet in the Lucky’s supermarket parking lot at Santa Margarita Parkway and Plano Trabuco Road and car-pool to Starr Ranch.

Santiago Oaks Park Trip--The Sea & Sage chapter will also hold its annual spring trip to Santiago Oaks Regional Park in Orange on Saturday.

The trip will begin at 8 a.m. and end about noon.

The park’s tree-filled acreage, riparian areas, coastal sage scrub, grassy areas and cactus patches are a mecca for a wide variety of bird species.

There will be a special section of the trip devoted to less-experienced bird-watchers.

Participants are asked to bring binoculars and water and to wear comfortable shoes. They can bring their lunch if they wish and join the group in the park’s picnic area under the spreading oak trees.

The park is at 2145 N. Windes Drive and there is a $2 entrance fee.

Bay Bird Counts--The Sea & Sage chapter is seeking volunteers to help with its monthly bird counts at Upper Newport Bay. The next count will be held Saturday.

The census is taken by six teams at low tide and lasts about two to 2 1/2 hours.

The count will begin at 7 a.m.

For more information about this or the field trips, call the chapter office at (714) 261-7963.