Nature Photo Sites in Ventura County, CA

[anthonty_debase]

I may be making a 3 day trip to Ventura County, CA next month to visit a sick relative and help out with a few things. While there I will have about 1/2 day for doing a little nature photography. My N90s, 400mm Sigma and 80-200 Nikkor will accompany me. I would appreciate suggestions for where to go in Ventura County for wildlife photos. Thanks.

[b.j._segel]

Well, I think your best bet would be to visit the Channel Islands National Park (boats leave from Ventura), but you really need a whole day to do that. It depends on where you'll be starting from; with only a half day, you don't want to spend too much time on travel.

[richard_shiell]

La Jolla Canyon at the north end of the Santa Monica Mtns. Nat. Rec. area (off HWY 1 at the south end of Ventura County) is quite scenic, but not likely to yield many wildlife opportunities in a half day. Maybe try shooting shorebirds at the beach with the 400mm.

[frank_kolwicz]

I live in eastern Ventura County and I've been around the environs a bit in the last two years, tell what your specific interests are and I'll see what I can do. Where will you be staying? That will have a lot of effect on what you could practically get to for a 1/2 day of photography.

 

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I find the area difficult to photograph, the chaparral-covered hills don't have a lot of scenic interest and most wildlife is rarely seen on a casual jaunt. This is also a pretty big county and you couldn't even drive most of it in 1/2 a day. We do have some winter birds along the shore and there are some nice coastal beaches. There are lots of hiking trails in the Santa Monica Mtns. and the Los Padres N.F., but I don't recommend the Channel Islands for a 1/2 day trip - the boat takes that long to get there and I don't know if you're willing to fly in on a charter or where it is allowed to land. Weather and water conditions may also interfere with any plans for going there.

 

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Frank

[anthonty_debase]

I will be in the area between Camarillo and Oxnard. I know that I can drive to the beaches in a little less than 1 hour. Are there any places in that area that are official or unofficial "preserves" for shorebirds and other sea mammals?

 

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Is there a decent zoo or animal park in that area?

[b.j._segel]

Try McGrath State Beach between Oxnard and Ventura, where the Santa Clara River runs into the ocean. There's a big campground there, but the beach area is wild. You should have lots of opportunities to photograph shore birds.

The nearest zoo is in Santa Barbara--not bad for a small zoo, but about 25-30 miles north of where you will be.

[frank_kolwicz]

McGrath State Beach is a good site for birds, especially if the lagoon that forms in winter has broken out and drained. This is a regular trip for Audubon Society chapters and last year I saw a peregrine kill a duck there. This beach is 10 to 15 minutes from the area you are staying at.

 

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A little further north is Carpenteria State Beach which has fewer birds, but some moderately interesting beach bluffs, shells and such.

 

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If you go up Hwy 33 past Ojai about an hour's drive, you'll be in Sespe Gorge. There are some nice rock/foliage formations.

 

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A bit further afield is Vasquez Rocks State Park, east on Hwy 14 about an hour drive. Nice rock formations and semi-desert plants.

 

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I don't do zoos, but there's a nice botanic garden in Santa Barbara and a Mission, if that's of interest.

 

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All these sites are pretty heavily visited by the some 12 million or so Angelenos who are only an hour or two away, so weekends, especially nice ones, can be very crowded.

 

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Regards,

 

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Frank

[nes_suno]

<P>Maybe Hooper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge to the northeast. Not being a birder, I don't know if there's any photogenic activity at the nearby Sespe Condor Sanctuary this time of year but maybe there's some info on the web (try your favorite search engine).

 

<P>If you can't get an authoritative answer one way or another, I'd stick pretty close to the beach (i.e., Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area).

[frank_kolwicz]

Sean,

 

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I haven't heard of Hooper Mtn. Refuge. What else can you tell me about it?

 

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Frank

[nes_suno]

<P>I've never been to Hooper Mtn., I just saw it on a map.

 

<P>Wildlife info off the web: "Area is a traditional feeding site for the endangered California condor. Condors used the area frequently from October through May. A variety of other birds occur during migration and year round."

 

<P>"Habitat: 1,871 acres of rugged mountains, rock out-croppings, chaparral, hardwood groves, stands of Big-cone Douglas fir and open grasslands."

 

<P>"Recreation and Education: Public use is severely limited because of the sensitive situation of the California condor. The U. S. Forest Service maintains two observation points in the Los Padres National Forest."

 

<P>Contact info: <ADDRESS>U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 3817, Ventura, California 93006, Tel. (805) 644-1766.</ADDRESS>

 

<P>According to this info, this might be the right time of year to go. I'd definitely call first. If they say you aren't going to get great pictures, I'd tool around Los Padres National Forest. With 2,000,000 acres (second largest National Forest in California), I suppose you're bound to find something photogenic.