Notes about your surroundings

Bay Trip--Tour the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve with the Friends of Newport Bay on Saturday. In addition to viewing ducks, great blue herons and egrets, participants will examine the area’s history, geology and fossils, freshwater and saltwater marsh plants and food chain. Tour groups leave every 15 minutes from 9 to 10:15 a.m. from the corner of Eastbluff and Backbay drives. The two-hour walks move at an easy pace on a paved route. Comfortable shoes, a hat, a bird book, a camera and binoculars are recommended. Tours are given the second Saturday of each month through March 14. Free. Information: Dick Kust, (714) 786-8878.

Season’s Meetings--Scenes of the leopards, lions, elephants and birds of Kenya will be shown Thursday at South Coast Audubon Society’s potluck and holiday program. Herb and Kathy Williams, members of Buena Vista Audubon, will share their photos from such locales as the Samburu Game Reserve. The event begins at 6:15 p.m. at the San Juan Capistrano Woman’s Club, 31442 El Horno in San Juan Capistrano. Reservations: Mary Jane Roberts, (714) 493-1977, or Lucy Wright, (714) 661-4194.

Gift-giving ideas will be discussed at the Sierra Club, Orange County chapter’s meeting on Tuesday. The group meets at 7:30 p.m. at REI, 1411 S. Village Way, Santa Ana. The meeting is free and open to the public.

Holiday Nature Crafts--Turn natural materials into holiday decorations or gifts Dec. 14 at a workshop offered by the Oak Canyon Nature Center in Anaheim Hills. Projects planned include a pine cone and grape vine wreath, a dried apple and cranberry garland, and crystal snowflake ornaments. The workshop, for children 7 to 12, is from 1 to 3 p.m. Cost is $6.50. The nature center is at 6700 E. Walnut Canyon Road, just off Nohl Ranch Road near the Anaheim Hills Golf Course. Information: (714) 998-8380.