Upcoming Field Trips
Golden Gate Audubon offers more than 100 field trips annually for birders of all levels. Our trips explore local areas from Golden Gate Park to the East Bay shoreline and hills, as well as such wildlife-rich destinations as California’s Central Valley and the Sierra Nevada. We also sponsor trips to other parts of the U.S. and to international destinations, including Latin America, Africa, and Australia. Field trips are led by experienced birders who are passionate about sharing their knowledge of birds and their habitats.
Local trips are free, except for any park entrance fees. Advance reservations are occasionally necessary. It is advisable to confirm with the trip leader that a trip will take place as planned, especially if inclement weather is expected. Reports of recent and past field trips are also on these pages.
Pam Belchamber is the Field Trip Coordinator. For questions about individual field trips, contact the leaders. If you cannot reach a leader, contact Pam Belchamber at 510.549.2839.
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Read about our Field Trip Leadership Program in San Francisco!
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Bike Trip: Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline
Oakland
Friday, January 1, 2010
Kathy Jarrett, 510.547.1233, kathy_jarrett@yahoo.com
GGAS MLK Shoreline Arrowhead Marsh Jan 1-Bicycle Trip ALERT
A half mile segment of trail at the north end of Martin Luther King Shoreline Park
known as the Tidewater area will be closed from July 20, 2009 until November 2010
as the for construction of the Tidewater Aquatic Center.
The park section closed is from Tidewater Avenue to the East Creek Bridge
which includes the trail, parking, turf area and restrooms.
The bridge across East Creek Slough and the Damon Marsh Trail will remain open
as will the rest of the shoreline park.
Because of this closure and the likelihood of rain, we will invoke the change to meet at Garretson Pt at 10:30 am. Blair and I will drive and not take BART. If you decide to use BART you will have to arrive earlier; look at the map from the URL below to see how you would have to ride. We will probably put our bikes into our van in case it does not rain. Call or email early if you need a ride.
http://www.ebparks.org/files/MLK_map_12-09A.pdf
Winter high tides are a good time to see rails at the shoreline’s Arrowhead Marsh, and if there has been enough rain, lots of ducks and shorebirds will be in the seasonal wetlands. Those who cannot make this trip will have another opportunity for independent viewing during high tides at Arrowhead Marsh January 28–31. Meet at the Fruitvale BART at 10:15 a.m. or at the East Creek Point trailhead at 10:30. We’ll ride the San Francisco Bay Trail from East Creek Point to Damon Marsh and Arrowhead Marsh. High tide (8.2 feet) is at 11:44 a.m. Bring snacks/lunch and liquids, and dress in layers. Bicycle helmet required. Leaders will ride from Fruitvale BART to the trailhead. No reservations are necessary, but an email or phone call is appreciated. BART schedules: www.transitinfo.org.
Rain cancels the bicycle trip, but we will still run the trip; in that case, go directly to Garretson Point and meet at 10:30 a.m. We will bird this area. Then, if the rain is light, we will walk the trail to the Arrowhead Marsh viewing platform and walk the circuit to view the seasonal wetlands. Otherwise, we will drive to Arrowhead Marsh.
East Creek Point trailhead: Exit I-880 at High St. in Oakland. Go southwest to the High Street bridge to Alameda, cross the bridge, and turn left onto Fernside. Park on street. Bike back over the bridge, turn right onto Tidewater Ave., and go .25 mi. to the East Creek Point trailhead on the right. Lesser St. is just beyond, on the left.
Arrowhead Marsh: From I-880 in Oakland, exit at Hegenberger Rd. and head west. Turn right onto Doolittle Drive (Hwy. 61) and right again onto Swan Way. Take the first left into the park and continue to the parking lot at the end of the road.
Garretson Point: From I-880 south, exit at Zhone Way/66th Ave. Turn right and go a short distance to end of road. Turn left on Oakport St., which parallels freeway, and make the first right, onto Hasser Way. Turn right on Edgewater and follow it to the Garretson Point Staging Area parking.
Jewel Lake in Tilden
Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley
Friday, January 1, 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Phila Rogers, 510.848.9156, philajane6@yahoo.com
We continue our monthly first Friday trips at Tilden. 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. Winter birds will have arrived, and we’ll look for waterbirds on both Jewel Lake and Lake Anza. A scope would be useful for seeing ducks on the lakes. Rain cancels.
San Francisco Botanical Garden
Golden Gate Park
Sunday, January 3, 8 – 10:30 a.m.
Alan Ridley, allanrid@pacbell.net; Helen McKenna, 415.566.3241; Ginny Marshall
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 microhabitats 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.
Palo Alto Baylands and Mountain View Shoreline
San Mateo County
Saturday, January 9, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Dan Murphy, murphsf@yahoo.com
The wetlands, marshes, and open waters at 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. Ducks, shorebirds, waders, gulls, raptors, and many more provide an ideal birding experience. 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, as the levees can be muddy. Bring lunch and liquids. Rain will not cancel the trip..
From Hwy. 101 in Palo Alto (just south of the Dumbarton Bridge), exit at Embarcadero Rd. East. Stay to the right and be careful not to end up on the Oregon Expressway. Drive east over the freeway to the end of the street, turn left, and continue to the gate just before the duck pond.
Consumnes River
Sacramento County
Sunday, January 10, 9 a.m.
Rusty Scalf, rscalf@sonic.net
The Consumnes is a small river, a mere 80 miles long, that meanders freely in the Central Valley just south of Sacramento, along one of the remaining tracts of old-growth riparian forest left in the valley. The preserve’s wetlands are extensive. We’ll also find woodland birds. Meet at the preserve’s visitor center on Franklin Blvd. Dress warmly and bring lunch and liquids. Trip ends in early afternoon.
Take I-80 east to I-50 and then the I-5 (south) exit to Twin Cities Rd. (marked with a binoculars sign for wildlife viewing). This area is about midway between Stockton and Sacramento. At the Twin Cities Rd. exit, go east for exactly 1 mile to the first stop sign. Turn right onto Franklin Blvd. and continue for 1.7 miles. The visitor center is on the left side of Franklin. The parking lot is just past the visitor center. To view a map, go to www.consumnes.org.
Corona Heights
San Francisco
Friday, January 15, 8 – 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 north forest for residents and migrants, as well as monitoring the hilltop scrub and south cliff.
Bike Trip: Quarry Lakes, Alameda Creek, and Coyote Hills
Fremont, Alameda County
Monday, January 18
Kathy Jarrett, 510.547.1233, kathy_jarrett@yahoo.com
Meet the leaders at 9 a.m. on the east side of the Fremont BART station in the parking lot for this all-day trip on the MLK holiday. Trip ends at BART between 3 and 4 p.m. We will see birds from the time we step off the BART train and will experience various habitats: riparian, marsh, and bayside. The total distance is 24–30 miles mostly on paved bike trails. Bicycle helmet required. Bring lunch and liquids for a picnic at Coyote Hills Regional Park. Dress for variable weather. Rain cancels. Reservations are not necessary, but an email or phone call is appreciated.
Transit: BART is not on a holiday schedule on MLK Day; go to www.transitinfo.org for the schedule. The Fremont train passes through MacArthur at 8:08 a.m. Bikes are not allowed on the Pittsburg/Baypoint train to SFO line at this time. Car: From I-880 to Fremont, take the Mowry Ave. exit east toward central Fremont and go 2.3 mi. on Mowry. The Fremont BART parking lot is on the east side of the station past Civic Center Dr.
Sausal Creek
Oakland, Alameda County
Saturday, January 23, 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Mark Rauzon, mjrauz@aol.com
Join Mark and the Friends of Sausal Creek for a bird-monitoring field trip in the Sausal Creek watershed. Eight sites will be visited, each for a 10-minute stationary count. The area to be covered extends from the Sequoia Arena turnoff from Skyline Blvd. to the Dimond Park restoration area, to the lowlands and the Fruitvale bridge where Peregrine Falcons are setting up territory. The group will hopscotch by car, and participants can linger at some sites, but Mark will move quickly to be done by 1 p.m. Meet at the Sequoia Arena parking lot off Skyline Blvd., almost across from the Chabot Space and Science Center.
Lake Merritt and Lakeside Park
Oakland, Alameda County
Wednesday, January 27, 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. This should be another peak winter month at Lake Merritt. Come see all our regular visitors and, with luck, a few surprise wanderers, too.
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 free on weekdays.
Panoche Valley
San Benito and Fresno Counties
Sunday, January 31, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Chris Carpenter, cgbirds64@comcast.net, 510.547.2201
Panoche Valley is mainly private property, so we will bird from the roadside to look for the specialty birds found here, such as Golden Eagle, Prairie Falcon, Chukar, Greater Roadrunner, and Lewis’s and Acorn Woodpeckers. Bring a spotting scope if you have one. Meet in Paicines, at the junction of Hwy. 25 and County Rd. J1. Paicines is 13 miles south of Hollister. Make sure you have gas and food, as Hollister is the last gas station in this direction. We will tour Panoche Valley, ending at I-5 and Little Panoche Rd. Rain cancels.
Jewel Lake in Tilden
Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley
Friday, February 5, 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Phila Rogers, 510.848.9156, philajane6@yahoo.com
We continue our monthly first Friday trips at Tilden. 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. Winter birds will have arrived, and we’ll look for waterbirds on both Jewel Lake and Lake Anza. A scope would be useful for seeing ducks on the lakes. Rain cancels.
Wintering Raptors and Waterfowl
Solano and Yolo Counties
Saturday, February 6, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Terry Colborn, 916.705.8991, tlcgdc@aol.com
The open agricultural lands of southern Solano County provide excellent foraging habitat for scores of wintering raptors, while the wetlands of the nearby Yolo Basin Wildlife Area are the winter home for thousands of waterfowl, including ducks, geese, swans, and many shorebirds. This trip will visit several local habitats in search of wintering Ferruginous and Rough-legged Hawks; Merlin; Prairie Falcon; Burrowing, Barn, and Great-horned Owls; and Long-billed Curlew, as well as the elusive and threatened Mountain Plover. We also expect to see a representative sampling of waterfowl and a variety of shorebirds at the Yolo Basin Wildlife Area, also known as the Vic Fazio refuge. Meet at 8 a.m. in Dixon in the southwest corner of the Wal-Mart parking lot, located on East Dorset Dr. at the Hwy. 113 exit off I-80. Bring lunch and liquids; dress in layers. Heavy rain cancels.
San Francisco Botanical Garden
Golden Gate Park
Sunday, February 7, 8 – 10:30 a.m.
Alan Ridley, allanrid@pacbell.net; Helen McKenna, 415.566.3241; Ginny Marshall
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 microhabitats 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: Eastshore State Park
Alameda and Contra Costa Counties
Monday, February 15
Kathy Jarrett, 510.547.1233, kathy_jarrett@yahoo.com
Meet the leaders at 8:50 a.m. at El Cerrito Del Norte BART Station (BART is on holiday schedule for President’s Day) or at 9:20 at the end of S. 51st Street in Richmond; there is a spur from the SF Bay Trail to this point. We will bird along the SF Bay Trail from Richmond to Berkeley and end at University Ave. and I-80 in Berkeley. High tide at Pt. Isabel is at 12:22 p.m. Shorebirds and ducks should be seen on this trip. Bring bicycle lock, sunscreen, and liquids. Bring lunch or purchase at the Seabreeze Market. Bicycle helmet required. Participants must have the stamina to dismount frequently and have the ability and experience to bicycle safely on city streets. Rain cancels. Reservations are not necessary, but an email or phone call is appreciated.
Car: To reach S. 51st Street, take the Bayview exit from I-580 north and turn left to cross west over the freeway. Turn left on Seaport and then immediately left on S. 51st Street. Go to the end and park on the street. Entrance to a short spur to the SF 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. BART schedule: www.transitinfo.org.
Corona Heights
San Francisco
Friday, February 19, 8 – 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 north forest for residents and migrants, as well as monitoring the hilltop scrub and south cliff.
Sacramento River Delta Boat Trip
Antioch Marina, Antioch
Saturday, February 20, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Bob Lewis, bob@wingbeats.org
Spaces may still be available on this trip on board the comfortable Delphinus for a wonderful day of exploring the rich habitats and meandering channels of the Sacramento Delta. We can expect to see thousands of Tundra Swan, Snow Goose, White-fronted Goose, and Canada Goose, and myriad ducks, and will also look for overwintering and resident raptors. Bring lunch, liquids, and warm clothing. Trip is limited to 30 participants. Cost is $80 for Golden Gate Audubon members, $90 for nonmembers. To reserve space and make payment, contact Stephanie Strait, GGA Office Manager, by Friday, January 16, at 510.843.2222 or ggas@goldengateaudubon.org. Participants confirmed on the trip will receive directions to the Antioch Marina.
Lake Merritt and Lakeside Park
Oakland, Alameda County
Wednesday, February 24, 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. This should be another peak winter month at Lake Merritt. Come see all our regular visitors and, with luck, a few surprise wanderers, too.
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 free on weekdays.
Bike Trip: Eastshore State Park
Alameda and Contra Costa Counties
Saturday, February 27
Kathy Jarrett, 510-547-1233, kathy_jarrett@yahoo.com
Meet the leaders at 9 a.m. at the Emeryville City Marina. Shorebirds and ducks should be seen on this one-way trip birding the Eastshore State Park from Emeryville to Richmond. High tide in Berkeley is at 10:21 a.m. Options for returning include bicycling, taking BART from Richmond or El Cerrito Del Norte, or taking Amtrak from Richmond. Reservations are not necessary, but an email or phone call is appreciated. Please indicate how you plan to arrive and return.
Bring sunscreen, lunch, and liquids. Food and drink may be purchased at Amini’s store/café at Richmond Marina Bay. Bicycle helmet required. Participants must have the stamina to dismount frequently and have the ability and experience to bicycle safely on city streets. Rain cancels.
From Ashby BART, bicycle west on Woolsey, which becomes 66th St. after crossing Sacramento St. At San Pablo Ave., jog left to 65th St. and continue west to Shellmound and then turn left to Powell St. Cross to the south side of Powell and follow the sidewalk west, passing under freeway. Cross back to the bicycle lane and continue to the end at the Emeryville City Marina. Take extreme care crossing freeway exits and entrances. Go to www.transitinfo.org for BART schedule.
Pinnacles National Monument
San Benito County
Sunday, February 28, 9 a.m.
Rusty Scalf, 510.666.9936, rscalf@sonic.net
Pinnacles National Monument is a release site for the endangered California Condor, and the birds can sometimes be seen from hiking trails throughout the park. Meet at the Visitor’s Center in the first parking lot on the left after you enter the east side of the park from Hwy. 25. Email leader for more information or go to www.nps.gov/pinn.
Honey Lake
Lassen County
Saturday–Sunday, March 20–21
Dave Quady, 510.704.9353, davequady@att.net.
We will search Lassen County for Greater Sage-Grouse, Bald Eagles, and other wintering birds of the Eastern Sierra. This trip is limited to the first 20 participants who sign up with the leader; reservations open up at noon on January 25. Detailed directions will be provided to those who are confirmed on the trip. Lodging is available in Susanville; primitive camping is available in the Honey Lake State Wildlife Area. Plan to bring warm clothing, lunches for both days, and a scope if you have one. Carpooling is encouraged.
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 bird life, 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; reservations open up at noon on February 22. Past participants have found it convenient to camp at Hodgdon Meadow in the park (reservations necessary, as the campground fills up fast), or to stay 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 who are 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. Participants should be prepared to walk about 3 miles each day. Carpooling is encouraged.
Travel with Golden Gate Audubon
If you’re thinking about birding outside the Bay Area, consider one of the upcoming trips designed especially for Golden Gate Audubon members. For applications and detailed information on these trips, please contact Ruth Tobey, 510.528.2093 or ruthtobey@gmail.com.
Birds, Culture, and Cuisine in Oaxaca – ACT NOW, A LIMITED NUMBER OF SPACES ARE STILL AVAILABLE!
Mark Pretti, an enthusiastic all-around naturalist, will lead two trips to Oaxaca, Mexico. The December trip has filled, but spaces may still be available on the trip scheduled for January 5–15, 2010. Mark has led other trips for Golden Gate Audubon, and his excellent organizational skills will ensure smoothly functioning trips. Knowledgeable about birds, flowers, trees, and butterflies, Mark has a special gift for sharing his extensive interest in flora and fauna.
We will stay in four comfortable small hotels and explore a variety of habitats between Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido on the Pacific Coast. We expect to see many of the 330-plus species of birds found on previous trips, including Dwarf Jay, Red Warbler, Bumblebee Hummingbird, Mountain and Citreoline Trogons, White-throated Magpie Jay, Oscellated Thrasher, Gray-breasted Woodpecker, Gray-barred Wren, Red-breasted Chat, Russet-browned Motmot, and Spot-breasted Oriole. We’ll also explore the Zapotec ruins of Monte Alban, visit a master weaver in Teotitlan del Valle, see the Oaxacan Cultural Museum, and spend an unforgettable day with Susana Trilling as we tour the Mercado Abastos, enjoy her superb lecture on regional farming, culture, and cuisine, and savor a delicious lunch at her cooking school.
Cost is projected to be $2,500 per person based on double occupancy and includes all lodging, meals, admissions, and transportation from Oaxaca City. Part of the cost is a $150 tax-deductible donation to GGA. A deposit of $100 per person is required to secure your place on the trip.
Spring Migration in Oregon
In May 2010, Harry Fuller will lead a Memorial Day weekend trip to Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. If you are unfamiliar with Harry, you can catch the flavor of his extensive knowledge of and enthusiasm for birds on his blog (http://atowhee.wordpress.com). At this major birding hot spot, spring brings wildflowers as well as a diverse assortment of nesting species, including Sandhill Cranes, Wilson’s Phalarope, Swainson’s Hawk, Long-billed Curlew, Chukar, Gray Partridge, Sage Grouse, Trumpeter Swan, and 15 species of waterfowl. Our group, limited to 10, will spend three days also looking for Sage Thrasher, Sage Sparrow, Brewer’s Sparrow, Short-eared Owl, Willow and Gray Flycatcher, Franklin’s Gull, Black Tern, Least Bittern, and possibly Bobolink and other eastern species. Price for this trip, still to be determined, will include a $50 donation to GGA.
River of Raptors in Veracruz
In partnership with ProNatura, a Mexican conservation group, we will offer a trip to Veracruz for the “River of Raptors” migration, October 2–10, 2010. The 540 bird species in central Veracruz include 25 endemics. During fall migration, on a good day, more than 100,000 migrant vultures and raptors are seen; on a Big Day, over 500,000 have been counted. An estimated 10 million passerines and waterbirds pass by each day, along with migrating butterflies and dragonflies. Our tour will also go to local archaeological sites and include side trips to lowland forests and coastal lagoons, as well as spend two nights in the capital city of Xalapa, a short ride into the mountains and cloud forest. We will have the option of a basic 9-day tour for $2,100 (with 8–10 participants) or an extended tour, through October 13, to include Los Tuxtlas rain forest (if 6 participants elect to stay) for $2,650. Prices include a $150 donation to GGA.