Birding Carrizo Plains and Pine Mountain Club

After our recent birding trip to Ojai, we headed north in search of two challenging but iconic species. Mountain Quail and Scott’s Oriole can be found when you are birding Carrizo Plain and Pine Mountain Club. This journey took us first from the remote riparian corridors of Apache Canyon. Then a drive through the rare geographic meeting point of four counties along the Maricopa Highway. Finally into the montane forests of Pine Mountain Club.

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Apache Canyon – Desert Meets Water

Our first stop was Apache Canyon, a rugged channel cut through the northern edge of the Carrizo Plain. Driving along the river bottom, we observed a surprisingly diverse range of birds. The river alternated between flowing water and dry gravel which we crossed several times. Keep an eye for flash flooding in the right seasons. There were sections of burned out trees as well making for nice woodpecker habitat. This is where the Scott’s oriole was posted just days before we traveled there. 

We logged over 23 species (eBird checklist). Among these, the 10 less commonly reported species for the area were:

1. Mountain Quail
2. Downy Woodpecker
3. Nuttall’s Woodpecker
4. Hairy Woodpecker
5. Rock Wren
6. California Thrasher
7. Western Bluebird
8. Phainopepla
9. Lark Sparrow
10. Western Meadowlark

Apache Canyon proved to be a magnet for these lower-frequency sightings, especially in the pockets of riparian vegetation.

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Maricopa Highway – Where Counties Collide

We then traveled eastward along Highway 166 and SR 33, passing through a truly unique spot in California. This is the convergence of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Kern Counties—all within a 10-mile radius. For eBird enthusiasts, this is a goldmine for building county lists in quick succession. New Cuyama and the Carrizo plains is a place that I hold as a core memory. This was the trip I started my life list. While I was attending University in Santa Barbara, we traveled here for a look at some of the wintering birds. These included; Sandhill Crane, Burrowing Owl, Lewis’ Woodpecker and Prairie Falcon. The Riverbed, the olive orchards, the grassland all had their own flavors as we drove through. Top 10 for this location were:

1. California Quail
2. Horned Lark
3. Western Meadowlark
4. Chipping Sparrow
5. Red-tailed Hawk
6. Savannah Sparrow
7. Common Raven
8. Bewick’s Wren
9. Western Kingbird
10. Lesser Goldfinch

Map: Four-County Convergence

This view highlights how the roadways thread through all four counties—a quirk of geography and a birding opportunity rolled into one.

It’s a great area to revisit throughout the year. The many county boundaries give you a shot at boosting your eBird totals without extensive travel.

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Pine Mountain Club – Montane Retreat

Our final destination was the cool, pine-draped enclave of Pine Mountain Club. At a lofty height we were perched at over 5,000 feet in Kern County. This community, surrounded by Los Padres National Forest, is one of the best high-altitude forest birding spots in southern California. This is where we stayed at a very quaint accommodation called Pine Mountain Inn. We were treated like royalty by Diana the Inn keep and owner. If you are up that way, spend a night or two. It makes a great home base for birding in the area. 

Highlights included:

1. Black-headed Grosbeak
2. Spotted Towhee
3. California Towhee
4. Pygmy Nuthatch
5. White-breasted Nuthatch
6. Mountain Chickadee
7. Steller’s Jay
8. Acorn Woodpecker
9. Mountain Quail
10. Purple Finch

This is varied habitat—from dense pine-fir to open manzanita slopes. This area makes this an ideal finale to a trip spanning desert, chaparral, oak woodland, and montane forest.

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Field Notes & Tips

• Target Early Mornings: Especially effective in Apache Canyon for secretive species like rails and bitterns.
• Multi-County Bonus: Log your Maricopa sightings under all four counties when the road closely hugs borders.
• Seasonal Variation: Pine Mountain Club is worth repeating in different seasons for warbler diversity and irruptive species.

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Final Takeaway

Whether you’re county listing, chasing target birds, or just love exploring wild terrain, this loop delivers. From Carrizo Plains to Pine Mountain Club, it’s a dynamic birding route. We had Mountain Quail and Scott’s Oriole in our sights. But the real highlight was the variety. Each stop brought new habitat, new species, and fresh surprises. That diversity made the trip unforgettable.