Marin Audubon Society

Hamilton Wetlands - Novato
2026-02-20 08:30 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | CA
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 at 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 we 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
2026-05-07 08:30 - 12:00
Thursday, May 7, 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
2026-05-12 08:00 - 13:30
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
8:00 am – 1:30 pm
Birding with David Edelson and Michelle Muir
REGISTER HERE
Registration is required. Registration opens Saturday, May 2 at 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.

Rodeo Lagoon - Marin Headlands
2026-05-13 07:30 - 12:00
Wednesday, May 13, 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, May 3 at 8 AM.
Limit of 15 participants for this trip.
With spring migration coming to an end, we’ll be looking out for late migrants, including passing loons, shorebirds and scarcer 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 even at this late date. 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.

Spring Residents at Olompali State Park - Novato
2026-05-17 08:00 - 11:00
Spring Residents at Olompali State Park – Novato
Sunday, May 17, 2026
8:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Birding with Rich Cimino and Janet Bodle
Register HERE
Registration is required for this trip. Registration opens Thursday, May 7 at 8 AM.
Limit of 10 participants for this trip.
Species we hope to see might be, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Hooded Oriole, Cassin’s Viero, Hutton’s Vireo, Western Warbling Vireo, Western Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, a calling Pileated Woodpecker and resident species.
Meet in the parking lot at 8:00 AM. There is an $8 parking fee. Portable bathroom near the parking lot
DIRECTIONS: Exit Hwy 101 at Atherton Ave/ San Marin Dr in Novato. Follow the signs to Olompali State Historic Park. A right turn onto the Old Redwood Hwy frontage road will take you to the park.

De Silva Island Heron Colony
2026-05-26 10:00 - 12:30
Tuesday, May 26, 2026
10:00 AM to 12:30 PM
Birding with Ron Brown
REGISTER HERE
Registration required for this trip. Registration opens Saturday, May 16 at 8:00 AM. Trip limit is 15.
De Silva Island is home to a long-established colony of Great Blue Herons, residing in a grove of eucalyptus trees on the banks of Belloch’s Lagoon (Strawberry Cove) in Richardson Bay. In recent years Great Egrets and Double Crested Cormorants (colonial nesting species) have moved into this fine breeding site.
Although the start of the breeding season is somewhat variable, we should see late-stage Heron and Egret chicks and early-stage Cormorant chicks. The colony is best seen by a scope from across Belloch’s Lagoon (Strawberry Cove). One scope will be available, but others would be welcome. The viewing area is the sidewalk and there is no easy parking. I can take a couple of people with difficulty walking, others can move their cars a short distance and walk a short distance.
DIRECTIONS: From Hwy 101 south, exit at 446 toward Seminary Drive, make a left onto Redwood Hwy frontage road, and follow as it goes under the freeway. Continue for 1/2 mile, make a right on Seminary Drive to the Fitness outdoor workout at 107b Seminary Drive and find street parking. From Hwy 101 north, exit at 446 toward Seminary Drive, make a left at Redwood Frontage Road. In about 1/2 mile make a right on Seminary Drive to the Fitness outdoor workout at 107 Seminary and find street parking.
We will meet on Seminary Drive near the outdoor workout area at 10 am. It will be a short walk on the somewhat uneven public footpath around the marsh with a set of stairs up to view the colony trees.

The Ponds at the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District (LGVSD) - San Rafael
2026-06-04 08:30 - 12:00
Thursday, June 4, 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
2026-06-05 07:30
Marin Audubon Hosts Field Trips for California Bird Atlas BIG WEEKEND. California Bird Atlas Big Weekend is a four-day statewide celebration of birds and the new California Bird Atlas – featuring dozens of field trips, and a collective mission to document as many species breeding in as many blocks as possible.
Field trips introduce Atlas basics in the field, with leaders showing how to contribute. The goal is to make it easy for first-time participants to get involved and continue contributing beyond the weekend.
Marin Audubon is sponsoring the following field trip for the CBA Big Weekend:
Rodeo Lagoon, Marin Headlands
Friday, June 5, 2026
7:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Birding with William Legge and David Wiechers
REGISTER HERE
Registration is required for this trip. Registration opens on Tuesday, May 26 at 8AM
Limit of 15 participants for this trip.
The primary focus of this Field Trip will be seeking out and documenting breeding birds for the California Bird Atlas (CBA). Join us for a Sea Watch at 7:30 AM or arrive later at 8:00 AM for an expanded circuit of the lagoon to include trails that are rarely birded.
DIRECTIONS: 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. Turn left at the sign to the Marin Headland. Proceed on Bunker Road to the Rodeo Lagoon Parking Lot and meet at 7:30 by the bridge over the channel to the beach.

San Geronimo Community Center environs
2026-06-05 09:00 - 12:00
Marin Audubon Hosts Field Trips for California Bird Atlas BIG WEEKEND. California Bird Atlas Big Weekend is a four-day statewide celebration of birds and the new California Bird Atlas – featuring dozens of field trips, and a collective mission to document as many species breeding in as many blocks as possible.
Field trips introduce Atlas basics in the field, with leaders showing how to contribute. The goal is to make it easy for first-time participants to get involved and continue contributing beyond the weekend.
Marin Audubon is sponsoring the following field trip for the CBA Big Weekend:
San Geronimo Community Center environs
Friday, June 5, 2026
9:00 AM-12:00 PM
Birding with Liz Lewis and Susan Kelly
REGISTER HERE
Registration is required for this trip. Registration opens on Tuesday, May 26 at 8 AM
Limit of 14 participants for this trip.
On this trip we will be introducing the CBA and the breeding codes to those who are new to the Atlas. All experience levels are welcome for this easy, three miles roundtrip. We will meet in the parking lot of the former San Geronimo Golf Club now offices of Marin County Fire. There is a porta potty in the parking lot. We will hike the paths and grounds of the former golf course.

Rodeo Lagoon - Marin Headlands
2026-07-29 07:30 - 12:00
Rodeo Lagoon, Marin Headlands
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
7:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Birding with William Legge and David Wiechers
REGISTER HERE
Registration is required for this trip. Registration opens on Wednesday, July 15 at 8 AM
Limit of 15 participants for this trip.
Join William and David for the first of five fall migration field trips at Rodeo Lagoon. This is their long-time “patch,” which never seems to disappoint birders with daily variations in species and the chance of an unusual sighting. On this July trip, we will be targeting northward bound Heermann’s Gulls and Elegant Terns, and hopefully the first southbound migrating shorebirds, and early western passerine migrants. We will begin with a Sea Watch at 7:30 AM from Rodeo Beach. Those arriving later may join us at 8:00 AM for a circuit of the lagoon, about 2-3 miles of light to moderate hiking. 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 ($3) via the onsite ‘tip-jar’ as a thank you 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 footbridge over the channel to the beach or join MAS birders with scopes along the nearby beach area.

Abbotts Lagoon – Pt. Reyes National Seashore
2026-08-22 08:30 - 14:00
Abbotts Lagoon – Pt. Reyes National Seashore
Saturday, August 22, 2026
8:30 AM – 2:00 PM
Birding with Rusty Scalf
All participants are welcome to join this trip. No registration required.
We will bird the coastal scrub, lagoons, and ocean. We hope to find migrant shorebirds and resident Snowy Plovers. Abbotts Lagoon has historically been good for Baird’s Sandpiper and we may get lucky. Meet at 8:30 AM at the Abbotts Lagoon parking lot (bathrooms but no water). Bring scope, liquids, lunch. Plan on walking 4 miles round-trip; relatively flat but trail consists partially of sand. Prepare for wind.
DIRECTIONS: From Point Reyes Station on Hwy 1 go just south of town, right turn onto Sir Francis Drake Blvd, follow that through Inverness
up over Inverness ridge into the Point Reyes National Seashore then go north on Pierce Point Road. The Abbott’s Lagoon parking lot is on the left in about 3 miles. Car pool if you can.

Farallon Islands Boat Trip - From Clipper Yacht Harbor, Sausalito
2026-09-12 08:30 - 16:00
Farallon Islands Boat Trip – From Clipper Yacht Harbor, Sausalito
Saturday, September 12, 2026
8:30 AM to 4 PM
Birding with Susan Sherman
Registration is required for this trip. Registration opens on August 12 at 8:00 AM. See cost below.
REGISTER HERE
Join us for a day of seabird and marine mammal watching as we head out to the Farallon Islands and offshore waters aboard Captain Christian’s power catamaran, Outer Limits. When we last did this cruise sightings included Humpback Whales, Laysan and Black-footed Albatross, Tufted Puffin, Rhinoceros and Cassin’s Auklets, shearwaters and jaegers.
We will get a close-up look at the islands and hear about their interesting natural and human history. This is a trip that both experienced and first-time birders and nature lovers enjoy.
A rain jacket and pants are recommended no matter what the weather on shore. If you get seasick easily, this is not the trip for you. We will be on the boat all day.
Although unlikely at this time of year, rescheduling might be necessary at the last minute due to sea conditions.
The trip costs $165. A waitlist will open if the trip sells out. Add your name to the list by clicking Contact Organizer prompt. If you cancel your registration by September 5 and we can fill your spot with someone else on the waitlist, you will be reimbursed, minus a small transaction fee, unless you would like to convert your registration fee into a tax-deductible donation to MAS.
DIRECTIONS:
Take Highway 101 to the Marin City/Sausalito exit, head south on Bridgeway. Turn left at Mollie Stone’s onto Harbor Drive and proceed to the parking area at the end. We will meet on the south side of the parking lot to check in before boarding. Plan to arrive by 8:30 AM for check-in and instructions.
