Meetings – Pomona Valley

Meetings are on the first Thursday of the month, from September to June and are free of charge. All are welcome!

Monthly meetings are held from 7:00-9:00 PM on the first Thursday of each month September-June in the Padua Room of Alexander Hughes Community Center, 1700 Danbury Dr., Claremont, adjacent to Lewis Park.

Our meetings begin promptly at 7 PM with a short bird identification (or teaching) session to help you become a better birder, followed by light refreshments and a short business meeting. Guest speakers present an evening program related to birds and/or conservation. Guests are welcome. Meeting is over by 9:00 PM.

Directions:
On Towne Ave. head north from Foothill Blvd or south from the 210 freeway. Turn east on Scripps Drive (signal) and then turn south on Danbury Dr. (no signal). Hughes Center is a large ex-school building on the east side of the Danbury. The Padua room is on the south side of the building. There is easy parking and access on both the west and south sides of the building

Fall / Winter 2026

October 1st, 2026 — Dr. Janel Ortiz

Studying Urban Wildlife with Cameras and Drones

Dr. Ortiz shares how modern technology lets researchers study wildlife without ever capturing or handling them. Using remote trail cameras and drones to observe the animals of the San Gabriel Valley, her work spans questions from population size to species coexistence to the effects of fire. She’ll walk through three completed projects: how landscape shapes urban wildlife and what that means for city planning, the coexistence of coyotes and bobcats, and the use of drones to measure parrot roost sizes and roost selection.

Dr. Janel Ortiz (she/her) is an Associate Professor at Cal Poly Pomona in the Center for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching and the Department of Biological Sciences, where she directs Science Educational Enhancement Services (SEES) and coordinates the Prete Fellowship Program. She earned her Ph.D. in Wildlife Science from Texas A&M University-Kingsville and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of San Diego. A first-generation Latina, she is passionate about engaging students in nature and increasing representation in STEM.

November 5th, 2026 — Nathan Nunez

Stories of the San Gabriel Mountains and the Xaapchivitam Clan

Nathan Nunez shares the tribal heritage of the San Gabriel Mountains and the Xaapchivitam Clan, exploring how the stories of his ancestors help us understand our relationship with the natural world and its long-term care. Drawing on his tribal work advancing mountain stewardship, outdoor education, and watershed conservation, he’ll speak to the shared efforts vital to the future of the San Gabriel Mountains and the San Gabriel River watershed.

Nathan Nunez is a recognized leader in outdoor education, a San Gabriel Mountains advocate, and a professional speaker. A descendant of the Xaapchivitam Clan of the Eastern San Gabriel Mountains, he operates one of the nation’s only tribally led outdoor education programs, serving communities across Los Angeles County. Through partnerships with agencies including the U.S. Forest Service, his work drives regional conservation and habitat restoration while retelling his ancestors’ stories and cultivating the next generation of outdoor leaders.

December 3rd, 2026 — Chris Spurgeon

Track Migration with Motus

Over the past decade and a half, the Motus wildlife tracking system—tiny radio transmitters attached to migrating birds, paired with a network of listening stations that detect them in flight—has transformed the study of bird migration. Chris Spurgeon offers an overview of the system: how it started, what it has accomplished, and what the future holds for Motus both globally and here in Southern California.

Chris Spurgeon is a board member of Pasadena Audubon, where he leads the chapter’s Motus efforts. He helps maintain several Motus tracking stations across the southern California region and is actively working to install more.

🏆 2026 Flock Leader Award

Our 2026 honoree of the Dr. Henry E. Childs, Jr. Flock Leader Award is Scott Marnoy!

This annual award recognizes a member whose commendable and outstanding service has contributed significantly to the growth, well-being, and furtherance of our society.

Scott joined the Board of Directors in 2022 following his retirement from Kaiser as a physician. When I approached him about serving as Field Trip Chair, I asked if he thought it might be a good fit. Thankfully, he said yes—and our chapter has benefited tremendously ever since.

Under Scott’s leadership, our field trip program has continued to grow and evolve. He introduced exciting new opportunities, including birding by kayak and pontoon boat in Newport’s Back Bay. During his tenure, the Birding By Tram program was launched at California Botanic Garden, making birding more accessible to those with mobility challenges. Scott has also embraced collaboration, arranging joint field trips with the Friends of the Claremont Hills Wilderness Park and helping strengthen connections within our community.

One of Scott’s greatest gifts is his remarkable breadth of natural history knowledge. Whether identifying native plants, reptiles, amphibians, or birds, he enriches every outing with insights that transform a simple bird walk into a true nature experience. Participants invariably leave having learned something new.

Never one to shy away from a challenge, Scott also took on the task of learning our social media platforms to help promote chapter outings. He mastered the even more demanding responsibility of maintaining the field trip page of our website, ensuring that information is accurate, current, and accessible to our members and guests.

Scott’s contributions extend well beyond his role as Field Trip Chair. He is a valued contributor to The Chaparral Naturalist, where his articles are consistently informative, thoughtful, and thoroughly researched. We have also enjoyed his outstanding bird photography, both in the newsletter and through the Photo Showcase and Photo Challenge.

Perhaps most importantly, Scott is someone our chapter can always count on. His reliability, generosity, enthusiasm, and commitment to service have made a lasting impact on our organization. He represents Pomona Valley Bird Alliance with professionalism, kindness, and a genuine passion for connecting people with nature.

Congratulations, Scott! We are deeply grateful for your dedication, your leadership, and the countless hours you have given to our chapter.