Notes about your surroundings

Night Prowl--Spot the creatures that come out at night during an “owling outing” from 8 to 10:30 p.m. May 23 at the Rancho Mission Viejo Land Conservancy. Hikers will learn how to identify owls by their calls and hone in to the buzzing of bats. The outing is for adults and children 12 years and older. Preregistration is required. Cost is $6.

Rather reach for the stars? The conservancy is having an astronomy night from 8 to 10 p.m. May 16. Learn the constellations and gaze through a telescope at star clusters, nebulae and the craters of the moon. Cost is $8 for adults and $6 for children 8 years and older. Children 6 and 7 are free. The event is not recommended for those younger. For reservations, directions and more information, call Laura Cohen at (949) 489-9778. The 1,200-acre wilderness reserve is in the coastal foothills five miles east of San Juan Capistrano.

Down South--Huge numbers of birds in Venezuela’s vast wetlands can be seen during a slide show given at the monthly meeting of the South Coast Audubon Society on May 14. Shots of caiman, Orinoco crocodile and piranha are also included. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the San Juan Capistrano Woman’s Club, 31442 El Horno St.

Bee Alert--The importance of bees to the environment and the threat posed by Africanized bees will be explored at a free lecture May 12 presented by the Orange County Natural History Assn. The program begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Sea Country Community Center, 24602 Aliso Creek Road, Laguna Niguel. (949) 487-9155.

Sight Saving--The benefits of ecotourism will be discussed at the May 12 meeting of the Sierra Club, Orange County chapter, featuring a slide show of an East African photo safari. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. at REI, 1411 S. Village Way, Santa Ana. The meeting is free and open to the public.