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Learn more about Van Damme State Park here!

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Birdwatching for Beginners (5 min. read)

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Birdwatching for Beginners (5 min. read)

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Want to learn how to get kids into birdwatching? Read this short article on how to get started. It all starts with exploration!

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Birding is awe-inspiring. It connects us with a sense of place, and gets us outside to explore our neighborhoods and towns. It's also great for travel: One of my favorite things to do when I visit a new place is to go for a walk in the morning to see what species I encounter.

So how do you make this wonderful pastime more engaging for children? I'm the Community Programs Manager at Seattle's Seward Park Audubon Center, and I often bird with a young crowd in tow through the ancient woods of Washington's Bailey Peninsula. Here are the strategies I use to keep little birders absorbed for hours (or minutes) on end.
How to Bird
Start off by reminding kids that birds are hard to spot, but easy to hear. Have them close their eyes and listen. Can they point to where the song is coming from? I like to teach common mnemonics like the American Robin's cheery up, cheerio, which can be picked up on almost any bird walk in the United States. Learn some mnemonics for common birdsong here.
Where to Go
You don't need to go far. Birds can be seen on the city street as well as in parks, yards, and nature preserves. It does help if you can stick to areas near water if you can. You're likely to spy herons, egrets, and swans, which are easier for kids to see. Plus . . . ducklings!
What to Look For
Striking out on live birds? Point out the signs they leave behind such as nests, cracked seeds, whitewash (poop), or owl pellets.
Which Optics to Use
Binoculars can be very hard for young children to learn how to use. Kids also have trouble looking through spotting scopes. Instead, focus on staying still and looking for the movements of birds and other animals. Or, for more fun, make a pair of DIY cardboard binoculars to get your kid into practice.

Games

The best way to get a kid interested in birding? Make it a game! Here are three ways Nicholas Lund ( The Birdist) puts the "fun" in "birding fundamentals.
Scavenger Hunt
Birding is a game that has a goal: To see as many birds as possible. For some kids, counting up from zero to some arbitrary number-5 different kinds of birds, for example, or 20 birds in one outing-will be enough to stay focused and have fun.

To fire up kids' powers of observation, make a list of target birds before heading to the yard or park. Use general categories like ducks and hawks or even critters in groups of threes or fours. You could also make a rainbow by finding feathered subjects that cover ROYGBIV.
Let Them Lead
Some kids will do anything to be in charge, and outdoor exploration is a great opportunity to encourage their independence. Let them choose which park, or pull up a map of your area and let them choose which green patch you visit. Once there, let your child choose the trail and lead the way, pointing to objects or areas they want to study as you go.
Binocular Spy
If your child is advanced enough to use binoculars, teach proper usage by asking kids to read signs at varying distances. Start with the closest and move farther away until they're okay holding the barrels steady and turning the focus wheel. Once those basics are down, play I Spy to have them re-find smaller objects.
Sound Off
Most children know what a pig and dog sound like-but what about a Red-eyed Vireo? Ask kids to imitate the bird sounds they hear, then use a field-guide app to pull up the IDs and play back clips. The key is to let them voice their own translation of the songs and calls

***
Freebie Alert! Don't have a field guide app? Download to start learning 821 North American species.

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Birding is awe-inspiring. It connects us with a sense of place, and gets us outside to explore our neighborhoods and towns. It's also great for travel: One of my favorite things to do when I visit a new place is to go for a walk in the morning to see what species I encounter.

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We currently have availability for our virtual program Saving Sea Stars in Mendocino Coast's Marine Protected Areas. Book a session with us!

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Did you attend the We Are Water Protectors Storytime PORTScast or are you planning to? Here is a resource for your classroom that goes with the book. Check it out!

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Check out some of the birds that have been spotted at Van Damme State Beach. If you're interested in birdwatching at the beach, this is a great checklist to check out prior to visiting the park!

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Forest Birding Hotspot at Van Damme State Park

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Forest Birding Hotspot at Van Damme State Park

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Van Damme State Park's Lower-Campground/ Visitor Center Bird Checklist. There are 155 different species sighted at the park. This is a great spot to listen and look for birds!

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California Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

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California Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

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California Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

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California State Parks- Van Damme State Park

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California State Parks- Van Damme State Park

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Website page all about Van Damme SP!

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No Drones Allowed in Park

The noise and sight of drones can alter other people's enjoyment of nature

A drone hovering nearby can feel intrusive and threatening.

Drones can capture photographs and video without someone's permission

Drones mimic the behavior of predatory birds and can frighten wildlife

For these reasons State Park units in the Sonoma-Mendocino Coat District do not allow launching, landing or the operation of drones on State Park property. Camper Information
Van Damme campground is currently open to existing reservations and has a limited number of first come first serve camping sites available.

All reservations are made through reservecalifornia.com or by calling 1-800-444-7275. For further information please contact the Sonoma Mendocino District Office at (707) 937-5804 Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

There has been a temporary single lane bridge installed to allow for access to campsites on the east side of Little River. The temporary bridge is much narrower than the original bridge and measuring 10 feet in width and 53 feet in length. The bridge configuration does not allow for a straight on and straight off approach or exit.

Additionally, it will be necessary for all trailers entering the camp sites east of Little River to make a right turn off of the bridge followed by a U-turn in the designated turnaround area to access the group camp, upper sites 31-74 and in some cases sites 19 and 20. Similar maneuvering will be necessary in order to exit the camp sites to cross the bridge. Signage is in place to assist motorists.

If you are traveling with a large trailer it is recommended that upon your arrival at the park that you park in the Beach Parking Lot and walk into the park to look at the bridge. If you would like to stay in the Van Damme Beach Lot we will accommodate you there. We are including photos of the bridge and its configuration to help you make an informed decision. If you would like to speak to someone at our District Office you can call 707 937-5804 M-F, 8am to 4pm. Please use caution when crossing the bridge to avoid damage to your vehicle.

Three miles south of Mendocino on Highway One, Van Damme State Park offers a scenic beach, a lush fern-filled forest, and year-round camping. The highway runs through the park, separating the campground and the Fern Canyon trail head to the east from the beach and parking lot to the west. Visitors can launch a kayak in a protected cove. They can explore a pygmy forest. They can hike, jog, or bicycle the splendid Fern Canyon Scenic Trail beside Little River. Of all the park system's units along the Mendocino coast, Van Damme is perhaps the richest in terms of historical resources connected with the redwood lumber industry. Its story is a prime example of the struggles and eventual failures of a small, independent lumber operation.

Weather
The climate here is temperate year-round. Winter rains and cool summer fogs that usually burn off by mid-morning provide the moisture necessary for the thriving coastal redwoods. Prepare for changeable weather.
Please Remember

All features of the parks are protected by state law and may not be disturbed or collected.

Anglers over the age of 16 must carry a valid fishing license.

Do not gather dead or downed wood. Purchase firewood at campground.

Driving off designated roads is not permitted.

State law requires that all bicycle riders under the age of 18 wear bicycle helmets.

Dogs are not allowed on trails or dirt roads or in hike-in sites. They should be on-leash elsewhere and in a tent or vehicle at night.

Along the coast, stay back from bluff edges. Beware of rogue waves that can sweep you out to sea. The water is cold, swift, and unforgiving.

THINGS TO DO
Van Damme is a great place for hiking, biking, birding, jogging, kayaking, botanizing, and watching salmon spawn. Its trails including a 0.25 mile-long wheelchair-accessible boardwalk to view stunted trees in a pygmy forest. Its camping facilities include nine hike-in sites in a beautiful redwood forest. The 1930s-era visitor center was once a recreation hall for the Civilian Conservation Corps.

If you have an hour, head out Airport Road to the pygmy forest. It's weird, wonderful and well explained with interpretive signs. A good place for bird watching too, with pileated woodpeckers and more.

If you have half a day, start at Airport Road and hike from the pygmy forest down into Fern Canyon and back again-a four-mile loop that allows you the option of exploring both Fern Canyon Trail and Old Logging Road Trail. Starting in an open area with small trees, you descend into the tall trees and lush understory along the Little River. A good way to sample many of the park's habitats in a short amount of time.

Additional Visitor Services

Kayak Mendocino (Kayak rentals and tours)

Pay Showers for registered campers available

HIKING
The Fern Canyon trail of Van Damme State Park experienced significant damage from storms during the winter of 2023. The Fern Canyon trail access from the Van Damme State Park campground is currently CLOSED for maintenance. Approximately 2.5 miles of the Fern Canyon trail and 1.4 miles of the Old Logging Road Trail are still accessible (see image below).

The following trail access is still available:
Mileages
.25 miles of wheelchair accessible boardwalk trail in the Pygmy Forest
1.4 miles from the Pygmy forest parking lot to the river via the Old Logging Road Trail
2.5 miles from the Pygmy forest parking lot via the Fern Canyon trail to the river / junction of the Old Logging Road Trail.
* This may be hiked as a loop but requires the river to be very low for crossing

EASY HIKES
Pygmy Forest
0.25 miles, flat
Located off Airport Road. Check out the bonsai trees in bog-like conditions on soils so old they are nearly bereft of nutrients. Wheelchair accessible.

Pygmy Forest and Fern Canyon Loop
4.15 miles, elevation change 300 feet
Sample the pygmy forest, the upland forest, and the redwoods of Fern Canyon, in one easy loop. Drive out Airport Road. After walking 0.25 miles around the pygmy forest boardwalk loop, head down the fire road for 0.2 miles to a fork in the trail. Take Old Logging Road Trail (the left fork) downhill for 1.2 miles to a junction with the Fern Canyon Trail. There's a good picnic site there. Then turn right and uphill onto the single-track portion of Fern Canyon Trail. In 2.3 miles, after following the Little River through the heart of a lushly vegetated canyon, you'll switchback up through a drier forest. In another 0.2 miles on the fire road you came in on, you'll be back at your car.

Fern Canyon from the Campground (CLOSED FOR MAINTENANCE)
5 miles, elevation change 150 feet
Check out the environmental camps and some of the finest parts of Fern Canyon on an easy (stroller- and bike-friendly) trail along Little River. Leave your car at the end of the main road, just east of the campground. With shafts of golden light piercing through tall trees, walk for 2.5 miles on a gentle, packed-earth trail along the Little River. You'll pass alders, thimbleberries, elderberries, tall coast redwoods, mighty Douglas-firs and whole hillsides covered with sword ferns. Wooden bridges arch gracefully over the river numerous times. In 1.75 miles you'll reach a second-growth redwood forest with 9 "environmental" (primitive) campsites. After a total of 2.5 miles, find a picnic site at a trail junction. Turn around there, return the way you came, and give all that gorgeous scenery a second look.

STRENUOUS
Fern Canyon Lollapalooza (CLOSED FOR MAINTENANCE)
9.15 miles roundtrip, elevation gain 450 feet
A long, lovely journey through many of the park's most interesting places. Leave your car at the end of the main road, just east of the campground, follow the directions for the hike above until you get to the trail junction at 2.5 miles. From there, head uphill for 2.5 miles to the pygmy forest. Observe the strange effects of nutrient-poor soil on the plants along the 0.25-mile-long loop through the pygmy forest. Then head back downhill, taking Old Logging Road Trail at the fork. When you reach the Little River again, it's a glistening, green 2.5 miles back to your car.

Cabbage Patch
Currently closed due to maintenance budget restrictions

ACCESSIBLE FEATURES
Currently, campsites 7 and 10 are paved, have wheelchair-accessible tables, and are at least usable. A number of other sites are fairly level with hard dirt surfaces and may be usable in dry weather. A generally accessible combination toilet room/shower is located near campsite 11. Toilet permits front transfers, and assistance may be needed to reach shower controls from bench. Designated accessible parking is adjacent to the building. Pygmy forest has a self-guided nature boardwalk. A beach wheelchair is available upon request for use at California State Park beaches in the Mendocino coast area. Call (707) 937-5721 at least seven days in advance.
Pygmy forest: Located off Airport Road, this loop trail is generally accessible. Interpretive exhibits describing the forest features are accessible along the approximate 300-yard loop. A ramp from the far end of the loop leads to Old Logging Road Trail, which may be accessible in dry weather for a short distance. A paved parking lot with 8 spaces includes one van-accessible space. Accessibility in state parks is continually improving. See updates by following the Accessible Features link at the top right of this page.

BIKING
Use bicycles on designated paved roads, dirt roads, and trails, such as the 2.5-mile Fern Canyon Scenic Trail, the 1.2-mile Old Logging Road Trail, and the 0.2 mile-long trail that leads from Old Logging Road to the Airport Road parking area. Bicycles are not allowed in other areas, including part of the Fern Canyon Trail and the pygmy forest self-guided trail. Observe posted signage.

CAMPING
Family Camping
Van Damme has more than 65 drive-in campsites: 63 standard, 5 tent only, and 1 for groups. Spring through fall, reservations are strongly recommended. Reservations may be made up to six months in advance and are available only by calling 1-800-444-7275 or by clicking the reservations link at the top right of this page.

Backcountry Camping (CLOSED FOR MAINTENANCE)
The park has 9 first-come, first-served "environmental" (primitive) sites in a redwood forest along the Fern Canyon Scenic Trail, 1.75 miles2 from the trailhead near the end of the campground.

JUST FOR KIDS
Summer interpretive activities include hikes, campfire programs, and junior-ranger programs. Times and locations are posted in the park. The hikes and campfire programs are suitable for all ages. The junior ranger programs are for visitors age 7 to 12.
If you come in the off-season, you and your kids can download and work your way through the state parks' Adventure Guide together.
Before heading to the park, explore the Redwoods Learning Center set up by Save the Redwoods League. It offers fun, redwood-themed activities, classroom tools, and ways to get involved in redwood protection. Redwoods bingo, anyone?

WATER ACTIVITIES
Van Damme Beach is popular with kayakers. In the summer, kayak tours exploring the tide pools and sea caves nearby are offered through a concessionaire at the Van Damme Beach parking lot. The dive site has shallow areas, offering beginners gradual entry from the shore. Remember that the beauty of the Mendocino coast is tempered by its unpredictability and danger. Dive only in designated areas, and heed the warnings on the parks map.

Jug Handle State Natural Reserve and Van Damme State Park At Jughandle State Natural Reserve, some lands are preserved not only for their scenic beauty or wilderness qualities, but are also protected because they are ecologically unique, such as the pygmy forest. The sequence of terraces provides a 500,000-year-long timeline of soil and plant community development that shows the interplay of biology and geology like nowhere else.
(Photograph Copyright 2002-2009 Kenneth and Gabrielle Adelman)
The full Geo Gems report | Geological Gems of State Parks

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California State Parks, State of California

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California State Parks, State of California

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MPA Locations and Regulations

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California Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

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A bird's view of what Van Damme State Beach looks like! Pretty neat! Such a beautiful site to view from above! 🦅

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The California MPA Network:  Safeguarding an Underwater Wilderness

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Download this picture to have a map of the park!

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Mendocino California State Park District

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This journal is for all ages!

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No sunlight is able to reach this deep.

Many deep-sea creatures cope by creating light themselves - also known as bioluminescence.

Narwhals dive to this depth up to 15 times a day in search for food.

The Japanese Spider Crab is the largest known crab with a maximum leg span of 3.8m.

Coelacanths were thought to be extinct until found alive in 1938.

Leatherback Sea Turtles are the oldest sea turtle species.

Giant Oarfish can grow up to 11m long.

Sixgill Sharks spend the day in deep waters and the night in shallow waters. They can be found all over the world.

Telescope Octopus are almost completely transparent and have unique protruding eyes.

Barreleye Fish have a transparent head that allows their eyes to collect more light.

Black Swallowers can swallow entire fish whole - even those vastly larger than themselves!

Vampire Squids eat marine snow - organic material that falls from shallower waters.

Headless Chicken Fish are sea cucumbers with wing-like fins that allow them to swim.

Colossal Squid are the largest known squid species. They can reach a length of 10 meters and weigh up to 700 kg.

The Orange Roughy can live up to 200 years. Deep sea life often have elongated life spans.

Meals are rare in the deep sea. Deep sea creatures have adapted to this - one Giant Isopod in captivity went five years without eating.

Many deep sea species use the color red as camouflage since it's the first color to leave the spectrum as you dive deeper.

Goblin Sharks are known as "living fossils" because they're the only living species of a lineage that has existed for 125 million years.

Is it a squid, or a worm? It's a worm.

Sea Angels are majestic sea slugs that use wings to propel themselves.

The Scaly-Foot Snail gets its name from the iron plates on its foot and the iron shell it makes out of Iron Sulphide.

Anglerfish have a large bioluminescent lure used to attract prey in the darkness.

Giant Tube Worms get their nutrients from hydrothermal vents.

Hydrothermal vents are formed from seawater passing through extremely hot volcanic rocks. They release heavy metals that are toxic to most animals.

But even in those extreme conditions specialized life finds a way to survive.

Yeti Crabs live on hydrothermal vents.

This is the average depth of the ocean.

But in some places it goes deeper.

Cuvier's Beaked Whales are the deepest diving mammals.

On April 14th, 1912 the Titanic sank to its final resting place at a depth of 3,800 meters.

This is the deepest point of the Manila Trench in the South China Sea.

Patagonian Toothfish have antifreeze proteins in its tissues to prevent freezing in sub zero temperatures.

Megamouth sharks are one of the largest growing shark species with some reaching 7 meters long.

The temperature here is near freezing and very few animals can survive the extreme pressure.

This shark takes cookie-shaped chunks out of its prey.

You have scrolled the height of Mount Everest.

Comb Jellies have been around for 500 million years. Despite looking like jellyfish, they are not closely related.

This is the lowest point of the Puerto Rico Trench.

This is the deepest point of the Java Trench in the Indian Ocean.

The USS Johnston sank in WWII and is the deepest shipwreck ever found.

More people have been to the Moon than the Hadal Zone.

Most of the Hadal Zone takes place in deep sea trenches.

Deep sea trenches form by a process called "subduction" where the Earth's tectonic plates meet and push together.

The deep sea can be a lonely place.

Life here is sparse - the extreme conditions make survival difficult.

But still not impossible.

So little is known about life in these deep environments. Almost every expedition uncovers something new.

Many probes and submarines have been lost trying to reach the deepest parts of the ocean.

On January 23rd, 1960, about 9 years before the moon landing, humans went where they never had before.

Two men, Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh, onboard the submarine Trieste slowly descended into the Mariana Trench.

Their goal was to reach The Challenger Deep - the deepest point in the ocean.

The submarine used a re-breather system that would later be used in spacecraft. There was barely enough space inside the pressure sphere for both of them.

The immense pressure of the deep sea means any mistake would mean certain death.

During the descent, one of the window panes cracked and shook the entire vessel.

Nevertheless, they continued.

Even at these unfathomable depths, Jacques and Don could still see life out the window. Life can survive unimaginable environments.

After 4 hours and 47 minutes of anxiety and claustrophobia...

They succeeded and became the first humans to reach the deepest point in the ocean.

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An interactive page that lets you scroll down the ocean. Visit the great depths of the Mariana Trench and discover all the sea creatures hidden beneath.

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Mendocino Coast Audubon Society (MCAS) - Birding Van Damme State Park

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Learn more about birding from MCAS in our area.

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Mendocino Coast Audubon Society
Van Damme State Park and Beach
There is frequently fine shorebird viewing from the beach parkinglot. Across Highway 1 lies the main body of Van Damme State Park. There is a parking fee to park within the park. Look for the flock of Gray Jays that resides in the park.

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Mendocino Coast Audubon Society - Birding Van Damme State Park

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A sneak peek of what the VDVC looks like!

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Never turn your back on the ocean!

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Learn more about the global plastic trash crisis...

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The latest stories from our Planet or Plastic? series-a multiyear effort to raise awareness about the global plastic waste crisis.

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Explore Van Damme State Beach while playing bingo, and connect to all four senses of sight, smell, sound, and touch! We will not be tasting anything! We will provide laminated copies for each person!

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The Cornell Lab Academy is a great resource for videos that highlight bird adaptations; both physical and behavioral.

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Keep learning with this curated collection of videos from the Cornell Lab

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The Nature Journal Connection, Episode 22, Sitspot: Observing a Special Place Over Time

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@castateparks_mendocino