Sea & Sage Audubon Society

Sea & Sage Audubon Society's mission is to protect birds, other wildlife, and their habitats through education, citizen science, research, and public policy advocacy.

Sea and Sage Audubon Society is a local chapter of the National Audubon Society, a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the preservation of native birds and their habitats. Since its foundation in 1958, Sea and Sage Audubon has been a well-trusted resource for science-based information about the county’s diverse bird populations. For over 60 years, we have provided many community services through our environmental education programs, scientific research projects, and environmental advocacy.

1. People can get close to nature through birding skills workshops, free monthly bird-watching trips, outdoor science programs for elementary school children, nature day camp programs, birding club for teens, summer bat walks, community tours, and more.

2. People can assist with community research projects such as annual winter and spring bird counts, monthly bird counts at local wildlife areas, and surveys of endangered shorebirds, nesting endangered birds, and urban raptors.

3. People can help promote responsible management and/or development of Orange County’s remaining natural resources; review public documents and proposed development plans for biological impacts; and speak out on environmental issues.

Historical highlights include partnership with the Irvine Ranch Water District at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary since 1991; Christmas Bird Counts that provide long-term data on the county’s wintering bird populations; public Birding Skills Workshops offered annually by the same dedicated scientific volunteer; five-year volunteer research project documenting nesting bird locations resulting in “The Breeding Bird Atlas” publication in 1997; and Outdoor Adventures science discovery program which has enabled over 65,000 elementary school children (mostly urban inner city youth) to understand and appreciate natural resources since 1992.

Today, with over 3,000 members, an annual budget of $528,760, 4 paid staff, and over 600 volunteers, we continue to foster programs for every age level and interest in our community.

Accomplishments for 2025

1. We strengthened our community engagement by providing new table displays, on-site tours, presentations, and collaborations with community partners. This was accomplished through new volunteer leadership and committee partnerships.

2. We secured a significant grant to redesign our website to increase educational value, improve branding, and create a cohesive resource about birds, birding and habitat protection.

3. We launched partnerships with newly-established birding chapters at local colleges and universities such as Santiago College Birding and UCI Birding.

4. We designed and implemented a new Children’s Library at the Audubon House at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary.

5. We reopened free loan of our six Nature Discovery Kits to local educators which had been closed since the Covid pandemic.

Goals for 2026

1. To assist scientific researchers, we will promote Motus, a technological system to study movement of birds, bats and insects through miniaturized tags that transmit information to strategically located stations. Thanks to a large donation, we will assist placement of a Motus tower at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary if feasible plus work with local organizations to expand local Motus coverage.

2. We will support new and long-term raptor research projects with Dr. Pete Bloom.

3. We will improve the efficiency of our community outreach in Audubon House at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary. This will be accomplished by developing a cohesive plan through surveys, input, and meetings with key personnel, Irvine Ranch Water District landowner, and others.

4. We will create a new Carolyn Noble Junior Naturalist College Scholarship program to support the educational plans of teenagers participating in the monthly Junior Naturalist program.

Adult volunteers are needed for the following activities:
1. Audubon House visitor center needs friendly volunteers to staff a 4-hour shift at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine. Volunteers greet visitors, answer questions, sell giftshop items, loan binoculars, and answer the phone; training provided.
2. Volunteer Naturalists, especially retired school teachers, are needed to share nature with school children participating in our environmental education programs at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine; training provided.
3. Volunteer Camp Naturalists, especially retired school teachers and scout parents, are needed to help plan camp activities and art projects in addition to teaching and/or assisting with nature walks, lessons, and art projects.
4. Conservation Advocates are needed to help influence governmental agencies and landowners to better manage the last remaining wild areas in Orange County. Attend our monthly Conservation Meetings for information.
5. Volunteers with excellent book-keeping skills are needed to assist our Treasurer and Finance Committee.

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Not Applicable