Saturday 12/04/21 from 8:30 to 2 PM – CLICK HERE to register for this field trip

Birding with Jim White and Bob Battagin

Registration for this trip will be open starting on November 24 at 8:00 AM. There is a limit of 15 for this trip. There will not be a waiting list, and no drop-ins allowed. All participants must be fully vaccinated.

The Marin Audubon Society acquired and restored to tidal action the diked baylands around the residential Bahia neighborhood. As the ebbing tide exposes the mudflats thousands of shorebirds 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 101 to Bahia, also saved from development by MAS, holds Oak Titmice, White-breasted nuthatch, Hutton’s Vireo at least 4 woodpecker specie and many sparrows in the winter. It is always interesting and we have had Golden Eagles soaring above.

The horseshoe pond at the south east 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 take a look at the nearby Rush Creek area from the Airport Road which parallels the 101 freeway north of Atherton. So join Bob and Jim if you would like enjoy a day of birding and see about 80 species on the day.

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.