Leader Details

Wes Fritz Native Californian from San Diego. My parents were archeologists, and I was fortunate to travel to interesting places while on their "digs". I spent time in the field and museums, studying and admiring bird skins and egg collections. I've had an avid interest in birding and ornithology since I was about 10 yrs old. I've lived in many parts of southern California. I love birding the Salton Sea, renting a place at Red Hill and planted the cottonwood trees in order to provide better birding habitat. I make my home in Santa Barbara County because of the wide variety of habitat and birding opportunities this area offers. I've worked on many environmental protection projects by CA Fish & Game, BLM and other environmental groups, specifically for federally-protected threatened and endangered species. I spent five years researching for the San Bernardino and Riverside Counties Breeding Bird Surveys, and also worked on Important Bird Areas of California (IBAC). I've also done bird surveys with China Lake NWC (CA), Edwards AFB (CA), Ft. Irwin NTC (CA) and a few other military installations. I've worked with Vandenberg Air Force Base (CA) on conservation projects. I am a moderator of "inlandcountybirds", and have served as both conservation chairman and as vice-president of La Purisima Audubon. I have been a trip leader for various Audubon groups, the Nature Conservancy, the American Birding Association, Western Field Ornithologists, and a few bird festivals. I also co-lead many deep water pelagic trips covering the California Bight, from San Luis Obispo to San Diego Counties and into waters off of Baja.