Birding Hotspots: Bishop Sewer Ponds

Bishop Sewer Ponds

Notice:

Effective March 2003: The Bishop Sewer Ponds are accessible by advance permission only.  The management at the Bishop Sewer Ponds asks all birders call Bishop Sewer Ponds supervisor, Dustin Shawn, on his cell phone at 760-784-1417 in advance to ask permission to bird there.  Permission will not be granted when there are workers on the berms.  Birders who don't call ahead for permission will be stopped and questioned.  Weekends are the best time for access to the ponds, as there is only one staffer and less chance of conflict with active machinery around the ponds.

Waste Water Treatment Plant Sign

If you see any hunters you are asked to call 873-5866 as they are not allowed in the sewer ponds. Signs are posted to that effect. The staff is still positive about keeping the ponds open to birders so it is in all our best interests to work with them on this. 

The Bishop Sewer Ponds are generally open 7:30AM - 4:00PM Mon-Fri and sporadically on Sat-Sun. The gates are locked and the ponds are inaccessible when treatment plant staff are not there. Caution: You will get locked in the ponds if you stay in the pond area after staff has left.

Please respect these rules to ensure birding access to the ponds. Thank you.

What's There:

Migrating waterfowl and shorebirds. 

Check eBird for the latest bird sighting information for Bishop Sewer Ponds!

Directions:

Directions to Bishop Sewer Ponds

To get to the ponds, head East on Line Street (the southernmost stoplight in downtown Bishop) for 1 mile. Turn south (right) at the blue sign to the Waste Water Treatment Plant. When the road dead-ends at a fence, park outside the gate. Walk through the open gate to the Plant's parking lot. You'll see a small walk-through gate on the left just past the cypress trees. Be sure to close the small gate behind you.

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