Field Trips

Piper Park - Larkspur, and Marin Art and Garden Center - Ross Saturday, March 29 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM Birding with Rich Cimino All participants are welcome to join this trip Piper Park has an Oak-Pine ornamental “forest” around its picnic area, which can have Pygmy Nuthatches, Pine Siskins, three species of woodpeckers, and Red-breasted Sapsucker. The athletic field may have Canada Geese, White-fronted Geese, Cackling Geese, American Pipits, Western Meadow Larks, Western Blue Birds, Says Phoebe, fly by White-tailed Kite and Red-shouldered Hawk. At 10 AM we’ll drive to the Marin Arts and Gardens Center property. Here we may be lucky to see and hear early migrants, and a remaining wintering species. Possible early migrants species could be Western Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, Warbling Vireo and warbler species. The field trip ends at noon. Those who want to enjoy the picnic grounds bring their meals and drinks. Trails in both locations are flat and easy to navigate. Both locations have bathrooms and parking. Meet at the Piper Park parking lot at 8:00 AM. Nearest exit to Piper Park from the 101 is 450A.   The Park is located off of Doherty Road, behind the Central Marin Police Authority.

Thursday, April 3, 2025 8:30 AM to noon Birding with Mark Clark All participants are welcome to join this trip. We welcome bird enthusiasts of all levels, especially beginning birders, to join leader Mark Clark on our monthly first Thursday walk around the ponds at Las Gallinas.  On our search we’ll be looking for waterfowl, waders, songbirds, raptors, rails and swallows. We are likely to spot some interesting species, so come assist in our search. The packed dirt paths around the ponds are wide, flat and easy to navigate. Heavy rain cancels. DIRECTIONS: From Hwy 101, exit at Smith Ranch Rd. Drive east on Smith Ranch Rd. toward McInnis Park. Turn left immediately after crossing the railroad tracks and drive about 0.5 mile through the LGVSD gates and into the parking lot at the end of the road. Meet the group by the bridge just past the parking lot. There is a portable restroom in the parking area for public use.

Birding in Marin | Season 10, Trip 4 Saturday, April 5, 2025 8:30 AM – mid afternoon Birding with Jim White and Bob Battagin Register HERE for this Field Trip Registration is required for this trip. Registration opens on March 26 at 8:00 AM. Join Jim and Bob for an easy walk around the Five Brooks pond with a chance to see beautiful Wood ducks. Our late master Rich Stallcup installed wood duck nesting boxes with a little of my help back in the 1990s. Bob and I with some consistent help refurbish the boxes each spring. We will also have a chance to see some woodpeckers including the large and loud Pileated as well as other forest birds. The Bear Valley visitor center will be our second area to visit where we like to take another gentle walk around the Earth Quake Trail. We hope to find some recently arrived nesting birds such as Warbling Vireo, Western Wood Pewee, Black-headed Grosbeaks and Pacific Slope Flycatchers. Bring lunch, drinks. Heavy Rain cancels. Directions: Meet at the Five Brooks parking lot. Take Highway 1 north 17 miles from Mill Valley, or 8 miles from Stinson Beach or 5 miles South of Olema at the Sir Francis Drake Blvd intersection. There is a 1/4 mile access road up to the parking area.