Field Trips

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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.

 

 

Download Field Trip Report Form

Download Birds of Northern California Trip List

 

 

San Francisco Botanical Gardens

Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

Sundays, June 7, July 5, August 2,
8 – 10:30 a.m.

Alan Ridley, allanrid@pacbell.net; Helen McKenna, 415.566.3241;
Ginny Marshall, 650.349.3780

Meet at 8 a.m. at the front gate of the Botanical Garden at Ninth Avenue at Lincoln Way. This delightful section of Golden Gate Park has several micro-habitats that attract an array of resident, migrant, and vagrant birds. This regular monthly trip is oriented toward beginning birders.

 

Corona Heights

San Francisco

Fridays, June 19, July 17, August 21,
8 – 10 a.m.

Charles Hibbard; Brian Fitch; Dominick Mosur

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

 

Lake Merritt and Lakeside Park

Oakland

Wednesday, June 24, July 22, August 26, 9:30 a.m. – noon

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

Join us at the large spherical cage near 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. In summer the lake has fewer species, but as in previous years we hope to find successful nesting birds including the Black Phoebe, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Double Crested Cormorant, Cooper's Hawk, and Black Crowned Night Heron.

 

Directions: Take 12, N, or NL bus to Grand and Perkins, and walk into park on Perkins. Best parking at boathouse lot near spherical cage. Entry (via Bellevue near Childrens Fairyland) is free on weekdays.

 

Mono Lake and Eastern Sierra

Friday – Sunday, July 10 – 12

Emilie Strauss; Rusty Scalf, 510.666.9936,
rscalf@sonic.net

Meet at Mono Lake County Park just north of Lee Vining at 8 a.m. on Friday, July 10. An overnight stay on July 9th is highly recommended. We will visit the west and south shores of Mono Lake, Lundy and Lee Vining Canyons, and Saddlebag Lake. The third day we will be at over 10,000 feet and will spend the day hiking with a significant climb. Please be in good physical condition. Trip will likely include Mono Lake, Lundy Canyon, and environs. Expect entrance fees at Yosemite National Park, Bodie State Park, and/or boat-taxi service across Saddlebag Lake, etc. You are responsible for your own transportation, food, and lodging arrangements; information can be found at www.leevining.com. Call Rusty Scalf for reservations and information. Trip is limited to 15 people.

 

Birding for Everyone

San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum

Saturday, August 1, 10 a.m. – noon (no June or July walk)

Angie Geiger and guest naturalists, 415.387.9160; www.sfnature.org.

Meet for this monthly trip at the kiosk/bookstore at front gate of the San Francisco Botanical Garden, Ninth Avenue at Lincoln Way. Families welcome. Children free but must be accompanied by an adult. Suggested adult donation $10. No one turned away due to lack of funds. This popular monthly birding experience is jointly sponsored by the Botanical Garden, San Francisco Nature Education, and Golden Gate Audubon Society.

 

Tufted Puffins and the Farallon Islands Pelagic Trip

Sunday, August 2

Alan Hopkins, ash@sfo.com, 415.664.0983

We will depart from Emeryville at 7:30 a.m. for an eight-hour adventure to the Farallones and beyond. The Farallones are the most reliable place to view Tufted Puffins and other alcids. After visiting the Islands, weather permitting, we will continue west to the Continental Shelf to look for deep water species like Black-footed Albatross and Blue Whale.

Cost is $125 GGA members, $145 nonmembers. Last year's trip sold out early! To reserve your space, send a check to: Shearwater Journeys, P.O. Box 190, Hollister CA 95024 (no refunds). Include the date of the trip, noting that you are a GGA member. Also include a phone number and e-mail address (if available) for each member of your party and a self-addressed stamped envelope. A small fuel surcharge may be required. Trip details are mailed upon payment. For more information contact trip leader Alan Hopkins.

 

Martin Luther King, Jr. Shoreline

Arrowhead Marsh, Oakland

Monday, August 3, 9 – 11 a.m.

Bob Lewis, 510.845.5001,
Bob@Wingbeats.org

We'll look for newly arriving shorebirds, perhaps a raptor or two, and passerines. This is an average tide day, but we may still spot a rail or two if we're lucky.
Beginners welcome.

 

Directions: Take Hwy 880 toward the Oakland Airport. Exit at Hegenberger Road. Turn right onto Hegenberger and continue 0.7 mile across a small bridge to Pardee Drive and turn right. Continue to Swan Way and turn left. Shortly thereafter, turn right into the East Bay Regional Shoreline. Continue to the parking lot at the end of the road.

 

Abbott's Lagoons, Point Reyes

West Marin County

Friday, August 21, 9 a.m. – noon

Bob Lewis, 510.845.5001,
Bob@Wingbeats.org

In addition to seeing the normal gulls, terns, and pelicans, we've been very lucky on this trip in past years, finding a few unusual sandpipers, and often seeing Snowy Plovers. The trip can be a bit arduous, since we'll probably walk some distance in sand to the far corner of the lagoon, and it can be quite sunny, so dress accordingly and bring water.

 

Directions: From Hwy 101 in Marin County, take Lucas Valley Road west towards Nicasio. Bear right on Nicasio Valley Road, then turn left on Point Reyes – Petaluma Road toward Pt Reyes Station. Turn left at the Hwy 1 intersection, then right onto Sir Francis Drake Blvd, which will bend to the right. Continue past Inverness and take the right-hand road at the Y intersection (Pierce Point Road). The turnoff into the Abbott's Lagoon parking lot is on the left.

 

Snag Lake Backpack Trip

Lassen Volcanic National Park

Friday – Monday, August 28 – 31

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

Join David and Robin on this annual camping and birding trip. We will backpack three miles to Snag Lake 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 mountain, Bald Eagles, and migrating shorebirds. We will be above 6,000 feet. To avoid impact on fragile habitat, trip is limited to 12 people. Each participant is responsible for their own gear and food; some shared meals can be arranged. Contact leader to reserve a space.

 

 

Bicycle Trips

Kathy Jarrett, leader

510.547.1233
Kathy_Jarrett@yahoo.com

Bicycle helmet required. Bring lunch and liquids. Dress in layers. Rain cancels.

BART schedules: www.transitinfo.org

 

Alviso – Don Edwards S.F. Bay NWR

Santa Clara County

Saturday, July 25, 8 a.m. – noon

Meet at 9:10 a.m. at the trailhead; 8:30 at the Santa Clara/Great America Capitol Corridor Train Station. The ride from the station to Alviso County Park follows a trail and city streets. Lunch at Alviso Marina - bring your own.

 

Directions by car: Take I-880 south toward San Jose, then Calif. Hwy 237 WEST, go 2.2 mi and take the North First Street exit. Turn right on N 1st St. In about 1 mi N 1st St becomes Taylor St. In one block turn right on Gold St, left on Elizabeth St, right on Hope St. and continue to Alviso County Park and the trailhead parking for Don Edwards SF Bay NWR in Alviso.

By public transit: Capitol Corridor Train #723 from Richmond (BART connection) at 7:05, Berkeley at 7:12, Emeryville at 7:20 am, Jack London at 7:33 or Coliseum Station at 7:42 (BART connection). We will ride on trails and streets to the trailhead, and return on Train #734 from Santa Clara at 1:02 pm (next train #736 at 2:52). The Emeryville and Jack London stations are full service stations. You should arrive at the station well in advance to purchase your ticket and get on the platform; senior fares at a discount of 15% are available for those 62 and over. The other stations have ticket machines or you buy tickets on the train. Contact Kathy if you want to participate in a 10-ride ticket from Emeryville.

 

East Shore State Park

Richmond to Emeryville on the S.F. Bay Trail

Saturday, August 15

Meet at 8:10 a.m. at the El Cerrito Del Norte BART Station or 8:30 at the end of S. 51st Street in Richmond. There is a spur from the S.F. Bay Trail to this point. We will bird along the Bay Trail from Richmond to Emeryville and end at Aquatic Park in Berkeley. Bring bicycle lock, sun screen, and liquids. Bring lunch or purchase on the trip at the Seabreeze Market. All levels of birders and bicyclists welcome. Reservations not necessary, but an e-mail or phone call would be appreciated.

 

Directions by car: Take the Bayview exit from I-580 N and turn left to cross west over the freeway, go left on Seaport and immediately left on S. 51st Street, go to end and park on street. An entrance to a short spur to the SF Bay Trail starts here. If you are concerned about security, you can park at Point Isabel and ride north on the trail about 0.75 mile to meet the group.

BART/Bicycle directions: Meet Kathy and Blair at the Del Norte BART station at 8:10 (train through MacArthur at 7:54) 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 left onto S. 55th St immediately after crossing under I-80, then right onto Gately, first left onto Ells, right onto Bayview. Cross Carlson, then go over I-580, left onto Seaport and immediately left onto S. 51st St. and proceed to the trail. It is also possible to go from the El Cerrito Plaza Station to the trailhead via Carlson. View BART schedules online at http://www.transitinfo.org. Bay Trail info online at http://baytrail.abag.ca.gov/

 

 

Traveling Far Afield

Golden Gate Audubon has started a program of excursions, called big trips, to birding destinations outside the Bay Area. The fees are less than customarily charged by professional outfitters. Click here to find out more about GGA's big trips. Or help us by filling out our big field trips survey (.pdf format or Microsoft Word format).

 

New GGAS Trip Announced : The Birds and Natural History of Oaxaca , Mexico

Mark Pretti, an enthusiastic all-around naturalist, will lead two GGAS trips to Oaxaca, Mexico in December 2009 and January 2010. Knowledgeable about birds, flowers, trees, and butterflies, he has a special gift for sharing his extensive interest in flora and fauna. His excellent organizational skills will ensure a smoothly functioning trip.

The trip has two sections—December 1-11, 2009 and January 5-15, 2010—each limited to 8 participants. 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 and learn about many of the 330+ species of birds that were seen on previous trips (dwarf jay, red warbler, bumblebee hummingbird, mountain and citreoline trogon, white-throated magpie jay, oscellated thrasher, gray-breasted woodpecker, gray-barred wren, red-breasted chat, russet-crowned motmot, spot-breasted oriole and many others).

 

We'll also tour the Zapotec ruins of Monte Alban, visit a master weaver in Teotitlan del Valle, tour 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 Golden Gate Audubon. A deposit of $100 per person is required to secure your place on the trip.

 

For applications and detailed information on all these trips, please contact Ruth Tobey, 510.528.2093 or ruthtobey@gmail.com.