Marin Audubon Society

The Ponds at Las Gallinas Sanitary District - San Rafael
2025-05-01 08:30 - 12:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Thursday, May 1, 2025
8:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Birding with Mark Clark
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 first Thursday 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.
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 restroom in the parking area for public use.

Mt. Burdell/Stafford Lake or Rush Creek - Birding in Marin Series
2025-05-03 08:30 - 15:30
Birding in Marin, Season 10, trip 5
Saturday, May 3, 2025
8:30 AM to mid afternoon
Birding with Jim White and Bob Battagin
Register HERE for this Field Trip
Registration required. Registration opens April 23 at 8:00 AM
Join Jim and Bob for a field trip to the gentle slopes of Mount Burdell where we’ll listen to and observe the impressive variety of songbirds that make this area their springtime home. Species we might see include Lark Sparrow, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Bullock’s Oriole, Lazuli Bunting and Grasshopper Sparrow, among many other possibilities. In the afternoon, we plan to continue birding at Stafford Lake or Rush Creek.
This will be a moderate hike with many opportunities to look at birds and spring wildflowers. Wear comfortable walking shoes and layered clothing. Bring water and snacks. We will meet at the end of San Andreas Drive in Novato.
DIRECTIONS: Take Hwy 101 to Novato, exit at the San Marin Dr/Atherton Ave exit. At the end of the exit ramp, turn left (west) on San Marin Dr. Go approximately two miles and turn right on San Andreas Dr. Drive nearly to the end of the road and park on the street. No restrooms available.

Birding the Napa River by Boat - CANCELLED
2025-05-05 08:30 - 12:30
Monday, May 5, 2025
8:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Trip Leader: Jude Stalker
Trip Cost: $120 per person
Due to low attendance we are sadly cancelling this trip. For those who’ve purchased tickets, MAS will be in touch with you for reimbursement.
This trip begins at the historic Vallejo and Mare Island waterfronts and continues into a different world, one of vineyards, backwater homes, and some of the largest contiguous marshes in the Bay Area. Even before leaving the dock, you’ll spot diving ducks and grebes feeding. At Mare Island, you’ll pass Ospreys and egrets roosting in nearby trees. As the boat passes under Highway 37, you might even catch a pair of Peregrine Falcons during this springtime cruise alongside the Napa/Sonoma marshes. A variety of raptor species are common and occasionally both golden and bald eagles are seen.
The trip costs $120. A waitlist will open if the trip sells out. Join the waitlist by clicking the Contact Organizer prompt. If you cancel your registration more than one week before the start of the trip 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.
Ticket holders will receive instructions and directions to the Vallejo Marina, approximately one week prior to the trip.

Flycatchers - Identification Demystified
2025-05-08 19:00 - 21:00
Thursday, May 8, 2025
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Speaker: Cin-Ty Lee & Andy Birch, Rice University
Register HERE for this Speaker Series
Topic:
Flycatchers are a difficult group of birds to identify. Cin-Ty Lee and Andrew Birch will guide you through the basics of flycatcher identification using a holistic approach. In this tutorial, you will learn how to use relative field marks, such as proportional lengths of tail and primaries, plumage contrasts, bill shape and size, and more. We will also discuss the importance of migration timing and vocalizations in identification.
Speaker Bio:
Cin-Ty Lee is a geologist. Andy Birch is a professional illustrator. Both Cin-Ty and Andy have had a lifelong passion in tackling challenging bird identifications. Together, they have produced the two volume Princeton Field Guide to North American Flycatchers. They are currently working on volume 3, which will include photographs and more of Andy’s illustrations.

Rodeo Lagoon - Marin Headlands
2025-05-21 07:30 - 12:00
Wednesday, May 21,2025
7:30 AM to 12:00 PM **Please note below start times for this field trip
Birding with William Legge & David Wiechers
Register HERE for this Field Trip
Registration is required for this trip. Registration opens May 11 at 8 AM
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.

De Silva Island and Richardson Bay Audubon Center & Sanctuary Strawberry
2025-05-27 10:00 - 14:30
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
10:00 AM to 2:30 PM
Birding with Ron Brown
REGISTER HERE
Registration required for this trip. Registration opens May 17at 8:00 AM.
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.
After 12:00, we will drive from Seminary Drive to the Richardson Bay Audubon Center & Sanctuary for more birding. We’ll take a break for something to eat before we start. Bring drinks and lunch.
DIRECTIONS: From Hwy 101 South – exit 446 toward Seminary Drive, go left on Redwood Hwy Frontage Road approx. 0.9 miles and go right on Seminary Drive to the Fitness outdoor workout at 107 Seminary Drive and find street parking. From 101 north – exit 446 toward Seminary Drive, make left at Redwood Frontage Road for approx. 0.5 miles to Seminary Drive, make right 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’s a short walk on the somewhat uneven public footpath around the marsh to a set of stairs that leads to the view of the colony.

The Ponds at the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District (LGVSD) - San Rafael
2025-06-05 08:30 - 12:00
Thursday, June 5, 2025
8:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Birding with Mark Clark
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 first Thursday 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.
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 restroom in the parking area for public use.

Big Rock and Las Gallinas Ponds
2025-06-07 08:30 - 15:00
Birding in Marin, Season 10, Trip 6
Saturday, June 7, 2025
8:30 AM to mid-afternoon
Birding with Jim White and Bob Battagin
Registration required for this trip. Registration opens on May 27 at 8:00 AM
REGISTER HERE
Trails at Big Rock, rather steep, allow us to view some of the expansive grasslands and forested ravines in Marin. Some of the grassland nesting birds we will be looking for include Lazuli Bunting, Grasshopper Sparrow, Horned Lark, and Ash-throated Flycatcher. We will also have a vast amount of sky visible so swallows, swifts, and raptors may appear with a chance for a Golden Eagle.
At midday we expect to drive Lucas Valley Road to Las Gallinas, where we’ll stop to eat our lunch before looking for American and Least Bitterns, Green Heron, Cinnamon Teal, Common Gallinule, and Great-tailed Grackle.
DIRECTIONS: From Highway 101 in San Rafael, exit on Lucas Valley Rd and go west approximately 5.5 miles (look for the big rock). We will be walking approximately 3 miles. Because this area can get quite hot this time of year, be sure to wear a hat, use sunscreen and carry plenty of water.

Regionally Advancing Living Shorelines Project
2025-06-12 19:00 - 21:00
Thursday, June 12, 2025
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Speaker: Marilyn Latta, California State Coastal Conservancy
Register HERE for this speaker series.
Topic:
Marilyn Latta will share information about living shorelines efforts in San Francisco Bay, including design and monitoring data from the San Rafael Living Shorelines Project, a mix of oyster reefs and eelgrass bed plantings in a multi-objective and experimental living shorelines design. Marilyn will share updates on how this and other pilot projects are providing lessons learned and best practices in support of the Regionally Advancing Living Shorelines in San Francisco Bay Project.
Speaker Bio:
Marilyn Latta is a Project Manager with the California State Coastal Conservancy, a state agency that works to protect and enhance the 1200-mile California coast. She holds a dual degree in Marine Biology/Zoology from Humboldt State University and has worked for multiple education and policy organizations on projects ranging from community-based restoration to planning and implementing large capital projects.

Marin Art and Garden Center - Ross
2025-06-14 08:15 - 10:30
Saturday, June 14, 2025
8:15 AM to 10:30 AM
Birding with Rich Cimino
All participants are welcome to join this trip.
Our trip to Marin Art and Garden Center offers an opportunity to experience its 11 acres of spectacular gardens, which support several different habitats, including two water features. We’ll listen for Black-headed Grosbeak, Hairy Woodpecker, Band-tailed Pigeon, both White-breasted and Pygmy Nuthatches, possible Orange Crown, Wilson and Black-throated Gray Warblers. Who knows, we may stumble on an exciting species visiting, like singing Purple Finch or Western Tanager.
Trails are flat and easy to navigate. The location has bathrooms and parking.
Meet at 8:15 AM in the Main Art and Garden Center parking lot located at 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. in Ross.

Nicasio and Giacomini Wetlands
2025-07-05 08:30 - 15:00
Birding in Marin, Season 10 Trip 7
Saturday, July 5, 2025
8:30 AM to mid-afternoon
Birding with Jim White and Bob Battagin
REGISTER HERE
Registration is required. Registration opens Wednesday, June 25 at 8 AM.
The rolling hills of central Marin are covered with pastures, forested ridges, ranches, and reservoirs. As we bird in and around Nicasio and its Oak tree-lined creek, we will have a chance to see a Golden Eagle as a pair has nested in the area in recent years. We also hope to find some flycatchers, woodpeckers and perhaps a Brown Creeper.
After a break for lunch in Point Reyes Station we plan to look over the Giacomini wetlands, which has become part of Pt Reyes National Park and sits on the southern reach of Tomales Bay. Most of the wintering ducks will be gone but Cinnamon and Blue-winged Teal have nested there and the tidal wetlands fed by Olema Creek harbor an abundance of life so we should find some birds. Swallows, egrets and herons, including an American Bittern, are possible.
DIRECTIONS: From highway 101 in northern San Rafael take Lucas Valley Road west, around 10 miles, then right turn onto Nicasio Valley road for 0.5 miles to park near the ball field at Nicasio Square.

Rodeo Lagoon - Marin Headlands
2025-07-30 08:00 - 12:00
RODEO LAGOON – MARIN HEADLANDS
Wednesday, July 30, 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, July 20 at 8 AM.
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 8:15 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 ($3) via the onsite ‘tip-jar’ as a thank you for accommodating our group. This field trip is less suitable for beginners and involves 2-3 miles of light to moderate hiking.
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.

Limantour Beach
2025-08-02 08:30 - 15:00
Birding in Marin, Season 10 – Trip 8
Saturday, August 2, 2025
8:30 AM to mid-afternoon
Birding with Jim White and Bob Battagin
REGISTER HERE
Registration required for this trip. Registration opens on July 23 at 8 AM.
We will visit the great beach of Limantour with its miles of sand, its tidal estuary, the open expanse of Drakes Bay and the Pacific Ocean beyond. We will gather in the ample parking lot with restrooms nearby. We’ll pack our lunches, shoulder our scopes and head out and up the beach. We can hike far enough to find Snowy Plovers to get our exercise and to cross over to the estuary side for our walk back. Gulls, terns, cormorants, loons, grebes, pelicans, murres, and guillemots will garner our attention. Shorebirds too, some already back from their breeding excursion to the Arctic, may gather along the estuary shores and shallows. Some ducks, hawks, and herons will show up too.
DIRECTIONS: From CA 1 South, right (left from CA 1 North) onto Sir Francis Drake Blvd for 0.7 miles, left onto Bear Valley Road for 0.5, then right onto Limantour Road for 7. 5 miles to Limantour beach parking lot.

Rodeo Lagoon - Marin Headlands
2025-08-20 08:00 - 12:00
Wednesday, August 20, 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, August 10 at 8 AM.
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 8:15 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 ($3) via the onsite ‘tip-jar’ as a thank you for accommodating our group. This field trip is less suitable for beginners and involves 2-3 miles of light to moderate hiking.
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 – Point Reyes National Seashore
2025-08-23 09:00 - 14:00
Saturday, August 23, 2025
9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Birding with Rusty Scalf
All participants are welcome to join this trip.
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 9 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 thru Inverness, up over Inverness ridge into the Point Reyes National Seashore, then go north on Pierce Point Road. The Abbotts Lagoon parking lot is on the left in about 3 miles. Carpool if you can.

The Ponds at the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District (LGVSD) - San Rafael
2025-09-04 08:30 - 12:00
Thursday, September 4, 2025
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 first-Thursday-of-the-month 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.

Point Reyes Lighthouse to Drake's Beach
2025-09-06 08:30 - 15:00
Birding In Marin, Series 10 – Trip 9
Saturday, September 6, 2025
8:30 AM to mid-afternoon
Birding with Jim White and Bob Battagin
REGISTER HERE
Registration required for this trip. Registration opens on August 27 at 8 AM.
This is the place to be for fall birding. Migrants like hawks, jaegers, shorebirds and loons follow the coast south. While a great many songbirds also leave their nesting grounds to head south, some get lost. These vagrant warblers and other eastern songbirds are the reasons that the tree islands of the Point Reyes peninsula are so popular with birders.
We intend to visit the nearby Fish Docks after The Light house then work our way back to Drake’s Beach for lunch and much more birding. Bring lunch and drinks. Restrooms available at Drakes’s Beach.
Directions: Meet at 8:30 at the Lighthouse parking area. The Lighthouse parking area is at the west end of Sir Francis Drake. Going north through Inverness follow S F Drake to the Lighthouse. Allow 30 min from Inverness or 1.5 hours from San Rafael.

Their Year in Birding
2025-09-11 19:00 - 21:00
Thursday, September 11, 2025
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Speakers: Larry Nigro & Molly Donohue
Event is free. Register HERE for this speaker series.
Topic:
In 2024, Larry and Molly planned a transcontinental birding trip from Fairfax to Key West Florida to identify at least 700 species in the American Birding Association (ABA) They added a trip to Alaska, with the chance of identifying a total of 800 species.
In their presentation, Larry and Molly will re-live their favorite birding moments of 2024, from the cliffs of the Alaskan Pribilof Islands to the southern tip of the Florida Keys. Their slideshow will cover their search for birds like the Golden-Winged Warbler, Bare-throated Tiger Heron, Black-capped Vireo, Steller’s Sea Eagle, Masked Booby, Kirtland’s Warbler, Ross’s gull, Spectacled Eider, Snowy Owl and so much more.
Speaker Bios:
Larry Nigro is a retired Marin County school teacher. His birding started with taking students on bird walks. Now retired he has completed the Master Birding Program at California Academy of Sciences, the California Naturalist Program and numerous volunteer birding surveys including Marin Bird Breeding Atlas II.
Molly Donahue is an educator and nature enthusiast from West Marin. She has been exploring Marin hills since she was a child and now loves to adventure and bird with her husband, Larry Nigro. She is a certified California Naturalist and participated in the Marin County Bird Breeding Atlas. Sharing, learning, and exploring our natural world is one of her greatest joys.

Rodeo Lagoon - Marin Headlands
2025-09-17 07:30 - 12:00
Wednesday, September 17, 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, September 7 at 8 AM.
Join William and David for this third 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 Parasitic Jaeger, migrating shorebirds and scarcer migrant passerines. 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 the 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.

Vaux's Swifts at McNear Brick and Block - San Rafael
2025-09-24 17:30 - 19:15
Wednesday, September 24, 2025
5:30 PM to sunset
Birding with Rich Cimino
REGISTER HERE
Registration is required for this trip. Registration opens September 14 at 8 am.
Join other MAS members for an evening opportunity to witness Vaux’s Swifts during their fall migration through Marin, which occurs in September and October. Dan McNear of McNear Brick & Block has kindly allowed Marin Audubon to access this remarkable site where decommissioned smokestacks provide an important communal roosting place for the swifts.
Watching thousands of swifts as they descend into the stacks just before nightfall is an unforgettable sight. At the peak of migration, as many as 19,000 swifts have been counted in one evening. However, keep in mind that the number of swifts varies greatly from night to night and can range from a few hundred to thousands. Like everything else in birding, there are no guarantees!
Sunset on the evening of our visit will be at 7:03 PM, so plan on arriving on time to be ready. If the weather on the day of our trip is particularly cool or windy, the swifts are likely to enter the stacks early, so plan accordingly. Bring scopes, binoculars, and, if desired, folding chairs for your seating comfort. It can be chilly at dusk. Please stay with our group and do not enter any of the private areas on the property. Use soft voices and be sure to respect the privacy of local residents.
Upon arrival, meet inside the yard by the office building on the right side of the parking lot, where you will be checked in from the registration list.
DIRECTIONS: From Hwy 101 take the Central San Rafael exit. Head east on Third St./Point San Pedro Rd for about 3.5 miles. The brickyard will be on the right. The address is 1 McNear Brickyard Rd. Park as close to the San Pedro Road entrance as possible. Please do not drive to or park near the closed gate.

The Ponds at the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District (LGVSD) - San Rafael
2025-10-02 08:30 - 12:00
Thursday, October 2, 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.

Abbotts Lagoon and the Inverness Tennis Area - Birding in Marin
2025-10-04 08:30 - 15:30
Birding in Marin – Series 10, Trip 10
Saturday, October 4th, 2025
8:30 AM to mid-afternoon
Birding with Jim White and Bob Battagin
Register HERE for this Field Trip
Registration required for this trip. Registration opens on September 24th at 8:00 AM.
Abbotts Lagoon on the Pacific Coast in the Point Reyes National Seashore is one of Marin’s premier birding locations, sporting an eBird sum of 283 species. Fall migration south along the coast brings many birds to this area. Some that we hope to see include Ferruginous Hawk, Baird’s and Pectoral Sandpipers, Red-necked Phalaropes, Lapland Longspur, Horned Lark and Pipits. Hundreds of ducks of a dozen species, geese, herons, Peregrines and Ospreys are also likely visitors. Plus, you get some exercise; out and back is about 2 miles (some in sand). Pack a lunch for a picnic on the beach and bring a couple of layers for the fresh ocean air and help us spot a rarity.
After leaving Abbotts Lagoon, we plan to stop along Tomales Bay near the Inverness Tennis club to look for Pine and Alder woodland birds. A surprising number of species have been seen here and there is a nice little beach where we usually find several kinds of gulls.
DIRECTIONS: From Point Reyes Station on Highway 1 go just south of town, right turn onto Sir Francis Drake Blvd, follow that thru Inverness up over Inverness ridge into the Point Reyes National Seashore then go north on Pierce Point Road. The Abbotts Lagoon parking lot is on the left, in about 3 miles. Car Pool if you can, allow 1.5 hours from San Rafael.

Aves Argentinas: From Rescue to Resilience
2025-10-09 19:00 - 21:00
Thursday, October 9, 2025
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Speakers: Hernan Casanas and Tamara Zalewski
Event is free. Register HERE for this speaker series.
Topic:
For over a century, Aves Argentinas has been at the forefront of bird and nature conservation in Argentina. As the country’s leading ornithological and conservation NGO and the national partner of BirdLife International, its mission is to protect birds and biodiversity through science, education, advocacy, and collaboration.
Hernan and Tamara will discuss how by tending to critically endangered bird species and landscapes they have built large-scale conservation programs.
Speaker Bios:
Hernan Casanas
Hernan is the Executive Director of Aves Argentinas, responsible for the organization’s strategies and the building of strategic alliances, which have been instrumental in the creation of national protected areas. He has a degree in Biological Sciences from the Universidad de Buenos Aires and has written over 100 publications on the environment and ornithology.
Tamara Zalewski
Tamara grew up in Patagonia, where she learned to love and care for nature from a young age. She graduated from college with a degree in fine arts but went to work to protect nature professionally. She leads partnership development efforts, looking for partners worldwide who are driven to save species and ecosystems.

Marin Art and Garden Center - Ross
2025-10-11 08:00 - 10:30
Saturday, October 11, 2025
8:00 AM to 10:30 AM
Birding with Rich Cimino
No registration required. All participants are welcome to join this trip.
Our trip to Marin Art and Garden Center offers an opportunity to experience its 11 acres of spectacular gardens, which support several different habitats, including two water features. We’ll listen for Black-headed Grosbeak, Hairy Woodpecker, Band-tailed Pigeon, both White-breasted and Pygmy Nuthatches, possible Orange Crown, Wilson and Black-throated Gray Warblers. Who knows, we may stumble on an exciting species visiting, like singing Purple Finch or Western Tanager.
Trails are flat and easy to navigate. The location has bathrooms and parking.
Meet in the Marin Art and Garden Center parking lot located at 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. in Ross.

Rodeo Lagoon - Marin Headlands
2025-10-15 07:30 - 12:00
Wednesday, October 15, 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, October 5 at 8 AM.
Join William and David for this fourth 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 Parasitic Jaeger, migrating shorebirds and scarcer migrant passerines. 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.

Olompali State Historic Park - Fall Bird Walk
2025-10-15 08:00 - 12:00
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
8 AM to noon
Birding with Rich Cimino and Evan Weissman
No registration required. All participants are welcome to join this trip.
Join us to explore for fall migrants and year-round residents in Olompali’s diverse ecosystems. Bird enthusiasts of all experience levels are welcome! We expect to see and hear thirty or more species – including woodpeckers, raptors, sparrows, and more – as we walk along the old ranch road, exploring grasslands, historic gardens, savannah, and up to the riparian zone by the park’s small reservoir.
We’ll walk at a fairly slow pace, about 2 miles roundtrip, on gravel and well-packed dirt trails, with moderate slope in portions. There are several picnic tables to rest at along the partially shaded route. Because the walk is a slow out-and-back, folks are welcome to join late or leave early as needed. Note that the only restrooms are at the parking lot.
Wear layered clothing, walking shoes, bring snacks, sunscreen, plenty of water, and binoculars and a birding field guide if you have one. We’ll also have two binoculars to loan.
There is an $8 parking fee, payable by cash, check, or via smartphone with QR code at the parking lot. No fee is charged if you borrow a free State Park pass from your local public library.

Farallon Islands Boat Trip - From Clipper Yacht Harbor, Sausalito
2025-10-26 08:30 - 16:00
Farallon Islands Boat Trip – From Clipper Yacht Harbor, Sausalito
Sunday, October 26, 2025
8:30 AM to 4 PM
With David Wimpfheimer
Registration is required for this trip. Registration opens on September 14 at 8:00 AM.
REGISTER HERE
A waitlist will open if the trip sells out. Add your name to the list by clicking Contact Organizer prompt on the ticketing page.
Join us for a day of seabird and marine mammal watching as we head out to the Farallon Islands and offshore waters. Naturalist David Wimpfheimer will be our guide 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.
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 on the ticketing page.
If you cancel your registration by October 20 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.

Las Gallinas & Hamilton Wetlands
2025-11-01 08:30 - 15:00
Birding in Marin, Season 10 – Trip 11
Saturday, November 1, 2025
8:30 AM to mid afternoon
Birding with Jim White and Bob Battagin
Register HERE for this Field Trip
Registration required. Registration opens at 8 AM on October 22
Join Jim and Bob on an easy, birdy walk of 1.5 miles around the Las Gallinas ponds where we are likely to see 10 species of ducks, five of herons, five of raptors, five of sparrows and some rails like Ridgway’s, Sora, and Virginia with Gallinules, coots, swans and geese!
After lunch we are going to visit the Hamilton Wetlands, restored by the Army Corp. of Engineers in the recent 5–10 years to the SF Bay ecosystem, which have become the winter home of some ten thousand birds.We will try to find 10 species of shorebirds here while staying alert to many other possibilities.
DIRECTIONS: From 101 north San Rafael take the Lucas Valley/Smith Ranch Road exit east. In about 0.5 miles, immediately after crossing the RR tracks, left turn and follow the road another 0.5 mile to the Las Gallinas parking at the end.
To the Hamilton Wetlands return to 101 North, take the second exit, Nave Drive toward Hamilton. Stay on Nave Dr, heading north, to Main Gate Dr and turn right. Go east to Hanger Ave and park along the levee behind Hanger 7.

The Ponds at the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District (LGVSD) - San Rafael
2025-11-06 08:30 - 12:00
Thursday, November 6, 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.

Motus Wildlife Tracking System
2025-11-13 19:00 - 21:00
Thursday, November 13
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Speaker: Kianna Leung
Event is free. Register HERE for this speaker series.
Topic:
The Motus Wildlife Tracking System (‘Motus’) is an international collaborative research network that uses automated radio telemetry to study the movements of birds, bats, and insects. Motus, meaning “movement” in Latin, uses coordinated arrays of receiver stations that detect animals carrying miniaturized radio transmitters, enabling researchers to simultaneously track hundreds of individuals at local to hemispheric scales. Developed as a program of Birds Canada, Motus provides key insights into animal movement and behavior that are fundamental to wildlife conservation and habitat management. This presentation will provide an overview of the Motus system and its research applications.
Speaker Bio:
Kianna Leung is a Motus Technician with Birds Canada and is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. She is currently working to support the growth of the Motus network in Western Canada and has assisted with the development and implementation of Motus-based research projects across northern British Columbia. Since joining the BC Motus team in 2022, Kianna has had the pleasure of collaborating on projects focusing on White-throated Sparrows and Bank Swallows.
