San Francisco Botanical Garden
Sunday, January 1, 8 – 10:30 a.m.
Ginny Marshall, ginnybirder@sbcglobal.net; Dominik Mosur, polskatata@yahoo.com; Alan Ridley, allanrid@pacbell.net; Helen McKenna, 415.566.3241 (Leaders vary by month.)
Meet at the front gate of the garden in Golden Gate Park, 9th Ave. at Lincoln Way. The garden 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. The garden charges $7/person if you are not an SF resident or garden member. Bring identification for residency and membership status.
Tilden Regional Park
Berkeley
Friday, January 6, 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Alan Kaplan, 510.526.7609 (messages), LNKPLN@earthlink.net
Meet at the Tilden Nature Area parking lot, at the north end of Central Park Dr. This walk will be on dirt roads, fire trails, and narrow paths, mostly level or with some easy switchbacks. The theme for these two trips is survival in winter (feeding, behavior, physiology). Restrooms available at start and middle of walk. GGAS thanks Phila Rogers for leading this trip for many years and welcomes Alan as the new leader.
Palo Alto Baylands and Mountain View Shoreline
Santa Clara County
Saturday, January 7, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Joan and Dan Murphy, murphsf@yahoo.com, 415.564.0074
The wetlands, marshes, and open waters in Palo Alto and Mountain View are among the richest bird habitats on San Francisco Bay. Levees and boardwalks overlooking the marshes, mudflats, and open water make these excellent sites to view 60 to 80 species that winter in the South Bay, including ducks, shorebirds, waders, gulls, and raptors. Meet in the parking lot on the right side of the road at the gate just before the duck pond near the Baylands Preserve. Wear clothes appropriate for cold, wet weather. If it has been raining, wear boots or waders since the levees can be muddy. Bring lunch and liquids. Rain will not cancel. Chemical restrooms available.
From Hwy. 101 in Palo Alto (just south of Dumbarton Bridge), exit at Embarcadero Rd. East. Stay to right and be careful not to end up on the Oregon Expressway. Drive east over freeway to end of street. Turn left and continue to gate just before duck pond.
Bike Trip: Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline
Oakland, Alameda County
Sunday, January 8
Kathy Jarrett, 510.547.1233, kathy_jarrett@yahoo.com
Meet at Fruitvale BART at 9 a.m. or Tidewater Staging Area at 9:20. We’ll ride the SF Bay Trail from East Creek Point to Damon Marsh and Arrowhead Marsh. Return is via Doolittle Dr. and Fernside Blvd. A high tide of 7.4 ft. is at 10:51 a.m. Winter high tides are a good time to see rails and, if there has been enough rain, lots of ducks and shorebirds in the seasonal wetlands. Bring lunch and liquids, and dress for variable weather. Bicycle helmet required. Rain cancels. Contact Kathy if you would like her cell number.
Car: Exit I-880 at High St. in Oakland and go southwest to High St. Bridge to Alameda and cross bridge. Turn left onto Fernside Blvd. and park on street. Bike back over bridge, turn right onto Tidewater Ave., and go .25 mi. to Tidewater Staging Area on right, just before Lesser St. on left.
Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline
Oakland, Alameda County
Thursday, January 12, 9 – 11:30 a.m.
Gary and Chris Bard, chrisbard@earthlink.net, 510.301.2987
The MLK shoreline offers excellent views of shorebirds, waders, and dabblers. The park’s Arrowhead Marsh is the home of numerous Clapper Rails. In winter, large rafts of scaup and goldeneye float offshore. Occasionally, raptors soar overhead. The walking is on flat ground. Please bring a scope if you have one. Dress in layers. Rain cancels. Restroom available near parking lot.
From I-880 south in Oakland, exit at Hegenberger Rd. Turn right onto Hegenberger, continue .7 mile across a small bridge over a channel, and turn right on Pardee Dr. Continue to Swan Way and turn left, then turn right into the park. Meet at parking lot at end of road.
Wintering Raptors and Waterfowl of Solano and Yolo Counties
NOTE- CHANGE OF DATE to Sunday, January 15
Terry Colborn, 916.705.8991, www.TLCBirding.com
The open agricultural lands of Solano and Yolo provide excellent foraging habitat for numerous wintering raptors, while the wetlands of the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area are the winter home for scores of waterfowl including ducks, geese, and swans, as well as many shorebirds. This all-day trip will visit several habitats in search of raptors such as Ferruginous and Rough-legged Hawks, Merlin, and Prairie Falcon. We’ll also seek out Burrowing, Barn, and Great-horned Owls and Long-billed Curlew, and the elusive and threatened Mountain Plover. We expect to see a representative sampling of waterfowl and a variety of shorebirds at Yolo Bypass.
Space on the trip is limited but still available. To sign up, contact the leader. Confirmed participants meet at 8 a.m. in Dixon in the southwest corner of the Wal-Mart parking lot on East Dorset Dr. at the Hwy. 113 exit off I-80. Bring lunch and liquids; dress in layers. Some short walks. Limited restrooms. Heavy rain cancels.
Heron’s Head Park
San Francisco
Saturday, January 14
San Francisco Nature Education, www.sfnature.org, 415.387.9160
Meet at 10 a.m. at Heron’s Head for tours that leave every 30 minutes, with the last tour at 11:30 a.m. The tours will be led by high school interns equipped with spotting scopes. Each tour lasts about 1 hour. Experience the thrill of observing and learning about the waterfowl, shorebirds, and wading birds that winter in the park. Heron’s Head is at Jennings St. and Cargo Way, two blocks south of Pier 96. Free parking is available near entrance.
Sponsored by SF Nature Education, Port of San Francisco, Literacy for Environmental Justice, and GGAS.
Putah Creek South Fork Preserve
Yolo County
Sunday, January 15, 8 – 10 a.m.
Aaron Haiman, anhaiman@ucdavis.edu
This wonderful riparian corridor that runs from Lake Berryessa to the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area offers opportunities to bird along the creek and out into the nearby open grasslands. Possible highlights include unusual ducks on the creek and a variety of raptors and sparrows in the grasslands. Participants will be walking on uneven trails, which can be muddy, and through often coarse or prickly grassland vegetation; sturdy hiking boots and long pants are strongly suggested. Weather can be unpredictable, so wear warm clothing. Rain cancels.
Trip is limited to 10. E-mail the leader to reserve space. Confirmed participants should meet at the preserve, on Mace Blvd. in east Davis, south of I-80. The entrance to the parking lot is on the left just after the bridge over Putah Creek. Free parking; no bathrooms.
Corona Heights
San Francisco
Friday, January 20, 8 – 10 a.m.
Charles Hibbard; Brian Fitch; Dominik Mosur, polskatata@yahoo.com (Leaders 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.
Pescadero State Beach and Marsh
Saturday, January 21, 9 a.m. – noon
Martha Wessitsh, 415.681.8059, martha@wessitsh.com
We will scope seabirds and shorebirds from the beach, then proceed into the marsh to look for land birds and ducks on the ponds. The marsh has new trails that should make birding especially interesting. Meet at the parking lot west of Pescadero Rd. Weather may be cold and windy, or warm and sunny, so dress accordingly. There will be about 1 mile of walking on generally flat ground. Bathrooms available. Heavy rain cancels.
Birds of the Bay
San Francisco
Saturday, January 21, 10 a.m.
Carol Kiser, carol_kiser@nps.gov, 415.447.5000
This walk for children and beginners starts with a brief orientation in the use of binoculars and field guides. Then we will spend an hour or so looking for resident and migrating birds. Meet at entrance to Hyde Street Pier at Hyde and Jefferson on the western border of Fisherman’s Wharf. Bring books and binoculars if you have them. A hat and layers of clothing are recommended. Nearby parking is at the foot of Van Ness Ave. (free for 4 hours), Ghirardelli Square, and the Anchorage.
John McLaren Park
San Francisco
Sunday January 22, 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Alan Hopkins, 415.794.0281 (after 3 p.m.), alanhopkins@att.net
Located near San Francisco’s southern border, John McLaren Park is only slightly smaller than Golden Gate Park but is rarely visited by birders. We will walk a 3-mile loop along the park’s rolling hills, visiting a range of habitats. Meet at the intersection of Cambridge St. and John F. Shelley Dr.
From Silver Ave., turn south onto Cambridge St. Follow Cambridge St. south for 6 blocks to the entrance to McLaren park at John F. Shelley Dr. No fee; sporadic bathrooms.
Lake Merritt and Lakeside Park
Oakland, Alameda County
Wednesday, January 25, 9:30 a.m. – noon
Hilary Powers, 510.834.1066, hilary@powersedit.com; Ruth Tobey, 510.528.2093, ruthtobey@gmail.com
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. These are peak birding months at the lake. Just about everyone who’s going to spend the winter at the lake should be here, including both scaups and several other diving ducks, and five species of grebes.
Take the 12, N, or NL bus to Grand and Perkins, and walk into the park on Perkins. Best parking is at the boathouse lot near the spherical cage. Entry, via Bellevue near Children’s Fairyland, is $2 if the kiosk is occupied when you arrive (which it probably will be). Buy a 2-hour ticket and try to park in the boathouse lot, where no one checks how long cars sit.
Redwood Regional Park
Oakland
Sunday, January 29, 8 – 11 a.m.
Rusty Scalf, rscalf@sonic.net
This park offers century-old second-growth redwoods and riparian woodland habitats. It is one of the most beautiful places in the East Bay and perhaps our best bet for Varied Thrush, Pacific Wren, and Golden-crowned Kinglet. We’ll walk for about 3 hours on trails that are level and easy, but can be muddy after a rain. Local historian Richard Schwartz (www.richardschwartz.info) will join us and give a brief talk on the surprising history of the East Bay redwoods. Meet at Redwood Gate on Redwood Rd. Drive to the end of the road to the parking lot.
Tilden Regional Park
Berkeley
Friday, February 3, 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Alan Kaplan, 510.526.7609 (messages), LNKPLN@earthlink.net
Meet at the Tilden Nature Area parking lot, at the north end of Central Park Dr. This walk will be on dirt roads, fire trails, and narrow paths, mostly level or with some easy switchbacks. The theme for these two trips is survival in winter (feeding, behavior, physiology). Restrooms available at start and middle of walk. GGAS thanks Phila Rogers for leading this trip for many years and welcomes Alan as the new leader.
Putah Creek South Fork Preserve
Yolo County
Saturday, February 4, 8 – 10 a.m.
Aaron Haiman, anhaiman@ucdavis.edu
This wonderful riparian corridor that runs from Lake Berryessa to the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area offers opportunities to bird along the creek and out into the nearby open grasslands. Possible highlights include unusual ducks on the creek and a variety of raptors and sparrows in the grasslands. Participants will be walking on uneven trails, which can be muddy, and through often coarse or prickly grassland vegetation; sturdy hiking boots and long pants are strongly suggested. Weather can be unpredictable, so wear warm clothing. Rain cancels.
Trip is limited to 10. E-mail the leader to reserve space. Confirmed participants should meet at the preserve, on Mace Blvd. in east Davis, south of I-80. The entrance to the parking lot is on the left just after the bridge over Putah Creek. Free parking; no bathrooms.
Bike Trip: East Shore State Park
Alameda and Contra Costa Counties
Saturday, February 4
Kathy Jarrett, 510.547.1233, kathy_jarrett@yahoo.com
Meet at 8:35 a.m. at El Cerrito Del Norte BART Station or 9 a.m. at the end of S. 51st Street in Richmond, where there is a spur to the SF Bay Trail. We will bird along the Bay Trail, looking for shorebirds and ducks, from Richmond to Berkeley, ending at University Ave. and I-80 in Berkeley. Bring bicycle lock and liquids. Bring lunch or purchase at Seabreeze Market on University Ave. Bicycle helmet required. Rain cancels. Reservations not necessary, but an e-mail or phone call would be appreciated.
Car: Take the Bayview exit from I-580 north and turn left to cross west over the freeway. Go left on Seaport and immediately left on S. 51st Street, then go to end and park on street. Entrance to short spur to the Bay Trail starts here. If you are concerned about security, park at Point Isabel and ride north on the trail about .75 mile to meet the group. Transit: Meet at Del Norte BART station at 8:35 a.m. and ride to the trail. From BART, take Ohlone Greenway Trail south to Potrero Ave., turn right toward the bay, cross San Pablo Ave., and turn left onto S. 55th St. immediately after crossing under I-80. Then turn right onto Gately, left onto Ells, and right onto Bayview. Cross Carlson, then go over I-580, left onto Seaport, and left onto S. 51st St. and proceed to the trail. It is also possible to go from El Cerrito Plaza Station to the trailhead via Carlson.
San Francisco Botanical Garden
Sunday, February 5, 8 – 10:30 a.m.
Ginny Marshall, ginnybirder@sbcglobal.net; Dominik Mosur, polskatata@yahoo.com; Alan Ridley, allanrid@pacbell.net; Helen McKenna, 415.566.3241 (Leaders vary by month.)
Meet at the front gate of the garden in Golden Gate Park, 9th Ave. at Lincoln Way. The garden 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. The garden charges $7/person if you are not an SF resident or garden member. Bring identification for residency and membership status.
Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline
Oakland, Alameda County
Thursday, February 9, 9 – 11:30 a.m.
Gary and Chris Bard, chrisbard@earthlink.net, 510.301.2987
The MLK shoreline offers excellent views of shorebirds, waders, and dabblers. The park’s Arrowhead Marsh is the home of numerous Clapper Rails. In winter, large rafts of scaup and goldeneye float offshore. Occasionally, raptors soar overhead. The walking is on flat ground. Please bring a scope if you have one. Dress in layers. Rain cancels. Restroom available near parking lot.
From I-880 south in Oakland, exit at Hegenberger Rd. Turn right onto Hegenberger, continue .7 mile across a small bridge over a channel, and turn right on Pardee Dr. Continue to Swan Way and turn left, then turn right into the park. Meet at parking lot at end of road.
Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area
Alameda County
Friday, February 10, 9 a.m. – noon
Steve and Carol Lombardi, 925.785.0130, hot-rock@sbcglobal.net
This delightful park in Pleasanton has varied habitats and many species in a small
area. We’ll get close looks at waterfowl and marsh birds in the ponds, then seek
out resident and migrant woodland birds in the riparian woods. We should also
see raptors (Osprey, Red-shouldered Hawk) and waders. Walking is mainly flat
on paved and unpaved trails. Meet in main parking lot to your left as you enter
the park. Parking fee: $6. Directions: www.ebparks.org/parks/shadow_cliffs. $
Sacramento River Delta with Dolphin Charters
Saturday, February 11, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
GGAS leaders Allan Ridley and Helen McKenna
BIRDS OF THE SACRAMENTO DELTA This cruise is a winter highlight for birders and provides a specialized look at the richness and history of the California Delta. This species rich area includes a variety of raptors such as Swainson’s hawk, peregrine falcon and great-horned owl, large numbers of shorebirds, sandhill cranes and white-faced ibis, huge rafts and flocks of waterfowl including tundra swans, snow, Canada and greater white-fronted geese. Ducks of many species as well as numerous other birds including gulls, terns, bitterns, passerines and woodpeckers call this area home in the winter.Depart and return: Antioch Marina.
Trip is limited to 32 participants. Cost is $85 for GGAS members, $95 for non-members. Deadline for reserving space and making payment is Friday, January 13, 2012. Contact the GGAS Office at 510.843.2222 or ggas@goldengateaudubon.org. Those confirmed on the trip will receive directions to the marina and other instructions. $
Heron’s Head Park
San Francisco
Saturday, February 11
San Francisco Nature Education, www.sfnature.org, 415.387.9160
Meet at 10 a.m. at Heron’s Head for tours that leave every 30 minutes, with the last tour at 11:30 a.m. The tours will be led by high school interns equipped with spotting scopes. Each tour lasts about 1 hour. Experience the thrill of observing and learning about the waterfowl, shorebirds, and wading birds that winter in the park. Heron’s Head is at Jennings St. and Cargo Way, two blocks south of Pier 96. Free parking is available near entrance.
Sponsored by SF Nature Education, Port of San Francisco, Literacy for Environmental Justice, and GGAS.
Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve
Antioch, Contra Costa County
Sunday, February 12, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Denise Wight, blkittiwake@yahoo.com, 925.330.3893, and Kitty O’Neil
We’ll have a chance to see Canyon Wren and Phainopepla, as well as winter sparrows and raptors. Some steep climbing, possibly muddy. Meet in the first parking lot to the left of the fee kiosk at 8:30 a.m. Likely parking fee: $5. Bring lunch if you would like to stay later. Heavy rain cancels. For more information, please call Denise.
From Hwy. 4 in Antioch, take the Somersville Rd. exit. Drive south (toward the hills) on Somersville all the way to the park entrance. $
Corona Heights
San Francisco
Friday, February 17, 8 – 10 a.m.
Charles Hibbard; Brian Fitch; Dominik Mosur, polskatata@yahoo.com (Leaders 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.
Bike Trip: Emeryville to Richmond
Alameda and Contra Costa Counties
Saturday, February 18
Kathy Jarrett, 510.547.1233, kathy_jarrett@yahoo.com
Meet at 8:30 a.m. at Emeryville Marina, the turnaround at the end of Powell St. High tide is at approximately 8:45 a.m. We will bird most of the East Shore State Park on the SF Bay Trail and may include Aquatic Park in Berkeley. Return may be on BART. Bring bicycle lock, lunch, and liquids. Food and drink may be purchased at the Sit & Stay Cafe at Point Isabel Regional Shoreline. Bicycle helmet required. Rain cancels. Reservations not necessary, but an e-mail or phone call would be appreciated.
From Powell St. exit on I-80 in Emeryville, drive west to end of Powell. There is parking at Emeryville Marina Park.
Lake Merritt and Lakeside Park
Oakland, Alameda County
Wednesday, February 22, 9:30 a.m. – noon
Hilary Powers, 510.834.1066, hilary@powersedit.com; Ruth Tobey, 510.528.2093, ruthtobey@gmail.com
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. These are peak birding months at the lake. Just about everyone who’s going to spend the winter at the lake should be here, including both scaups and several other diving ducks, and five species of grebes.
Take the 12, N, or NL bus to Grand and Perkins, and walk into the park on Perkins. Best parking is at the boathouse lot near the spherical cage. Entry, via Bellevue near Children’s Fairyland, is $2 if the kiosk is occupied when you arrive (which it probably will be). Buy a 2-hour ticket and try to park in the boathouse lot, where no one checks how long cars sit.
Heron’s Head Park
San Francisco
Saturday, March 10
San Francisco Nature Education, www.sfnature.org, 415.387.9160
Meet at 10 a.m. at Heron’s Head for tours that leave every 30 minutes, with the last tour at 11:30 a.m. The tours will be led by high school interns equipped with spotting scopes. Each tour lasts about 1 hour. Experience the thrill of observing and learning about the waterfowl, shorebirds, and wading birds that winter in the park. Heron’s Head is at Jennings St. and Cargo Way, two blocks south of Pier 96. Free parking is available near entrance.
Sponsored by SF Nature Education, Port of San Francisco, Literacy for Environmental Justice, and GGAS.
Lower Klamath/Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuges
Siskiyou County
Sunday, March 11, 7:30 a.m.
Eddie Bartley, eddie@naturetrip.com, 415.355.0450; Noreen Weeden
In mid-March, Lower Klamath is one of the premier staging grounds for waterfowl preparing for a last leap north to their spring and summer breeding grounds. Expect to see ducks and geese in the tens of thousands, as well as swans, cranes, and raptors, especially Bald Eagle and perhaps Golden Eagle and Rough-legged and Ferruginous Hawks. Great Horned Owls are expected; Barn and Short-eared Owls are fairly common. Meet at the refuge Visitor Center. We’ll bird most of the day with a break for lunch. You can join us for part or all of trip. Birders planning to go on this trip may want to take one of Eddie’s raptor classes (go to www.goldengateaudubon.org/education/classes).
From I-5 at Weed, follow Hwy. 97 northeast for 45 miles toward Oregon border. Take Stateline Rd. (Hwy. 161) east to Tulelake. Turn south on Hill Rd. and go 4 miles. Drive from SF is about 7 hours. Wicked weather cancels.
Honey Lake and Greater Sage-Grouse
Lassen County
Saturday – Sunday, March 24 – 25
Dave Quady, 510.704.9353, davequady@att.net.
Lassen in late March offers the chance to enjoy Greater Sage-Grouse displaying on a lek, many resident and wintering raptors and waterfowl, perhaps a trickle of spring migrants, and a spectacular setting for seeking northeast California’s resident birds. The trip is limited to the first 20 participants who sign up with the leader; reservations open up at noon on January 23. Detailed directions will be provided to those confirmed on the trip. Lodging is available in Susanville; primitive camping, in Honey Lake State Wildlife Area. Bring warm clothing, lunches for both days, and a scope if you have one. Carpooling encouraged.
Yosemite National Park
Friday – Sunday, June 1 – 3
Dave Quady, davequady@att.net, 510.704.9353; Dave Cornman
Spaces may still be available on this popular annual Yosemite trip. Contact Dave to sign up.
