Birding In Marin, Season 10, Trip 3 Saturday, March 1, 2025 9:00 AM to mid afternoon Birding with Jim White and Bob Battagin Register HERE for this Field Trip Registration required. Registration opens at 8AM on February 19, 2025 The Valley Ford Wetlands span the Marin/Sonoma County line less than a mile West of Highway 1 and just a few lies from the mouth of Tomales Bay and the Pacific coast at Dillon Beach. This involves for most of us a drive to the N/W corner of Marin so I’d like to recommend carpooling and delaying our meeting time to 9am. (Three can ride with me from Muir Beach at 8) Wading birds such as the Pacific Golden Plover and White Faced Ibis and many swallows including Bank Swallows have been seen there with more birder coverage in recent years. The rolling grassland pastures southwest the few miles to the coast can harbor many raptors, mostly Red Tails and Kestrels, but Ferruginous even Rough-legged Hawks and Eagles may sometimes be seen. There is a $10 dollar parking fee to visit Dillon beach, but the views and the potential Birds are good. The rocky tip of Marin, often obscured by fog, is just over a mile west, and the south edge of Bodega Bay and the mouth of Tomales Bay exchange a vast amount of water as the tide changes. Bring lunch, dress in layers. Heavy rain cancels Directions: Take Rt 1 north thru Marin or the Valley Ford road west from Petaluma to Valley Ford then from its N/W edge take Valley Ford Estero Rd west a mile where there is ample parking on the road edge and meet on the bridge. For a shorter route from San Rafael and Novato, take 101 north to Railroad Ave, exit 479 work you way west to Valley Ford and make a left on Valley Ford Estero Road, approx. one mile and park on the side of the road, near the bridge.

Thursday, March 6, 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.

Friday, March 14, 2025 9 AM to 12 PM Birding with David Sexton and Matt Keller Register HERE for this Field Trip Registration required. Registration opens at 8AM on March 4. Join us for an exciting morning of birding at Hamilton Wetlands with Point Blue Conservation Science! The site is one of the largest wetland restoration projects in the North Bay Area, home to the endangered Ridgway’s Rail. We will search for a dozen shorebird species, including Snowy Plover and Black-necked Stilt, Canvasback and other wintering ducks, herons and egrets, elusive rails, raptors such as White-tailed Kite, and songbirds like wintering Golden-crowned Sparrow. Anyone is welcome to join, from those with no birding experience to the most seasoned birders. Binoculars will be provided if needed. We recommend bringing water, sun protection, layers of clothing, and comfortable walking shoes. Our walk will be on a wide, flat compacted dirt/gravel levee, possibly with some mud. A fully accessible bathroom will be available at the start and end of the event. Directions: meet at Point Blue’s Novato Baylands native plant nursery at 737 Aberdeen Road, Novato, CA From Hwy 101 take exit 458 to merge onto Nave Dr toward Hamilton Field. Turn right onto Hamilton Pkwy. Turn left through an open gate onto Aberdeen Rd, then keep to the right at the fork to proceed to the nursery. From there, we’ll carpool a short distance to the middle of the site.

Wednesday, March 26, 2025 7:30 AM to 12:00 PM **Please note the 7:30 and 8:00 AM start times below Birding with William Legge & David Wiechers Register HERE for this Field Trip Registration is required for this trip. Registration opens on March 16 at 8:00 AM. With early spring migration underway will be looking out for migrant wildfowl, grebes, loons, gulls, and passerines. As usual, the weather will dictate our focus with onshore northwest winds ideal for spring sea watches, while offshore easterly winds promise a good selection of late winter and early summer passerine migrants. Join us for a Sea Watch at 7:30 AM or arrive later at 8:00 AM for a circuit of the lagoon. A brief mid-morning ‘coffee-stop’ is planned at Headlands Center for the Arts and it would be appreciated if participants come willing to contribute via the onsite ‘tip-jar’ as a thank you to the Headlands Center for the Arts for accommodating our group. This field trip is less suitable for beginners. DIRECTIONS: Head south on Hwy 101 and take the last Sausalito exit just before the Golden Gate Bridge. At the exit stop sign, turn right and go under the freeway, then follow the road down to the left. Within 300 feet turn left at the sign to the Marin Headlands; this is the only available left turn before you begin the descent into Sausalito. You should see the tunnel with the five-minute signal light. Proceed through the tunnel on Bunker Road to the Rodeo Lagoon Parking Lot at the end and meet by the bridge over the channel to the beach. 

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. 

Wednesday, April 23, 2025
7:30 AM to 12:00 PM ** Please note start times below
Birding with William Legge & David Wiechers
Register HERE for this Field Trip

Registration is required for this trip. Registration opens April 13 at 8 AM.

With spring migration underway, we’ll be looking out for migrant wildfowl, shorebirds, grebes, loons and passerines. As usual, the weather will dictate our focus with onshore northwest winds ideal for spring sea watches, while offshore easterly winds promise a good selection of passerine migrants. Join us for a Sea Watch at 7:30 AM or arrive later at 8:15 AM for a circuit of the lagoon. A brief mid-morning ‘coffee-stop’ is planned at the Headlands Center for the Arts. Your contribution for coffee via the onsite “tip-jar” would be appreciated. This field trip is less suitable for beginners.

DIRECTIONS: Head south on Hwy 101 and take the last Sausalito exit just before the Golden Gate Bridge. At the exit stop sign, turn right and go under the freeway, then follow the road down to the left. Within 300 feet turn left at the sign to the Marin Headlands; this is the only available left turn before you begin the descent into Sausalito. You should see the tunnel with the five-minute signal light. Proceed through the tunnel on Bunker Road to the Rodeo Lagoon Parking Lot at the end and meet by the bridge over the channel to the beach. 

Wednesday, April 30, 2025
8:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Birding with Liz Lewis
Register HERE for this Field Trip

Registration required. Registration opens on April 20 at 8AM

As we saunter along the Roy’s Redwood loop trail and the newly restored floodplains and meadows, spring migrant arrivals we will be looking (and listening) for are Warbling Vireo, Wilson’s Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Western Wood Pewee, Western Flycatcher and Ash-throated Flycatcher.

Besides listening and looking for migrants, we will also seek out the resident species who nest in Roy’s Redwoods: including Hairy Woodpecker, Pacific Wren, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Hutton’s Vireo and several raptors. The trail is generally flat with a gentle rise. Please remember to dress in layers and to bring water and snacks. There is a portable bathroom available at the trailhead.

Directions: Meet at Roy’s Redwoods Preserve trailhead, on Nicasio Valley Road, about 0.5 north of Sir Francis Drake Blvd. or about 3.5 miles south of Lucas Valley Rd. Parking is available along Nicasio Valley Road near the trailhead. 

Thursday, May 1, 2025
8:30 AM to 12:00 PM
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 5
Saturday, May 3, 2025
8:30 AM to mid afternoon
Birding with Jim White and Bob Battagin
Register HERE for this Field Trip

Registration required. Registration opens April 23 at 8:00 AM

Join Jim and Bob for a field trip to the gentle slopes of Mount Burdell where we’ll listen to and observe the impressive variety of songbirds that make this area their springtime home. Species we might see include Lark Sparrow, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Bullock’s Oriole, Lazuli Bunting and Grasshopper Sparrow, among many other possibilities. In the afternoon, we plan to continue birding at Stafford Lake or Rush Creek.

This will be a moderate hike with many opportunities to look at birds and spring wildflowers. Wear comfortable walking shoes and layered clothing. Bring water and snacks. We will meet at the end of San Andreas Drive in Novato.

DIRECTIONS: Take Hwy 101 to Novato, exit at the San Marin Dr/Atherton Ave exit. At the end of the exit ramp, turn left (west) on San Marin Dr. Go approximately two miles and turn right on San Andreas Dr. Drive nearly to the end of the road and park on the street. No restrooms available.

Monday, May 5, 2025
8:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Trip Leader: Jude Stalker
Trip Cost: $120 per person
Register HERE for this Field Trip

Registration required. Registration opens April 10 at 8 AM

This trip begins at the historic Vallejo and Mare Island waterfronts and continues into a different world, one of vineyards, backwater homes, and some of the largest contiguous marshes in the Bay Area. Even before leaving the dock, you’ll spot diving ducks and grebes feeding. At Mare Island, you’ll pass Ospreys and egrets roosting in nearby trees. As the boat passes under Highway 37, you might even catch a pair of Peregrine Falcons during this springtime cruise alongside the Napa/Sonoma marshes. A variety of raptor species are common and occasionally both golden and bald eagles are seen.

The trip costs $120. A waitlist will open if the trip sells out. Join the waitlist by clicking the Contact Organizer prompt. If you cancel your registration more than one week before the start of the trip AND we can fill your spot with someone else on the waitlist, you will be reimbursed unless you would like to convert your registration fee into a tax-deductible donation to MAS.

Ticket holders will receive instructions and directions to the Vallejo Marina, approximately one week prior to the trip.