Marin Audubon Society

Rodeo Lagoon and Marin Headlands
2025-11-26 07:30 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Wednesday, November 26, 2025
7:30/8:15 AM to noon **Please note below start times for this field trip
Birding with William Legge and David Wiechers
REGISTER HERE
Registration is required for this trip. Registration opens on Sunday, November 16 at 8 AM.
Join William and David for this fifth fall migration field trip at Rodeo Lagoon. This is their long-time “patch,” which never seems to disappoint birders with daily variations in species and a good chance of an unusual sighting. On this trip, our group will be targeting scarcer passerines and other mid-fall migrants. We will begin the morning with a Sea Watch from Rodeo Beach at 7:30 AM. Those arriving later may join us at 8:15 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 light. Proceed through the tunnel on Bunker Rd to the Rodeo Lagoon Parking Lot at the end. Meet by the bridge over the channel to the beach or join MAS birders with scopes along the nearby beach area.

The Ponds at the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District (LGVSD) - San Rafael
2025-12-04 08:30 - 12:00
Thursday, December 4, 2025
8:30 AM to noon
Birding with Mark Clark
Registration is not required. All participants are welcome to join this trip.
On this trip we especially welcome beginning birders to join Mark Clark, along with bird enthusiasts of all levels, on our monthly 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. There is a portable restroom in the parking area for public use.
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.

Bahia, Horseshoe Pond and Rush Creek
2025-12-06 08:30 - 15:00
Birding in Marin, Season 10 – Trip 12
Saturday, December 6, 2025
8:30 AM to mid afternoon
Birding with Jim White and Bob Battagin
Register HERE for this field trip
Registration is required and opens November 26 at 8 AM
MAS acquired and restored to tidal action the diked bay lands around the residential Bahia neighborhood. As the ebbing tide exposes the mudflats thousands of shorebirds now descend to feed, while on the flood tide hundreds of ducks and some gulls float, forage and loaf about. The oak-wooded ridge stretching from Hwy 101 to Bahia, also saved from development by MAS, holds Oak Titmice, White-breasted Nuthatch, Hutton’s Vireo, at least four woodpecker species and many sparrows in the winter.
Horseshoe Pond (Homeowners Lagoon) at the southeast end of Topaz is a great place to look for wintering ducks. Goldeneyes, Scaup, Canvasbacks, Buffleheads, and Mergansers seem to like it and it has been Marin’s best place for Barrow’s Goldeneyes the last few years.
After lunch we plan to look at the nearby Rush Creek area from the Airport Rd which parallels Hwy 101 north of Atherton.
DIRECTIONS: From 101 in north Novato take Atherton Avenue east, take the Y left onto Bugeia which becomes Bahia Drive, near the end at the bottom of the hill take a right onto Topaz, follow Topaz to its end and park.

Corte Madera Marsh Ecological Reserve
2025-12-07 08:30 - 12:00
Corte Madera Marsh Ecological Reserve
Sunday, December 7, 2025
8:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Birding with Lisa Hug
Register HERE
Registration is required. Registration opens November 26 at 8 AM.
This field trip is an eBird workshop for those participating in the Christmas Bird Count in Southern Marin County. We will walk the Corte Madera Marsh Ecological Reserve starting at the Marin Audubon Society site Lookout. The walk is level and easy. We will be making observations using eBird. We will see waterfowl and shorebirds in the estuary as well as upland suburban residents. Experienced birders and Christmas Bird Count Leaders as well as eBird newbies can enjoy counting and compiling together in an informal and fun setting.
Directions: From 101 North, take Lucky Drive Exit to Wornum, turn left on Tamal Vista Blvd and left on Madera Blvd. Go under freeway and take a left on Redwood Highway and turn right into the Trader Joe’s /World Market mall. Stay to the right and park behind World Market.
From 101 South take the Corte Madera exit left over the freeway on Tamalpais Dr. Take a left on Redwood Blvd. and Right into the World Market Mall, staying right and parking behind. Meet in the parking lot.

The Ponds at the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District (LGVSD) - San Rafael
2026-01-01 08:30 - 12:00
Thursday, January 1, 2026
8:30 AM to noon
Birding with Mark Clark
Registration is not required. 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 walk around the ponds at Las Gallinas. On our search we’ll be looking for waterfowl, waders, songbirds and raptors. 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 restroon in the parking area for public use.

Skaggs Island Road
2026-01-16 10:00 - 14:00
Friday, January 16, 2026
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Birding with Daniel Edelstein
Register HERE for this Field Trip
Registration required. Registration opens January 6 at 8 AM.
Skaggs Island Road; flat, level hiking on road for no more than 1.5 miles; lunch at bridge (~.6 mile from the parking area at Highway 37.)
Daniel invites you to discover the joy of a wilderness-like paradise — Skaggs Island Road — that often attracts dozens of shorebird and duck family members, in addition to uncommon, visiting non-breeding raptors such as Rough-legged Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, and Merlin (along with sightings of White-tailed Kite and other raptor species).
Closed to the public, Skaggs Island Road is accessed by meeting our group in the parking area adjacent to Hwy. 37 (approximately 3 miles east of Reclamation Road and 2 miles east of the Highway 121/Sears Point Raceway intersection (at the stoplight). We’ll meet on the north side of Hwy. 37 where it intersects with Skaggs Island Road.
Please be careful turning into this road when coming from Marin County. Oncoming traffic is often heavy.
Here’s a map link that shows where we’ll meet:
https://www.google.com/maps/search/Skaggs+Island+Road,+Highway+37/@38.1563398,-122.3935838,14z
Daniel is a freelance Birding Guide (WarblerWatch.com) and Consulting Avian Biologist. His web site (WarblerWatch.com) features abundant birding information, in addition to his 17-year-old warbler-centric blog (WarblerWatch.blogspot.com).

Corte Madera Marsh
2026-01-22 09:00 - 12:00
Corte Madera Marsh
Thursday, January 22, 2026
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Birding with Michelle Muir and Rich Cimino
Register HERE
Limit of 15 participants for this trip.

Registration is required. Registration opens January 12 at 8 AM.

This trip is perfect for both beginning birders looking to learn how to identify waterfowl and shorebirds, as well as experienced birders interested in honing their skills. We will explore the Corte Madera Ecological Reserve. Much of the area has undergone extensive restoration for rare and endangered saltmarsh species. On this field trip, we will walk the Reserve starting at the Marin Audubon Society site lookout. The walk is level and easy, about two miles.
Dress with warm layers, and bring binoculars, scopes, snacks and water. In case of rain, participants will receive an email by 7:00am the morning of the field trip informing them of cancellation. There are restrooms at nearby stores, though no public restrooms on the walk.
DIRECTIONS: Corte Madera Marsh Ecological Reserve is located behind Trader Joe’s in Corte Madera. Meet in the parking lot behind the store, accessed by the driveway on the southside of World Market.

Jean and John Starkweather Shoreline Park - San Rafael
2026-02-01 12:00 - 14:00
Jean and John Starkweather Shoreline Park – San Rafael
Sunday, February 1, 2026
Noon – 2:00 PM
Birding with Rich Cimino and Janet Bodle
No registration required. All participants are welcome to join this trip.
Jean and John Starkweather Shoreline Park is a narrow strip of parkland in east San Rafael that stretches for 2 miles along the Bayshore and freshwater ponds. We will walk a section of the Bay Trail that travels the edge of the park, including two ponds, and will be provided with plentiful birdwatching of wintering diving ducks, dabbling ducks, wetland waders, peeps, shorebirds and possible rail.
Directions: Meet in the Target parking lot, 125 Shoreline Parkway, at the southeast corner close to the pond vista point. Bring your scope. Rain at any level cancels.

The Ponds at the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District (LGVSD) - San Rafael
2026-02-05 08:30 - 12:00
Thursday, February 5, 2026
8:30 AM to noon
Birding with Mark Clark
Registration is not required. 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 walk around the ponds at Las Gallinas. On our search we’ll be looking for waterfowl, waders, songbirds and raptors. 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 restroon in the parking area for public use.

Winter Birds of the Delta - Boat Trip
2026-02-08 08:30 - 16:00
Sunday, February 8, 2026
8:40 AM to 4:00 PM
Birding with David Wimpfheimer
Register HERE for the Boat Trip
Registration for this trip opens January 6 at 8 AM.
The trip costs $130. Limit of 25 participants for this trip.
This popular cruise is a winter highlight for birders and provides a specialized look at the richness and history of the California Delta. After meeting at 8:40 for sign in and instructions, we’ll depart from the Antioch Marina at 9 AM
As we head east, we enter sloughs and waterways with views out over the flooded agricultural fields that provide a refuge for flocks of geese, ducks, swans and shorebirds that nest in the north but winter here. Well known birder and naturalist David Wimpfheimer will provide commentary and captain Ronn Patterson will fill in bits about the history of the delta.
Coffee, tea, hot chocolate is provided, bring lunch and snacks. As bad weather can cancel as with any winter trip, there is an inclement weather date set for February 22. Light rain will not cancel.
Waitlist: A waitlist will open if the trip sells out. Add your name to the list by clicking Contact Organizer prompt.
Cancellation: If you cancel your registration before February 1 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.
Directions: Approximately one week prior to the trip, ticketholders will receive instructions and directions to the Antioch Marina, where the trip begins and ends.

Hamilton Wetlands - Novato
2026-02-20 08:30 - 12:00
Friday, February 20, 2026
8:30 AM to noon
Birding with David Sexton and Matt Keller
No registration required. All participants are welcome to join this trip.
Birders of all experience levels are welcome to join us for an exciting morning at Hamilton Wetlands with Point Blue Conservation Science! Spotting scopes and binoculars will be available. We recommend bringing your own pair of binoculars, water, sun protection, layers of clothing, and comfortable walking shoes. We will be on a wide, flat compacted dirt/gravel levee. 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.

Rodeo Lagoon - Marin Headlands
2026-02-25 07:30 - 12:00
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
7:30/8:00 AM to noon **Please note below start times for this field trip
Birding with William Legge and David Wiechers
REGISTER HERE
Registration is required for this trip. Registration opens on Sunday, February 15 at 8 AM.
Limit of 15 participants for this trip.
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.

The Ponds at the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District (LGVSD) - San Rafael
2026-03-05 08:30 - 12:00
Thursday, March 5, 2026
8:30 AM to noon
Birding with Mark Clark
Registration is not required. 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 walk around the ponds at Las Gallinas. On our search we’ll be looking for waterfowl, waders, songbirds, raptors 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 restroon in the parking area for public use.

Rodeo Lagoon - Marin Headlands
2026-03-25 07:30 - 12:00
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
7:30/8:00 AM to noon **Please note below start times for this field trip
Birding with William Legge and David Wiechers
REGISTER HERE
Registration is required for this trip. Registration opens on Sunday, March 15 at 8 AM.
Limit of 15 participants for this trip.
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.

The Ponds at the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District (LGVSD) - San Rafael
2026-04-02 08:30 - 12:00
Thursday, April 2, 2026
8:30 AM to noon
Birding with Mark Clark
Registration is not required. 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 walk around the ponds at Las Gallinas. On our search we’ll be looking for waterfowl, waders, songbirds, raptors 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 restroon in the parking area for public use.

Birds, Plants and Wildflowers of Mt. Burdell
2026-04-02 08:30 - 13:30
Thursday, April 2, 2026
8:30 am – 1:30 pm
Birding with David Edelson and Michelle Muir
REGISTER HERE
Registration is required. Registration opens Monday, March 23 on 8 AM.
Limit of 15 participants for this trip
On this moderate 4-mile hike, we will look and listen for birds, and also stop to appreciate native plants and habitat, particularly wildflowers which should be in abundant bloom.
Mount Burdell, a Marin County Open Space Preserve located just west of Novato, is a hotspot of plant and avian diversity, with diverse oak woodlands, grasslands, serpentine outcrops and a vernal pool (Hidden Lake). Some of the birds we’ll hope to see include spring migrants like orange-crowned warblers, house wrens, lark sparrows, and Bullock’s orioles, as well as year-round residents like oak titmice, Bewick’s wrens, western bluebirds, and multiple species of woodpeckers. This trip is suitable for all levels of birders and plant enthusiasts.
We’ll meet at the San Andreas trailhead. To get there, exit Highway 101 at San Marin Drive, go west approximately 2.5 miles, turn right (north) on San Andreas Drive and go roughly .6 mile to the trailhead. There is parking along the road but no bathrooms or water. We are planning a 4-mile hike which includes some uphill and/or rocky sections where hiking poles might be useful. We recommend hiking shoes or trail shoes with good traction. Please bring lunch/snacks, ample water, sunscreen, a hat, and of course binoculars.

Dominican University - San Rafael
2026-04-15 08:30 - 11:30
Wednesday April 15, 2026
8:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Birding with Rich Cimino and Janet Bodle
REGISTER HERE
Registration is required. Registration opens on April 5 at 8 AM.
Limit of 12 participants for this trip.
Spring migration birding on the Dominican University grounds will take us to riparian, sycamore and oak habitat. Species we hope to see might be, Western Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, Cassin Viero as well resident birds.
Address for Dominican University is 50 Acacia Ave in San Rafael – meet at the free visitors parking lot at the intersection of Grand and Acacia avenues (the Conlan Center lot).

Rodeo Lagoon - Marin Headlands
2026-04-22 07:30 - 12:00
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
7:30/8:00 AM to noon **Please note below start times for this field trip
Birding with William Legge and David Wiechers
REGISTER HERE
Registration is required for this trip. Registration opens on Sunday, April 12 at 8 AM.
Limit of 15 participants for this trip.
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.
