Everyone knows that birds of a feather flock together, and the proof is found at the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve, where more than 250 species of birds can be spotted making their living.

Encino residents live in a prime location to appreciate the Wildlife Reserve, as it happens to straddle the town's border at 6350 Woodley Ave.

"It's a fantastic place to take an 'out-of-the-city' vacation without having to drive more than a few miles," said Muriel Kotin, youth activities chair and past president of the San Fernando Valley Audubon Society.

The San Fernando Valley Audubon Society leads free bird walks for adults and families on the second Saturday of each month from October through March. Most migration is complete by this time of year for most species of birds, Kotin said.

Encino is along the Pacific Fly-way, so migratory birds such as Canada Geese and American White Pelicans come to the reserve to forage on grass this time of year.

"Birds start coming down from Alaska, Canada and the Arctic Circle in late July and August, but I think some of our duck species, like Canada Geese, are not here yet in large numbers," Kotin said.

Many species, however, live in the reserve year-round. Most birds nest in the late spring and early summer when there is more food for them to eat.

"In the cool months we have the larger birds like cormorants, herons, and egrets, that have nested on the island at the center of the lake for the past seven years," Kotin said. "It's a nice protected location for them with plenty of fish."

Carolyn Oppenheimer, chairperson of the Sepulveda Basin Environmental Education program, organizes school programs that wish to visit the 120-acre wildlife site. About 60 schoolchildren, consisting of fourth through sixth graders, are divided into groups. Tours are conducted by docents from the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains under the direction of the San Fernando Valley Audubon Society, which picks up the cost, Oppenheimer said.

"Every child is provided the use of binoculars during the walk, and learn the importance of the food web," Oppenheimer said. "They also stop at our plankton-station and look through microscopes at tiny animals like crustaceans, water fleas, and zooplankton."

Conservation Chair of the San Fernando Valley Audubon Society, Kris Ohlenkamp, has led bird walks the first Sunday of every month from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. for much of the past 30 years.

"Hikers can experience how the plants, birds, and animals form an ecosystem," Ohlenkamp said. "I like to point out all the plants and mammals, dragonflies and everything else that we come across."

"If you've never been birding, then you don't know the variety that's in your neighborhood," said Ohlenkamp, who typically sees 60 to 70 species of birds during a morning walk. "Everybody's first experience really surprises them. It's an opportunity to learn what's around you everyday."

Schools interested in setting up field trips can contact Carolyn Oppenheimer at carolopp@sbcglobal.net or go to www.sfvaudubon.org.