In the summer, when many bird species are wrapping up nesting in China Camp, warbling vireos are just starting to raise their young here. A great place to look for them is in the tall trees surrounding Miwok Meadows. With a little practice, you can identify these beautiful seasonal visitors. 

First, listen for the vireo’s rapid, undulating call. Next, scan the canopy. Warbling vireos have a gray-olive upper body, creamy belly and throat, and a black stripe bounded by white stripes crossing the eye.

To up your chances of spotting vireos and other summer birds at China Camp, join a morning stroll with naturalist Jerry Coe. Learn how to identify birds by their shape, flight patterns, calls, and habitat. Also learn how to use binoculars and bird guides as we search for other species, including violet-green and barn swallows, warblers, white-tailed kites, and acorn woodpeckers.

Jerry Coe is a naturalist with over eight years of intensive training in ornithological field identification. He spent 15 years as a volunteer in Nevada’s Great Basin National Park, using bird activities to assess the health of habitats. Jerry has also guided outdoor expeditions all over the world.