By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY
Staff Writer
Ezra Murray, a 16-year-old resident of Crestline, has always been fascinated with birds, so much so that he has spent his time doing research and has written a birding guide for the local mountain area. He intends on becoming an ornithologist when he graduates from college in a few years with plans to become a bird conservationist, aspiring to protect birds in the wild and urban communities.
Ezra’s book, Birding Guide to the San Bernardino Mountains: Crestline through Running Springs, is an easy walking guide to see birds in the mountain areas. The book explores the local trails and tells where to look for specific birds in what Ezra refers to as “among the richest birding destinations in the country.”
The back cover of the book intrigues the reader with the statement, “The San Bernardino Mountains are a birder’s paradise, boasting hundreds of species and breathtaking natural beauty. Birding Guide to the San Bernardino Mountains explores the most beautiful and productive locations in the Rim of the World communities.”
The varied elevations, micro-climates and diverse plant life in such a compact area definitely attract a wide variety of birds.
Inside the book are designated hikes with where to park, the trails and creeks in the area and what types of birds to look for along each trail. There are numerous color photos taken by Ezra to help identify the birds seen and what birds to listen for in each area.
The book begins in Crestline at the Regional Park, along the Lake Gregory trail, where there are water birds and ducks, as well as tree and brush birds to see. Up to 152 have been officially documented as observed there and the book describes trails traveling eastward along the crest of the mountain toward Running Springs.
Each hike is briefly described, along with the types of foliage and trees, with good reasons to take it. An example of this is the 360-degree views from the top of Strawberry Peak and the 73 bird species found along the trail route, including the seven species of raptors that are often riding the wind currents in the peak area. Ezra also notes trail difficulty and problems to watch for while hiking, as along the Sawmill Trail or the Heaps Peak Seep trail, east of the Arboretum.
Other places he recommends for birding include Lake Arrowhead Village (although better on a weekday when there are fewer visitors), comparing it to Lake Arrowhead’s south shore and Papoose Lake and MacKay Park. Nearby Grass Valley Lake has 38 bird species that regularly visit it, including wintering waterfowl such as mergansers, mallards, buffleheads, herons, cormorants and more. The surrounding trees are also filled with birds as the quiet of the private park and lake is conducive to their lifestyle.
Ezra speaks of the differences in the environment in each area, including elevations and foliage. For example, the aridness of the Pinnacles with its drier vegetation creates an entirely different habitat than the forested areas, thus attracting different species of birds than the wetter, treed areas, despite their closeness in mileage.
Ezra was extremely excited when, in June 2023, he saw a Kentucky Warbler which usually stays east of the Rockies and documented it at the Pinnacles.
Ezra’s favorite trail is the Sawmill Trail near Grandview School in the Twin Peaks area, as it is quiet and feels removed and yet is nearby. He hopes to bring awareness to birding and to help fill in the gaps in the birding information of the area. He has been contributing to the American Birding Association by filling out a daily birding checklist which has expanded the knowledge of birds that frequent the mountain areas.
He has also taken many tours with the Audubon Society of the San Bernardino Valley after meeting Brad Singer who has mentored him. It has inspired him to write this book and helped define his goal of becoming a field ornithologist who cares for the natural environment. He has submitted this book into the Young Birders competition of the American Birders Association, since the San Bernardino Mountain area is mostly unexplored and undocumented in modern times.
By using this book, which came out on Jan. 28, readers may discover new trails and have the opportunity to learn where to observe the rarest and most elusive bird species in the western San Bernardino Mountain area. At end of the 40-page book is a bird frequency chart, directing the reader to the season of year to look for each of 72 most frequently seen birds in the mountain area, since some are migratory.
Ezra is not only fascinated with birds, but he also likes to hike and photograph birds since he moved to the mountains in 2020. Ezra is also musically inclined, having earned a spot in Mountain Top Strings, playing the viola. He plans to go to Italy next summer after his sophomore year of high school at Sage Oak Charter School. He has hopes that sales of his book help pay his way, along with his job at Thousand Pines Camp.
The books are on sale through Amazon, from Ezra himself and at the Mountain History Museum for $12 each.
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