Birding the Southern Oceans and Antarctica
2026-06-11 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | CA
Birding the Southern Oceans and Antarctica
Thursday, June 11, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Speaker: Alvaro Jaramillo
Event is free. Register HERE for this speaker series.

Topic:
There is no greater wilderness than the Southern Ocean! Between Antarctica and the southern points of the continents, there are islands with hundreds of thousands of penguins, millions of prions (a small seabird) and astounding numbers of fur seals, elephant seals and whales.

Alvaro will talk about some of the wonderful birds and wildlife of the subantarctic islands of New Zealand, as well as South America. Places like South Georgia, the Chatham Islands, Macquarie and of course the Antarctic Peninsula.
Speaker Bio:
Alvaro Jaramillo, owner of international birding tour company Alvaro’s Adventures, was born in Chile but began birding in Toronto, where he lived as a youth. He was trained in ecology and evolution studying the co-evolution in cowbirds. He has published several books and field guides, including the Birds of Chile, a major New World sparrow chapter for Birds of the World, and the ABA Field Guide to Birds of California. He organizes and leads international birding tours, as well as a full schedule of pelagic trips in central California. He now lives with his family in Picton, Ontario, Canada.
Photo Credit: Royal Penguin
By Alvaro Jaramillo

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.

Rodeo Lagoon - Marin Headlands
2026-08-26 07:30 - 12:00
Rodeo Lagoon, Marin Headlands
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
7:30/8:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Birding with William Legge and David Wiechers
REGISTER HERE
Registration is required for this trip. Registration opens on Sunday, August 16 at 8 AM
Limit of 15 participants for this trip.
Join William and David for the second 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 late-August trip, targets will include offshore Parasitic Jaegers, migrant shorebirds (including Red-necked Phalarope), and hopefully a good selection of 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.

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.
