Shallow waters create O.C. bird sanctuaries

The Santa Ana River Trail and the Anaheim Coves bustle with stately birds. It’s a watcher's dream.

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Near Yorba Regional Park in Anaheim Hills, a white-faced ibis ruffles its feathers after grooming itself on a sandbar of the Santa Ana River.


Despite heat waves and dry conditions in Orange County, the Santa Ana River is still flowing through Yorba Linda, Orange, and Anaheim. A recent walk on the Santa Ana River Trail and the Anaheim Coves recreation trail revealed that the shallow waters are a perfect place to go bird watching.

If you visit Yorba Regional Park in Anaheim Hills, which is accessed off La Palma Avenue, east of Imperial Highway, it's a short walk from the parking lots to the Santa Ana River Trail.

Overlooking the river, the bright white egrets will likely catch your attention first. They can be territorial and scare off rivals from their staked-out fishing spots.

The tallest birds on the river are the great blue herons. They stand like statues in the shallow waters until their keen eyes spy a passing fish. Like a sword thrust, their beaks dart into the water with incredible speed and accuracy. With a wingspan of 5-6 feet, they wheel through the sky and skim the water's surface. You'll likely see them take flight because they are skittish when observers stand still too long.

Canada geese, unmistakable by their girth and long black necks, congregate in the river in random places. If you are out at dawn, you'll likely see them flying toward the sunrise in V-formation, honking as they go.

Mallard ducks are plentiful in the river, but close to Yorba Regional Park there are a small number of fantastically colored Wood ducks.

Black-necked stilts and white-faced ibis were seen here recently, along with several species related to sandpipers. Cormorants are always here, often standing on rocks in the current, sunning themselves with their wings spread wide. Be careful to not stand under a tree on the river trail where they perch. The pavement below is well marked by their past presence.

Along the path at the fairly new Anaheim Coves recreational trail, the birds are a bit harder to see through the decorative fence that keeps visitors out of Burris Basin, a water reclamation settling pond, but there have been a few special birds here recently.

You can access the trail from three locations. There is ample parking on Rio Vista Street, and there are parking lots off Lincoln Avenue or Ball Road, on the west side of the river. At Ball Road, you pass the driving range to reach the parking lot.

Last week, on two different days, an osprey perched atop a tall antenna near a pump station on the Ball Road end of the trail. Ospreys, also known as sea hawks or fish eagles, have been seen flying over the basin with fish in their talons. They occasionally perch in a tall dead tree at the basin's north end.

On a recent morning, a small flock of black skimmers were squawking, cruising the surface of the water when the rising sun painted the water gold. Closer to the multiuse path, a few hummingbirds were perched on branches overlooking the water. Pelicans regularly visit the basin as well.

The best time to view and photograph the birds is at sunrise and just before sundown. The birds are more active then, the light is prettier, and it definitely is cooler.

A strong telephoto lens or binoculars will enhance your viewing but most of the birds can be seen without these tools.

While you're watching wildlife from the trails, be aware that the trails are also busy with fast-moving cyclists. There are many spots along the Santa Ana River Trail where you can get off the pavement and sit at a bench or picnic table. The trail intersects many major streets and there are several restaurants nearby at Imperial Highway and La Palma Avenue.

If you pay to park in Yorba Regional Park, make sure you take the time to walk in its lush grass fields and nature trails.

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