Welcome to the Marin Audubon Society
Election of Marin Audubon Board Members
Join other MAS members to elect MAS Board members for full terms of three years. The election will take place at our Annual Meeting, at our Speaker Series program on Thursday, May 8, at 7 PM. The slate of nominees is:
Jude Stalker has been in charge of Special Projects, which has involved scheduling and organizing tabling and other events, organizing and working on enhancement projects, particularly removing invasive Limonium along the Bay.
Doug Waterman is our Vice President, as well as editor of our newsletter, The Rail, and Field Trip Co-chair.
Ellena Ochoa is our Volunteer Coordinator. Ellena works to find us volunteers to help with habitat enhancement activities on our properties; she volunteers on our properties herself and also manages our Dropbox files.
James Raives is responsible for our Real Property, guiding our actions on boundary, assessment, and acquisitions. With all of our properties and restoration and acquisition activities, he is busy.
Jim Davenport will be new to the Board but has been editing articles for The Rail for almost two years, so we know him well. Jim will be co-editing our newsletter.
Northern Spotted Owl Docents – 2025 Season
Protect the Northern Spotted Owl through community science! They are considered to be an indicator species that helps gauge forest health. Marin County is the Northern Spotted Owl’s southernmost range and is home to one of the last stable populations in the world. They are currently listed as threatened under both the state and federal Endangered Species Act.
- You’ll receive free training to enrich your knowledge of the northern spotted owl and their habitat.
- Foster stewardship by educating visitors about the owls, wildlife viewing etiquette and “leave no trace” principals between late spring to summer when chicks are most vulnerable.
- Help rangers and biologists monitor habitat conditions, and threats to native owls, including the barred owl and disturbancesthat can result from recreational use.
- Learn how to make community scientist observations in accordance with Audubon’s ethical bird photography and videography code of conduct.
Seeking volunteers age 18 and up. Docent shifts will be from late May through August. This program is a collaboration with Marin County County Parks. For more information, contact Elyse Omernick – .
About Us
The Marin Audubon Society was established in 1956 as part of the effort to prevent development of houses on Richardson Bay tidelands. Our Mission is “To conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats, for the benefit of humanity and the Earth’s biological diversity.” More »
For more than 60 years Marin Audubon has worked to protect wildlife habitat in Marin, sometimes stepping in to buy land that is slated for development.
MAS also provides its members and the public many opportunities to experience the birdlife and nature of Marin County and beyond through Field Trips and Events, our monthly MAS newsletter The Rail, and three annual Marin Christmas Bird Counts.
Membership
We invite you to become a Chapter Supporting Member of Marin Audubon to support our important habitat protection and restoration work, conservation advocacy, our full calendar of birding field trips and speakers and our newsletter, The Rail. More »
Speaker Series
Marin Audubon hosts a monthly Speaker Series on the second Thursday of the month, from September through June. The programs feature lectures on birds, mammals, and other natural history topics and are given by speakers who are experts in their field. Programs are free and open to the public. More »
Conservation
Maybe you have had the experience of passing a favorite spot only to be disappointed at the sight of bulldozers and “progress” at work. Maybe you’ve lamented about the inevitability of it all, enraged that it occurred, or maybe you are frustrated about loss of wildlife, trees, habitats and/or climate change. If you have, then it is time to think about Marin Audubon’s Conservation Committee. More »
Volunteer
MAS offers many opportunities to meet fellow members and to support our environmental protection and conservation efforts. Would you like to serve on the Board of Directors? Help with the Christmas Bird Count? Help with restoration projects? Join the MAS Conservation Committee? Help with the annual MAS/ACR Mother’s Day BBQ event in May? These are just a few of the many ways that you can pursue your interests or share your talents. More »
Properties
Consistent with our mission “To conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats, for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity” the Marin Audubon Society has been acquiring properties in Marin County with current or restorable habitats. Some properties are restored and turned over to a public agency and some properties remain in the ownership of the Marin Audubon Society. More »
Stewardship/Restoration
Marin Audubon plans and implements habitat restoration and enhancement projects, maintains habitats, and monitors activities on properties it owns. Restorations focus on recreating tidal marshes and associated transition zone and upland habitats. Restorations usually involve moving dirt fill or levees to lower elevations or remove obstructions(levees) to tidal waters and are usually undertaken with grants from federal, state or private foundations. More »
Birds
Marin County Breeding Bird Atlas II |The Duck Family by Len Blumin | Shorebirds by Len Blumin | Arrival and Departure Dates | Birding Locations | Ways to Improve Your Birding Skills | Checklist of the Birds of Marin County | Christmas Bird Count | Junior Birdwatchers | Monthly Birdlog | Bird Photo Galleries | Birding Quiz
Photo Credits
Photographs throughout this website were contributed by Len Blumin, Elyse Omernick, Dave Strauss, Jude Stalker, Gerry Jarocki, Ann Thomas, Ed Nute, Richard Bohnet, and Barbara Salzman.
MAS BOARD OPPORTUNITY
Marin Audubon has extensive programs, has made impressive accomplishments preserving and restoring habitats, and conducts volunteer work days to maintain habitats we own. Our programs include conservation to protect our environment, the Breeding Bird Atlas, field trips to see and learn about birds, and monthly illustrated talks about birds and natural history.
At this critical time when climate change threatens birds, habitats and ourselves, a strong and involved board of directors is even more important to help us deal with these issues locally. We depend on volunteers, including members of our Board, to plan and oversee our programs. To find out more about our Board, and other volunteer opportunities, and how you can help, please contact a member of our Nominating Committee:
Become a Marin Audubon Society Member Today!
ALERT: Report Barred Owl Sightings
Barred Owls have extended their range to the west coast, from the east coast, and have been seen in Marin. There is increasing concern about their impact on Marin's Northern Spotted Owl population. Barred Owls are larger, more agencies have begun to monitor Barred Owl activity in Marin and they need your help! Notify the appropriate agency asap should you see what might be a Barred Owl: For sightings on federal land, notify Bill Merkle - National Parks Service Wildlife Biologist;...
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