Dominican University - San Rafael
2026-04-15 08:30 - 11:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
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.

The Aquatic World of Penguins - Biology of Fish-Birds
2026-05-14 19:00 - 21:00
The Aquatic World of Penguins – Biology of Fish-Birds
Thursday, May 14, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Speaker: David Ainley
Event is free. Register HERE for this speaker series.
Topic:
Centuries ago, when penguins were first encountered by European explorers, they were not thought to be birds but rather a fish-like relative. Subsequent accumulation of knowledge has shown penguins to be an avian species with unrivaled aquatic attributes owing to a number of evolutionary adaptations. David Ainley will introduce us to the incredible aquatic nature of these creatures, highlighting the foraging ecology and marine lives of penguins.
Speaker Bio:
Dr. David Ainley is a senior Avian ecologist at H. T. Harvey & Associates. He is one of the most published marine scientists globally and has received numerous awards for his research. David has studied all aspects of marine ecosystems, including seabird ecology, for more than 40 years. He has led annual research on marine birds and mammals in Antarctica for more than 35 years and has conducted research for more than 20 years on the distribution of birds and mammals at sea on the West Coast of the United States and in the Eastern Tropical Pacific.
Photo Credit: Emperor Penguins
By David Ainley

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 Viero, 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.
