Best Bird Watching Area Corona Near Me

4worldlovers:
The 347,000 acres of public and quasi-public lands already set aside as habitat are at the heart of the Western Riverside County MSHCP. Within these lands, tens of thousands of acres are designated as habitat reserves.


These reserves are important partners in RCA’s efforts to monitor and manage conserved land in Riverside County.


Box Spring reserve lies on a steep and rugged granitic slope near the top of Box Springs Mountain, in a transitional zone between Coastal Sage Scrub and Chamise Chaparral.


A cold spring on the adjacent land gives rise to freshwater seeps and an intermittent stream. Rich in vertebrates, the 160-acre reserve hosts nineteen species of reptiles, including three rare species: the Coast Horned Lizard, the Orange-throated Whiptail, and the Red Diamond Rattlesnake. Sixteen species of mammals inhabit the reserve, including the Pacific Kangaroo Rat, Mountain Lion, and Mule Deer. Also observed on site are over eighty-five bird species. Soaring and hunting on the updrafts are many raptors, such as Golden Eagle, Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, White-tailed Kite, Northern Harrier, and American Kestrel. Other avian species frequently seen are White-throated Swift, Anna’s Hummingbird, Rock and Canyon Wrens, Lazuli Bunting, Western Meadowlarks, and Rufous-crowned, Black-chinned, and Sage Sparrows.


The Box Spring Reserve is part of the Natural Reserve System of the University of California. This reserve is not open to the public but the adjacent Box Springs Mountain Reserve Park, owned and operated by Riverside County Park and Open Space District, is.


Emerson Oaks Reserve, located in the Temecula Valley, lies in a transitional zone between the California coast and the Colorado desert. Four major climatic zones: mountain, desert, coastal, and interior valley converge on site, helping influence a variety of habitats. Oak Woodlands and Coastal Sage Scrub habitats are found on the reserve’s lower and gentler slopes. The higher and more rugged elevations support Oak Trees and dense stands of Chaparral. These diverse habitats and several permanent springs help support a wide variety of wildlife. Observed fauna include: Mule Deer, Kangaroo Rats, Hawks (Cooper’s, Red-tailed, and Red-shouldered), American Kestrel, Western Scrub Jays, Wrentits, Hutton’s Vireo, California Thrashers, Rattlesnakes (Red Diamond and Southern Pacific), Orange-throated Whiptail, Coast Horned Lizard, and a variety of butterflies, including the California Sister and Lorquin’s Admiral. The reserve, which is protected by The Nature Conservancy, is bordered by the Pechanga Indian Reservation, Agua Tibia Wilderness, Dorland Mountain Artists’ Retreat, agricultural land, scattered residences, and lands held by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.


French Valley Wildlife Area is 702 acres of Coastal Sage Scrub, Southern Willow Scrub, Grasslands, Eucalyptus woodlands and prior dry-land farming agricultural lands. The state wildlife area is located east of Temecula and southwest of Lake Skinner. This wildlife area has rolling hills with elevations from 1,300 to 1,600 feet.


Hidden Valley Wildlife Area is located along the Santa Ana River. The 1,500 acres is managed as a park with 25 miles of hiking and equestrian trails and a Nature Center. The area serves as an important habitat for migratory birds. The Hidden Valley Nature Center overlooks the Santa Ana River watershed and offers hands-on experiences with live animals, snakes, reptiles. A short hike to the educational pond offers viewing of migratory bird species, flora and fauna, and aquatic life.


James San Jacinto Mountains Reserve is located on an alluvial bench situated at the lower end of Hall Canyon, a steep, western flank of Black Mountain. The James San Jacinto Mountains Reserve is part of University of California’s Natural Reserve System. It is part of a large forested “sky island” and a jewel of biodiversity. Nested between 5,325 and 5,550 feet in elevation, the James San Jacinto Mountains Reserve is exposed to the extremes of all seasons, it receives on average over 26 inches of annual precipitation, and is surrounded by diverse biomes. The reserve hosts a wide variety of plant communities: Sierra mixed Conifer Riparian Forest, Oak Woodlands, Montane Chaparral, Alder-willow-cedar Riparian forest, and dry meadows. Habitats include mixed Conifer and hardwood forest, Montane Chaparral, Montane Riparian forest, rapidly flowing mountain stream with manmade reservoir (Lake Fulmor) immediately downstream. The entire watershed is protected for research and study by the U.S. Forest Service. There are records of 259 species of vascular plants, 35 bryophytes, six amphibians, 18 reptiles, 125 birds (60 percent nesting), 35 mammals, and around 1,000 invertebrates.