Take to flight with Audubon

The Conejo Valley Audubon Society will host its monthly meeting at 7:30 p.m. Mon., Jan. 7, 2008, at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology at 439 Calle San Pablo, Camarillo.

Aerospace engineer Phil Barnes will present "How flies the albatross: understanding dynamic soaring."

For more information, call (805) 987-2721 or visit www.ConejoValleyAudubon.org.

The society will also sponsor the following birding field trips in January:

•Sat., Jan. 5, Lake Casitas. Meet at Las Posas park-and-ride at 8 a.m. or the lake at 8:30. Ducks, grebes, sparrows, hawks and woodpeckers. John Pavelko, (805) 640-9040.

•Fri., Jan. 11, Point Mugu Naval Base. Call Don Williamson at (818) 889-4498 at least three weeks prior to get on the list, limited to 25 people. Must bring photo ID. Vermilion flycatcher, peregrine falcon, ducks, shorebirds, reddish egret, long-tailed duck and possible tundra swan.

•Sat., Jan. 19, Santa Clara River Estuary. Meet at 8 a.m. at Las Posas park-and-ride or 8:30 at Surfer's Knoll parking lot on Spinnaker in Ventura Harbor. Shorebirds, ducks, snowy plovers, blacknecked stilts, American avocets, gulls, grebes and loons. Thelma Williams, (805) 492-2796.

•Sun., Jan. 27, Simi Valley hot spots. Meet at 2 p.m. at Rancho Simi Park, on the Erringer side. Ducks, herons and passerines, also Arroyo Simi and the ferruginous hawk roost. Tom Halpin, (805) 746-4598.