WILDLIFE AND HABITAT

There are many reasons to preserve the land and keep it as a nature park. Daily coastal ocean breezes bring fresh air, providing a wonderful place to enjoy some quiet and quality time with nature, as well as lots of natural trails for hiking (the kind your feet like, not the concrete ones at an urban park).

However, one of the best reasons to preserve the Randall Preserve is the incredible amount of wildlife. Because its use has been limited to oil production for the last 70 years, the land has escaped the dense residential development characteristics so prevalent in Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, and Huntington Beach. The Randall Preserve has become “nature’s last stand” by providing some of the only remaining habitat (including purple needlegrass grassland and coastal sage scrub) for rare animal species found along the southern California coast.  Much of the property has been recognized by the state of California as Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area.

Just some of the wildlife and habitat that has been found in and around the Banning Ranch area is pictured below:

Birds found in and around Banning Ranch

Red Tailed Hawk
Red Tailed Hawk
California Least Tern
California Least Tern
Western Snowy Plover
Western Snowy Plover
White-Faced Ibis
White-Faced Ibis
Willow Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
Wilson's Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Burrowing Owl
Burrowing Owl
California Gnatcatcher
California Gnatcatcher
Cactus Wren
Cactus Wren
Bell's Vireo
Bell's Vireo
Anna's Hummingbird
Anna's Hummingbird
Savannah Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Black Skimmer
Black Skimmer
California Gull
California Gull
Cooper's Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Double-Crested Cormorant
Double-Crested Cormorant
Elegant Tern
Elegant Tern
Loggerhead Shrike
Loggerhead Shrike
Long-Billed Curlew
Long-Billed Curlew
Peregrine Falcon
Peregrine Falcon
Osprey
Osprey
Allen's Hummingbird
Allen's Hummingbird
Clapper Rail
Ridgway's Rail

Mammals & Reptiles found in and around Banning Ranch

Lowland Western Toad
Lowland Western Toad
Pacific Tree Frog
Pacific Tree Frog
Southern Alligator Lizard
Southern Alligator Lizard
Western Fence Lizard
Western Fence Lizard
Side-Blotched Lizard
Side-Blotched Lizard
Common Kingsnake
Common Kingsnake
Audubon Cottontail
Audubon Cottontail
Gopher Snake
Gopher Snake
Opossum
Opossum
Ornate Shrew
Ornate Shrew
Coyote
Coyote
Long-Tailed Weasel
Long-Tailed Weasel
California Ground Squirrel
California Ground Squirrel
San Diego Fairy Shrimp
San Diego Fairy Shrimp

Plants found in and around Banning Ranch

Mule Fat
Mule Fat
Cattail
Cattail
Cockelbur
Cockelbur
California Bulrush
California Bulrush
Saltbush
Saltbush
Horseweed
Horseweed
Curley Dock
Curley Dock
Alkali Heath
Alkali Heath
Morning Glory
Morning Glory
Marsh Fleabane
Marsh Fleabane
California Everlasting
California Everlasting
Narrow Leaved Milkweed
Narrow Leaved Milkweed
Jimsonweed and Buckwheat
Jimsonweed and Buckwheat
Jaumea
Jaumea
Giant-Reed
Giant-Reed