April Field Trips
Jewel Lake
Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley
Friday, April 2, 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. In early April, the spring breeding birds are returning, and many will be singing. We’ll look for Black-headed Grosbeaks, Wilson’s Warblers, and Warbling Vireos, among others.
COYOTE CREEK Bicycle Bird Trip
San Jose, Santa Clara County
Saturday April 3, 2010
Leader: Kathy Jarrett
Phone 510-547-1233, email kathy_jarrett@yahoo.com
The scenic Coyote Creek Parkway meanders along Coyote Creek for 16.8 miles between Tully Rd and Anderson County Park. The northern part of the trail is maintained by the City of San Jose and the southern part by Santa Clara County. Hellyer County Park is also located on the Parkway. Coyote Creek is the focus of the park’s natural environment. A thick undergrowth and tall trees characterize the well defined creek channel which is home to many different species of wildlife. There are many small lakes along the trail which afford birding opportunities in addition to the riparian area along the creek itself.
Bicycle helmet required. Bring lunch and liquids. Rain cancels. All levels of birders and bicyclists welcome.
Rain cancels. Please contact us to make sure this trip will run.
Meet at 9 am in front of Stonegate Elementary School on Gassman Dr in San Jose.
This trip will end around 3 pm.
Directions: Exit hwy 101 at Tully Rd in San Jose and go west . Turn (third) left on Sherlock Dr (If you pass the Tully Ballfields you have gone too far) ; turn right on Gassman Dr at Stonegate Elementary School and park near the school. The entrance to Coyote Creek Parkway is near the back of the school.
Public Transportation: The leaders are not using public transportation on this trip. If you need a ride or can provide one, please contact us. The Curtner Light Rail Station is the closest to where we start, and the Santa Teresa Station is the closest to the end.
Information and maps online:
http://www.sjparks.org/Trails/images/Maps/MapCoyoteSouth1.pdf
http://www.sjparks.org/Trails/coyote/CoyoteMapSouth2.asp
http://www.sjparks.org/Trails/coyote/index.asp
http://www.sjparks.org/Trails/
COYOTE CREEK PARKWAY
TRAIL MAP
SANTA CLARA COUNTY VAT BICYCLE MAP
http://www.vta.org/schedules/bikeways_map.html
San Francisco Botanical Garden
Golden Gate Park
Sunday, April 4, 8 – 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 the 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: Big Break and Marsh Creek Regional Trails
Eastern Contra Costa County
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Kathy and Blair Jarrett, 510.547.1233, kathy_jarrett@yahoo.com
Meet at Fetzer Ln. and Jordan Ln. in Oakley. Each year, nearly half of the waterfowl and shorebirds migrating along the Pacific Flyway pass through the Sacramento Delta. A paved trail with views of freshwater marsh is an excellent place to see many species. Bring lunch and liquids. Dress in layers. Bicycle helmet required. Rain cancels. If you have room in your vehicle for an extra bicycle or if you need a ride, contact the leaders at the earliest opportunity. Reservations are not necessary, but an email or phone is appreciated. The leaders will not take public transit on this trip.
Take Hwy. 24 east toward Walnut Creek, then I-680 north to Hwy. 242 north. From Hwy. 242, take Hwy. 4 east toward Stockton/Pittsburg. Stay to the right and follow the lanes signed for Rio Vista/Oakley/Hwy. 160; do not follow the Brentwood Bypass. Take the first exit, Hwy. 4/Main St. in Oakley; do not continue on Hwy. 160 to the Antioch Bridge. Go 1.1 mile and turn left at Big Break Rd. Go .2 mile and turn right on Vintage Pkwy. Go .8 mile and turn left onto Walnut Meadows Dr. After .5 mile, turn left onto Jordan Ln., which ends at Fetzer Ln. and entrance to the trail. Parking is on the street. For a map of the area, go to www.ebparks.org/parks/big_break.
Alcatraz Island
Monday, April 12: Allan Ridley, allanrid@pacbell.net-Tickets SOLD OUT. Please purchase tickets well in advance for May and June.
Wednesday, May 12: Bob Lewis, bob@wingbeats.org
Wednesday, June 9: Eddie Bartley, eddie@naturetrip.com
8:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.: The ferry boards at 8:30 a.m. and sails at 9 a.m. Participants are able to stay on the island after the bird walk.
This trip, scheduled monthly through the spring, is offered exclusively to Golden Gate Audubon Supporting Members and is limited to 10 participants. Expect to see numerous breeding birds: Western and California Gulls, Brandt’s and Pelagic Cormorants, Pigeon Guillemots, Snowy Egrets, Black-crowned Night-Herons, and Black Oystercatchers.
Reserve your spot by contacting Stephanie Strait, GGA Office Manager, ggas@goldengateaudubon.org or 510.843.2222. Once you have received confirmation, book space on the ferry with Alcatraz Cruises at 415.981.7625 or www.alcatrazcruises.com. Buy a ticket ($26) for the 9 a.m. Early Bird Tour. Tickets sell out several days in advance, so reserve as soon as possible. The ferry departs from Pier 33, near the corner of Bay St. and Embarcadero. Each walk is about 1.5 hours.
Corona Heights
San Francisco
Friday, April 16, 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Charles Hibbard; Brian Fitch; Dominik Mosur, polskatata@yahoo.com
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 the north forest for residents and migrants, as well as monitoring the hilltop scrub and south cliff.
Mines Road
Alameda County
Saturday, April 24
Dave Quady, 510.704.9353, davequady@att.net.
This trip begins in Livermore at 8 a.m. and concludes there in the early evening, with opportunities to end earlier if you wish. We can expect to see Lewis’s Woodpecker, Phainopepla, and Bullock’s Oriole in this habitat. Wild Turkey, Greater Roadrunner, and Golden Eagle are among other possibilities. The trip is limited to 20 participants; contact the leader to sign up. Carpooling is encouraged to and from Livermore, and is essential during the day because of the limited parking along our route. The leader will provide directions and carpooling information to those confirmed on the trip. Bring food and liquids.
Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve
Contra Costa County
Sunday, April 25, 8 a.m. – noon
Rusty Scalf, rscalf@sonic.net
Join Rusty Scalf for a morning of birding in the Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. Meet Rusty at in the parking lot located at the preserve entrance.
From Hwy. 24 take Fish Ranch Rd. immediately east of the Caldecott Tunnel. Continue .8 mile to Grizzly Peak Blvd. Turn left and go 2.4 miles on Grizzly Peak to Skyline Blvd. Turn left and drive .1 mile to the preserve entrance on the left. For maps and additional details, go to www.ebparks.org/parks/sibley.
Lake Merritt and Lakeside Park
Oakland, Alameda County
Wednesday, April 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. Now, at the beginning of spring at Lake Merritt, come see all our regular visitors and, with luck, a few surprises, too.
Take the 12, N, or NL bus to Grand and Perkins, and walk into the park on Perkins. The best parking is at the boathouse lot near the spherical cage. Entry (via Bellevue near Children’s Fairyland) is free on weekdays.
Yosemite National Park
Friday – Sunday, June 4 – 6
Dave Quady, 510.704.9353, davequady@att.net; Dave Cornman
The lower and middle elevations of Yosemite National Park are alive with singing birds in late May and early June. A variety of habitats supports a rich diversity of birdlife, typically including seven flycatchers (three Empidonax), three vireos, seven warblers, and many other species in full song and breeding plumage. This trip is limited to the first 20 participants who sign up with the leader.
Past participants have camped at Hodgdon Meadow in the park (reservations necessary, as the campground fills up fast) or stayed in campgrounds or commercial lodgings outside the park’s Big Oak Flat entrance. Detailed information, including meeting times and locations as well as lodging suggestions, will be provided to those confirmed on the trip. Confirmed participants should bring warm clothes, rainwear, and rubber boots for wet meadows, as well as lunches for Saturday and Sunday. Be prepared to walk about 3 miles each day. Carpooling is encouraged.