Welcome
See a video of the ponds by clicking here. Edwards AFB recently produced a video with interviews of Jon Feenstra and members of the Sea and Sage Audubon Society who were visiting the ponds during a birding tour. Beautiful images and interesting information for any newcomer to Piute Ponds.
Something New on the Site
The Birding and Hunting pages have been updated. Check them out!!!
Opening Day, 2011
Birders be aware of your birding opportunities at Piute Ponds during hunting season. Opening weekend for hunting was Sat, 22 Oct. For the rest of the season hunting will be Sun, Wed and federal holidays. Some examples of federal holidays follow:
Please contact Edwards AFB, Wanda Deal, if you are unsure whether you should be at the ponds on any particular day.
Pond Information
Over 250 species of birds have been documented at the Piute Ponds Complex. In 2004 the National Audubon Society designated the Ponds as an "Important Bird Area of California." Piute Ponds is one of a few areas in the state supporting a successful White faced Ibis rookery. Black Crowned Night Herons and Great Blue Herons breed at the ponds regularly.
Mike San Miguel documented the most southern breeding range extension of Buffle Head at Piute Ponds. For information about Mike San Miguel's influence on birding click here: Mike San Miguel
Piute Ponds is the largest freshwater marsh in Los Angeles County (see aerial photo below). The area supports a diversity of flora and fauna. The convergence of two mountain ranges (San Gabriel to the south and Tehachapi to the north), the Mojave Desert, coastal influence, and beneath the Pacific Flyway provides a mixture of diverse migratory birds.
These wetlands are open to the public for viewing, birding, hiking, photography and hunting with posession of a special access letter or base hunting permit. See Hunting or Birding page for more information.
click here for special, rare sightings
The ponds and surrounding area are unique within the Antelope Valley and provide a recreational resource for the surrounding communities. The Piute Ponds Complex is designated a Significant Ecological Area (SEA) for Los Angeles County.
An Alkali Mariposa Lily Conservation area is proposed in the Draft West Mojave Plan and borders the Piute Ponds Complex .
In addition to its ecological value, Piute Ponds is recognized for its recreational and educational opportunities. The most popular activities at Piute Ponds are bird watching, photography, and waterfowl hunting. The area is used all year by Branch Elementary School as an outdoor laboratory. Other local schools also use the area for educational purposes.
