Burrowing Owl photo taken by Mary Malec, a 2009 docent, at Cesar Chavez Park.

What is a field trip leader? A Golden Gate Audubon field trip leader is the volunteer most seen by the general public and GGA supporters. They are a birder, who leads groups of interested birdwatchers around the Bay Area and beyond to exciting birding destinations. What began as local trips only has blossomed into backpacking and camping trips other parts of California, thanks to our creative leaders. These birders would not call themselves “experts,” though many of us see them as such. They are able to identify birds by sight or song and have the people skills to assure the group gets along and has a pleasant time on the trip. We would also like to expand our trips to butterflies, dragonflies, native plants, and more!

Golden Gate Audubon is looking for more people like this. With so many interested birdwatchers, we feel there are some great new locations to visit, as well as old locations to revive. Do you have a place you like to frequent for birding? Do you enjoy engaging others in birdwatching? If you are interested in leading bird walks, we have a training coming up on August 22^nd in San Francisco and then another one on August 29^th in Richmond. If you are interested, please contact Jennifer Maddox at 510-843-9374. jrobinson@goldengateaudubon.org for more information.

June 23, 2010

Leader(s):  Hilary Powers and Ruth Tobey

# of participants: 12

# of species: 28

The Double-crested Cormorants are still nesting in huge numbers,  and standing shoulder to shoulder on the floats.  Five White Pelicans, all with brownish heads were preening in the enclosed area, including one with the remnant of a breeding bump.  Two Canada Goose families had four goslings trailing along.  About ten Great Egrets were on one of the islands looking like they were creating a rookery, but it’s too late in the year.  We had good brief looks at a Green Heron stalking the shoreline of the farthest island.

San Leandro to Hayward Bicycle Trip

June 12, 2010

Leader(s):  Kathy Jarrett

# of participants:

# of species: 28

28 species was pretty good for an exceptionally windy warm day. We battled the wind

almost all the way, both bicycling out to the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center from San Leandro’s Marina Park and back-and also from San Leandro BART to the shoreline and especially back. Species normally seen on this trip were absent, some of which would be attributed to the time of the year. We were surprised to find a large group of Black-bellied plovers and some Willets just north of Johnson’s Landing (near the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center) and pleased to see a large rookery of Forster’s Terns on an island in the marsh nearby.  Avocets and stilts were actively feeding in the bay at low tide and moving into the marshes later. The male Ruddy Duck was brilliant red with the blue bill and accompanied by two females. We saw at least one juvenile stilt and a family of Canada Geese. It was the first time we had seen crabs in the pond off the deck of the Interpretive Center, which might explain a lot of the Forster’s Terns nearby.

Lake Merritt

May 26, 2010

Leader(s):  Hilary Powers and Ruth Tobey

# of participants: 8

# of species: 35

The Double-crested Cormorants are nesting in huge numbers using every available twig  of support for their nests on the islands.  A small flock of Western tanagers were feeding just west of Children’s Fairyland.  We watched a Cooper’s Hawk catch and consume a small bird, probably a chickadee, sparrow or titmouse.   One lone Lesser Scaup female remains at the lake.

Alcatraz Island

April 12, 2010

Leader(s):  Allan Ridley

# of participants: 4

# of species: 20

It was a good morning birding the island.  Between participants missing out by not getting boat tickets in time and the very iffy weather, we ended up with four of us: 2 Audubon members, Betsy Berberian and Ken Osborne, NPS water-bird docent Ed Ryken, a docent-in-training and myself.   Weather was dramatic with great clouds, warm sun, periodic showers and strong winds when we came around to the west side at each end of the island.  Ed Ryken, waterbird docent for the NPS on Alcatraz was very knowledgeable of the birds, their behaviors and likely locations and helpful with Alcatraz lore as well.  Western gulls were claiming nesting sites on the parade ground, in the garden beds…just about everywhere!  The gulls were involved with courtship bowing, calling and mating.  Many were up in the wind soaring, joined by the ravens.  We had an intimate view of a Cooper’s Hawk who appeared to have brought down a pigeon but was frightened off the carcass by our group, flew up to a fence post in clear view.  Our only mammal sighting was a harbor seal bobbing head up along the west shore.

Jewel Lake

April 2, 2010

Leader(s): Phila Rogers

# of participants: 15

# of species: 22

Today we had a low bird count, with few songs and calls at a time which is usually very active.  Two female Buffleheads and Common Mergansers were still on the lake.

GGA’s experience surveying and documenting oiled birds and assisting local agencies during the Bay Area’s major 2007 Cosco Busan spill led us to become an OWCN member. Staff and volunteers completed important instruction including certification and we developed an emergency plan which was implemented during the 2009 Dubai Star oil spill. These local oil spill events served as invaluable training and preparation for regional and national oil spills and their impacts on birds and wildlife.

IBRRC and National Audubon are wildlife responders on-site in the Gulf of Mexico at the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (Audubon alone has mobilized 20,000 oil spill volunteers). And Golden Gate Audubon’s trained staff & volunteers are on-call to respond in the Gulf of Mexico if needed.

Please make a charitable donation to Golden Gate Audubon today. Your gift supports all of GGA’s programs, including staff and volunteers on alert to respond to the current national tragedy and those who are preparing for future oil emergencies here in San Francisco Bay.

FARALLON ISLANDS PELAGIC TRIP
Sunday, August 8 – SORRY, THIS TRIP IS FULL!
Debi Shearwater, Steve Howell, & Alan Hopkins

The group will depart from Emeryville at 7:30 a.m., returning about 3 or 4 p.m. aboard the Superfish with Shearwater Journeys. This is a fabulous pelagic trip to the unique breeding seabird colonies of the Farallon Islands. Our main target seabird is the Tufted Puffin, but we shall also see many other seabirds, as well as whales. Dolphins are possible, too. Last year’s trip saw Black-footed Albatross; Northern Fulmar; Sooty, Pink-footed and Buller’s Shearwaters; Ashy, Black and Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels; Pomarine, Parasitic and Long-tailed Jaegers; Pigeon Guillemot; Xantus’ Murrelet; Cassin’s and Rhinoceros Auklets, and, of course, Tufted Puffins! Whales included: Blue, Minke, Humpback and Gray. This trip always sells out, weeks in advance.

Reservations and fees: Please make your reservations as soon as possible by sending a check to Debi Shearwater. Please note: your check confirms your reservation. Be sure to include the names, addresses and phone/email for each person in your party. You will receive a return confirmation letter by snail mail.
BOAT FEE: $129 GGAS members (non-refundable), $149 non-members
RESERVATIONS: Send payment to Debi Shearwater, POB 190, Hollister, CA 95024 CONTACT: debi@shearwaterjourneys.com

HALF MOON BAY PELAGIC TRIPS WITH SHEARWATER JOURNEYS
September 13, 17, 18, 19, 28; October 2, 10, 11
Debi Shearwater and the Shearwater Journeys’ leaders, which vary each trip.

The group will depart at 7:00 a.m. on the New Captain Pete from the Huck Finn Center, Pillar Point Harbor, Half Moon Bay. Return time will be around 3:30 or 4:30 pm. This is a new program of seabird trips offered by Shearwater Journeys in 2010. Some excellent sightings were made in 2009, including a Short-tailed Albatross and White-chinned Petrel (second record for North America, first live sighting). It is expected that these trips will be very popular. It is easy to get to Half Moon Bay, either from San Francisco, the East Bay, or Silicon Valley. We may be able to reach seabirds such as storm-petrel flocks more easily than other ports. The July 31 and August 1 trips offer a great chance to see Cook’s Petrels which were so abundant last year offshore. For general trip reports see: www.shearwaterjourneys.com and click on Trip Reports, or see the blog: www.shearwaterjourneysblogspot.com

BOAT FEE: $128 GGAS members (non-refundable), $148 non-members
RESERVATIONS: Send payment to Debi Shearwater, POB 190, Hollister, CA 95024
CONTACT: debi@shearwaterjourneys.com

SHEARWATERS STARRING IN HOLLYWOOD!

Shearwaters and albatrosses will be starring in a Hollywood movie— for the first time, ever, I believe. Ask Debi how you can be apart of it!

Santa Clara County

Kathy Jarrett, 510.547.1233, kathy_jarrett@yahoo.com

Saturday, July 24

Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Santa Clara/Great America Capitol Corridor Train Station or at 9:10 a.m. at the trailhead. The ride from the station to Alviso County Park follows a trail and city streets. From Alviso we will ride on streets to Disk Dr. to look for Burrowing Owls, then go to the NWR visitor center, make a circuit of the unpaved trail around the marsh, and return to Alviso County Park. Last year, we found Black Skimmers and both Wilson’s and Red-necked Phalaropes in the marsh and quite a few swallows at the county park. Approximate distance is 15 miles. Trip concludes about noon. Bicycle helmet required. Bring lunch and liquids. Dress in layers. Rain cancels. Leaders usually arrive by public transit, so delays are possible. It is advisable to call or email for cell phone number and indicate how you are arriving.

Transit: Capitol Corridor Train #723 leaves from Emeryville (EMY) at 7:20 a.m. We will return on Train #734 from Santa Clara (GAC) at 1:02 p.m. (next train is #736 at 2:32 p.m.). Arrive at the station well in advance to purchase your ticket and get on the platform; senior fares at a discount of 15 percent are available for those 62 and over. Contact Kathy if you want to participate in a 10-ride ticket from Emeryville. Car: Take I-880 south to San Jose, then Hwy 237 west. Go 2.2 miles and take the N. First St. exit. Turn right on N. First, which in about 1 mile becomes Taylor St. In one block, turn right on Gold St., then left on Elizabeth St. and right on Hope St. and continue to Alviso County Park and the trailhead parking for the NWR in Alviso. Transit information: www.transitinfo.org.

Lake Merritt and Lakeside Park

Oakland, Alameda County

Wednesday, July 28, 9:30 a.m. – noon

Hilary Powers, 510.834.1066, hilary@powersedit.com; Ruth Tobey, 510.528.2093, ruthtobey@earthlink.net

Meet at the large spherical cage near the Nature Center at Perkins and Bellevue. We will bird around there, then go up the garden path toward Children’s Fairyland or walk down the lake toward Embarcadero, after which we will cover what we missed. Summer is a quiet time at Lake Merritt, but there is always something worth watching.

Take the 12, N, or NL bus to Grand and Perkins, and walk into park on Perkins. Best parking is at the boathouse lot near the spherical cage. Entry (via Bellevue near Children’s Fairyland) is probably free on weekday mornings, but will be $3 if the kiosk is occupied when you arrive.

San Francisco Botanical Garden

Sunday, August 1, 8 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Alan Ridley, allanrid@pacbell.net; Helen McKenna, 415.566.3241; Ginny Marshall, Dominik Mosur, polskatata@yahoo.com

Meet at the front gate of garden in Golden Gate Park, 9th Ave. at Lincoln Way. This delightful section of the park has several micro-habitats that attract an array of resident, migrant, and vagrant birds. This monthly trip is oriented toward helping beginning birders develop their skills in spotting and identifying birds.

Bike Trip: Quarry Lakes, Alameda Creek, Coyote Hills

Alameda County

Kathy Jarrett, 510.547.1233, kathy_jarrett@yahoo.com

Saturday, August 7

Meet at 8:20 a.m. on the east side of the Fremont BART Station in the parking lot. We will return to BART at approximately 3 p.m. We’ll see birds from the time we step off the BART train, and they vary with the riparian, marsh, and bayside habitats. Total distance is about 24 miles, mostly on paved bike trails, with almost no uphill. Bicycle helmet required. Bring lunch and liquids. Dress in layers. Rain cancels. Reservations are not necessary, but an email or phone call is appreciated.

Transit: The Fremont train passes through the MacArthur station at 7:34 p.m. Allow time to process your ticket and get your bike to the platform. Car: Take I-880 to Fremont, then the Mowry Ave. exit east toward central Fremont. Go 2.3 miles on Mowry Ave. The BART parking lot is on the east side of the station past Civic Center Dr. Transit information: www.transitinfo.org. East Bay Regional Park District: www.ebparks.org.

Corona Heights

San Francisco

Friday, August 20, 8 – 10 a.m.

Charles Hibbard; Brian Fitch; Dominik Mosur, polskatata@yahoo.com (leaders will vary by month)

Meet in front of the Randall Museum, 199 Museum Way, at the end of Museum Way off Roosevelt. We will enjoy views of the city and bay as we circle Corona Heights, checking the east canyon woodland and north forest for residents and migrants, as well as monitoring the hilltop scrub and south cliff.

Lake Merritt and Lakeside Park

Oakland, Alameda County

Wednesday, August 25, 9:30 a.m. – noon

Hilary Powers, 510.834.1066, hilary@powersedit.com; Ruth Tobey, 510.528.2093, ruthtobey@earthlink.net

Meet at the large spherical cage near the Nature Center at Perkins and Bellevue. We will bird around there, then go up the garden path toward Children’s Fairyland or walk down the lake toward Embarcadero, after which we will cover what we missed. Summer is a quiet time at Lake Merritt, but there is always something worth watching.

Take the 12, N, or NL bus to Grand and Perkins, and walk into park on Perkins. Best parking is at the boathouse lot near the spherical cage. Entry (via Bellevue near Children’s Fairyland) is probably free on weekday mornings, but will be $3 if the kiosk is occupied when you arrive.

Snag Lake Backpack Trip

Friday – Monday, August 27 – 30

Robin Pulich; David Rice, 510.527.7210, drice2@comcast.net

Join David and Robin on this annual camping and birding trip. We will backpack 3 miles to Snag Lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park and spend three nights in primitive camping by a stream near a large meadow. We should see flocks of mixed warblers and other songbirds, plus resident birds of the mountains, Bald Eagles, and migrating shorebirds. We will be above 6,000 feet. To avoid impact on the fragile habitat, the trip is limited to 10 people. Participants are responsible for their own gear and food; some shared meals can be arranged. Contact David Rice to reserve a space.

Jewel Lake

Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley

Friday, September 3, 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.

Phila Rogers, 510.848.9156, philajane6@yahoo.com

We continue our monthly first Friday trips at Tilden Park. Meet at the parking lot at the north end of Central Park Dr. for a 1-mile, 2-hour-plus stroll through this lush riparian area.

San Francisco Botanical Garden

Sunday, September 5, 8 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Alan Ridley, allanrid@pacbell.net; Helen McKenna, 415.566.3241; Ginny Marshall, Dominik Mosur, polskatata@yahoo.com

Meet at the front gate of garden in Golden Gate Park, 9th Ave. at Lincoln Way. This delightful section of the park has several micro-habitats that attract an array of resident, migrant, and vagrant birds. This monthly trip is oriented toward helping beginning birders develop their skills in spotting and identifying birds.