When the leaves change color and the mornings are crisp and cool at the end of October, it’s time for the Sea and Sage Audubon Society’s 23rd annual pancake breakfast at the Irvine Ranch Water District San Joaquin Marsh. The event is scheduled for October 31 from 7:30-10:30 a.m.

Come enjoy flapjacks and sausage hot off the griddle, fresh fruit, orange juice, coffee and milk. After filling your tummies, take a guided walk around the ponds to view the bird life and browse through the collection of used books for sale. Bring your binoculars. There will be spotting scopes set up for maximum bird viewing.

Reservations are required by calling the Audubon House at (949) 261-7963 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily. The cost of the breakfast is $10 for adults and $6 for children age six or under. Children under age three are free.

There is something for everyone at the pancake breakfast. Bird walks are scheduled during the morning, before and after breakfast. The book sale begins at 7 a.m.

Stop by the Education table for a great exhibit showcasing some of the art projects the kids made at camp this past summer. Learn about opportunities for adult volunteers to help share a love of nature with school children. Find out about the new education program which combines art with science, plus a host of other exciting education activities to investigate.

In the Duck Club, there will be ample information about the Sea and Sage chapter and many ways to become involved. Raffle cards may be stamped for entry into the drawing for special prizes.

Near the welcome table next to the Audubon House, Wild Birds Unlimited will have a table with bird seed, feeders, and other bird feeding items. They welcome questions about how or what to feed your birds, where to place your bird bath, what plants attract birds, and what to do if the birds are not coming to your feeders.

Optics4Birding will display some of their optics equipment for birders on the back porch of the Duck Club. This is a good opportunity for you to check out the latest in binoculars or scopes and ask questions.

Don't forget to stop by Audubon House to see the taxidermy birds on display, browse through the gift shop and book store, and check out the newly reorganized reference library. Volunteers inside Audubon House will be available to answer questions about Sea and Sage, birds, conservation issues, and education.

Check out the Sea and Sage website for more information.

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2015 will take place at the Orange County Great Park on eight days over two weekends beginning on October 8.

The event features highly efficient solar powered houses designed and built by collegiate teams, in addition to sponsor exhibits and a variety of activities. IRWD will provide the water to fill the tanks of each of the homes, and will transport the gray water once the event concludes. In addition, IRWD will supply drinking water for the entire venue.

Teaming up for their first Solar Decathlon competition under the name “Team Orange County” are the University of California, Irvine; Chapman University; Irvine Valley College, and Saddleback College. The team designed an innovative, net-zero-energy house that draws inspiration from the California state flower: the golden poppy. Like the flower, Casa Del Sol is drought-resistant and architecturally adapted to Southern California. It features an open design with a flex floor plan and separate studio for multigenerational living or a possible rental.

The Solar Decathlon houses will be open to visitors from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday-Sunday, October 8-11 and October 15-18. Admission is free. More information is available at http://www.solardecathlon.gov/.

If someone knocks on your door claiming to be an IRWD employee or a contractor working with the District, don’t be afraid to ask for their identification.

Contact IRWD at (949) 453-5300 if you are ever in doubt about any person who shows up to your home claiming to work for the District. If you are unsure that the person at your home is a legitimate IRWD employee, you may ask the person to leave and IRWD staff can assist you with a rescheduled visit.

IRWD Uniforms, ID Badges and Vehicles

Most IRWD field crew members wear an IRWD uniform with the IRWD logo above the left-hand shirt pocket and the employee’s name on the right side. IRWD Water Efficiency team members usually wear blue or white polo shirts with an IRWD logo embroidered on the left side.

In addition to uniforms, all IRWD employees carry photo identification badges and are required to show them on request. The badges should display the employee’s name, title, photo, IRWD logo and a hologram. IRWD staff can also provide business cards.

Many, but not all IRWD employees drive an IRWD vehicle when reporting to a customer’s home for a service call or appointment. All IRWD vehicles have the IRWD logo prominently displayed in one or more locations.

IRWD Will Never Attempt to Sell You Anything

IRWD staff and contractors will not show up at a customer’s residence without some kind of an appointment. Exceptions include emergencies, service shut-on or shut-off and water meter repair.

IRWD employees and its contractors will never show up unannounced at your front door attempting to sell you any type of product or service. If a person does this and states they are working for or with the District, they are being dishonest and should be immediately reported to IRWD and local law enforcement officials.

IRWD Contractors

IRWD works with several contractors that provide various services to the District’s customers. No contractor should be on your property without an agreed-upon appointment. These individuals will not be driving District vehicles, but should be able to produce identification and a letter confirming they are authorized to be there.

IRWD also employs Alexander Contract Services for meter reading services. These contracted employees wear vests identifying themselves as meter readers. They will never engage customers without being approached first.

For more information, please visit www.irwd.com or call 949-453-5300.

Nine intrepid volunteers from a Northwood High School environmental studies class were determined to unearth the treasure from San Diego Creek. They dug through the muck and mud, using their gloved hands and makeshift shovels of sticks and discarded PVC.

After about an hour, the treasure – a shopping cart - was freed and rolled to the waiting trash bin. Following a quick hydration break, the group headed out to see what else they could find.

The shopping cart, along with construction debris that might have fallen off trucks on the freeway, foam cups and drink lids, cans and bottles were pulled out of the creek during Inner-Coastal Watershed Clean Up Day on Saturday, September 19. IRWD has hosted this site for the past 15 years in conjunction with Trails 4All, the event’s founder. The clean up coincides with Coastal Clean Up Day.

Unlike that clean up event, the goal of Inner-Coastal Watershed Clean Up Day is to clean trash from creeks and streams that empty out into bays and beaches. Around 40 volunteers turned out to clean the creek of all manner of trash and recyclables.

Many of the students would receive community service hours through their schools. Over the years, more than 28,000 volunteers have cleaned up one million pounds of trash and recyclables at sites in Orange and Riverside counties.