Tennessee Valley Trail

Wednesday, November 23, 2024 8:30 AM – after lunch Birding with Durrell Kapan Register HERE for this field trip Registration required for this trip. Registration opens on November 13 at 8 AM This field trip is a workshop for those participating in the CBC in Marin County. We will start with an eBird refresher based on the MAS November 14 Speaker Series program and then practice taking data to the beach and back. Time permitting, we will climb to the coastal battery for a sea watch and sit, rest, and have a snack or sandwich. This will be great scouting for the CBC! Don’t forget to be prepared for all weather—bring warm layers, a light rain shell, and sunscreen! Meeting place: Tennessee Valley Parking Lot 701 Tennessee Valley Road, Mill Valley

Bahia, Horseshoe Pond and Rush Creek

Birding in Marin, Season 9 – Trip 12 Saturday, December 7, 2024 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 27 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 shore- birds 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.