Calendar

Bring the “wee-ones” out for a morning in pursuit of the mischievous Irish faery - the Leprechaun. Decorate a blarney stone and learn more about the Irish history of The Reserve at Ranch Mission Viejo.

Interpretation Level: High
Difficulty Level: Easy
Ages: 6 and up

Please note: participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4:00 pm on Friday, March 14.

San Clemente Tree Foundation in partnership with Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens have invited The Reserve to participate in their Family Arbor Day Event.

Address:
Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente, CA 92672

Come visit us at our booth and learn about why trees are so important and make a craft.

Come visit us at our booth at the Annual Swallows Day Parade in San Juan Capistrano.  Meet Rosy and learn more about our wonderful programs!

We will be in the Mercado, for more information please go to: http://www.swallowsparade.com/mercado.aspx

After winter rains, The Reserve teems with an endless array of wildflowers.  Join us as biologist Tony Bomkamp presents interesting facts (with photos) about many of the most picturesque wildflowers popping up along our hillsides and in our back country.

Ages: 8 and up

Please note:  Participants must be registered by 2:00 pm on Wednesday, March 26.

Enjoy the springtime beauty of wildflowers out on The Reserve.  Explore ridges and canyons looking for spring wildflowers with guest biologist Tony Bomkamp. You'll see some of the more common spring wildflowers and may discover some uncommon ones as well.

Interpretation Level: High
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Ages: 8 and up

Please note: participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4:00 pm on Friday, March 28.

Would you like to learn to identify some of our local feathered friends?  Are you ready to start your “life list?”  Enjoy a spring morning with Reserve docent, and bird expert, Tom Eastman, while quietly combing part of the Sienna Botanica and Horno Basin for our resident and migrant birds.    Please wear nature-colored or dark colored clothing to keep from startling away the birds!

Interpretation Level:  High
Difficulty Level:  Moderate
Ages: 8 and up

Please note:  Participants must be registered or on the waitlist by Friday, April 4.

Join Reserve staff for a Monday morning maintaining our trails!

Interpretation Level: Low
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Ages: 10 and up

Please note: participants must be registered by 4:00 pm on Sunday, April 6.

Scott Gibson, Assistant Director of Research and Education at Starr Ranch Audubon Sanctuary will be giving a lecture on snakes of southern California.  Scott's talk focuses on the biology and ecology of this often misunderstood group of animals, and will cover a broad range of topics such as foraging, reproduction, and defense, with special emphasis on venomous snakes.   In addition, the presentation will touch on the natural history of some of the common and interesting snakes of southern California.

Ages: 8 and up

Participants must be registered by Wednesday, April 9 by 2:00 pm.

Volunteer to spend a few hours in beautiful surroundings helping make The Reserve trails accessible to our visitors. Join the crew dedicated to protecting our native ecosystems by maintaining trails and eliminating weeds. Volunteer efforts make an impact! Drinks and snacks provided. (BRING: Work gloves if you have them).

Interpretation Level: Low
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Ages: 10 and up

Please note: participants must be registered by 4:00 pm on Friday, April 11.

Celebrate the beauty of spring! This hike will be led by a CNPS naturalist who will identify many of the common (and not so common like the Engelmann Oak) native plants of Orange County that grow in a good variety of habitats, including nice grasslands.    The hike will be 3-4 miles and moderate, up and down hills and then through a canyon. Spring wildflowers will still be in bloom.

Interpretation Level: High
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Ages: 8 and up

Orange County Stars

Visitors traveling to sparsely populated areas are usually delighted to discover how many more stars are visible than at home. If you’ve not yet caught a glimpse of the Milky Way, come out to The Reserve for Astronomy Night where you can still view many more celestial phenomena than elsewhere in urbanized Orange County!

Enjoy an evening outdoors, as you gaze into the heavens, learn the constellations, and peer through the telescopes of our volunteer astronomers.  Reserve astronomers are all volunteers who enthusiastically share their telescopes and expert sky knowledge with you. (BRING: Warm clothing, Red cellophaned flashlight, binoculars, optional beach chair.)

Interpretation Level: High
Difficulty Level: Easy
Ages: 8 and up

Please note: participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4:00 pm on Friday, April 25.

Come explore with members of North American Butterfly Association (NABA) and learn to identify butterflies – a relaxing and fun activity.  How many species will we find during our walk through the ever-changing palette of habitats?  Learn how to recognize our common butterflies.  Find out about hill topping and territorial behavior as you hike the trails of The Reserve.

Interpretation Level: Medium
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Ages: 8 and up

Please note: participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4:00 pm on Friday.

This slow paced Family Nature Walk is brought to you by the letter “S”.  We will walk down the Gato Trail to the Sister Oak while participating in a scavenger hunt, looking for things that start with the letter “S” such as stink beetles, scrub jays, sages, stick nests, sycamores, scat, seeds, spiders…plus many more.  Geared toward children but all ages welcome!  Enjoy this morning of fun while we walk on the wild side.

Interpretation Level: Medium
Difficulty Level: Easy
Ages: 6 and up

Participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4:00 pm, on May 2.

Join the Sierra Sage chapter of the Sierra Club to enjoy the beautiful, natural scenery of The Reserve.

Interpretation Level:  Medium
Difficulty Level:  Moderate
Ages: 8 and up

Please note: participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4:00 pm on Friday, May 2.

Mother Nature is nearby!  Celebrate Mother's Day in beautiful natural surroundings on a fun 3 mile discovery walk down Gato Road.  We will visit the Mother Oak and celebrate the beauty of spring's revival on this special day in the great outdoors while we search for spring wildflowers, birds, and other gifts to our senses that nature shares so freely.

Interpretation Level: Medium
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Ages: 8 and up

Participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4:00 pm, on May 9.

Orange County Stars

Visitors traveling to sparsely populated areas are usually delighted to discover how many more stars are visible than at home. If you’ve not yet caught a glimpse of the Milky Way, come out to The Reserve for Astronomy Night where you can still view many more celestial phenomena than elsewhere in urbanized Orange County!

Enjoy an evening outdoors, as you gaze into the heavens, learn the constellations, and peer through the telescopes of our volunteer astronomers.  Reserve astronomers are all volunteers who enthusiastically share their telescopes and expert sky knowledge with you. (BRING: Warm clothing, Red cellophaned flashlight, binoculars, optional beach chair.)

Interpretation Level: High
Difficulty Level: Easy
Ages: 8 and up

Please note: participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4:00 pm on Friday, May 30.