Location: Boat leaves from and returns to the Anioch Marina Trip Leader(s): David Wimpfheimer Start Date: Sunday, February 2, 2020 Start Time: 8:15 AM End Time: 4:30 PM Description: Join us aboard Dolphin Charters' River Dolphin for a wonderful day of exploring the richness of the California Delta with naturalist David Wimpfheimer as our guide. Ronn Patterson, a Bay Area historian and naturalist, is captain of the River Dolphin and owner of Dolphin Charters. The boat is very comfortable, and the outer decks provide views over the levees of the amazing array of birds found in the Delta during the winter. This rich area hosts a wide variety of raptors including Swainson's Hawks, Peregrine Falcons, and Great Horned Owls. Large numbers of shorebirds, Sandhill Cranes, Tundra Swans, Snow, Canada and White-fronted Geese, ducks, as well as gulls, terns, bitterns and passerines make this cruise a highlight for birders. Uncommon mammals such as beaver, river otter, and mink often add interest to the cruise. We also will learn about the history, ecology and politics of the levees and the Delta as we travel through its meandering channels. The cost will be $110 per person for Marin Audubon Chapter Supporting Members and $145 for all others. If you are not yet a Marin Audubon Chapter Supporting Member, please sign up now at www.marinaudubon.org to enjoy the reduced cost of this trip. Online registration is now closed. If you wish to be placed on a wait list, contact Jeanine Starritt at . Include the name, email address and phone number of each possible participant. Those confirmed on the trip will receive directions to the Antioch Marina and other instructions the week before the trip.

Location: Tomales, Lawson's Landing, and Chileno Valley Trip Leader(s): David Wimpfheimer Start Date: Thursday, February 13, 2020 Start Time: 9:00 AM End Time: 3:30 PM Description: This annual winter trip repeats David's popular guided explorations of the less familiar habitats in Marin near the town of Tomales. We will meet at the Tomales Bakery, and our itinerary for the day will cover coastal and interior habitats. Our first destination will be Lawson's Landing, a private resort near the mouth of Tomales Bay. Loons, grebes (including Red-necked Grebe), ducks, and Brant can be quite numerous here. Shorebirds are diverse here as well. After birding the coast, the rest of the day may be spent covering the open grasslands, wetlands, and forests of this part of Marin. Raptor sightings may include Ferruginous and Rough-legged Hawk, Golden Eagle, and Merlin, and, if we are lucky, we may spot the now uncommon-in-Marin Loggerhead Shrike. Meet at the Tomales Bakery at 9:00 AM. Plan on arriving early to sample the delicious pastries. If the bakery is closed, the deli nearby has a nice variety of food and beverages. Check your map for your best route to Tomales. You can head west from Highway 101 at Old Redwood Highway in Petaluma or from Novato at San Marin Drive. The address of the bakery is 27000 Highway 1, Tomales. Allow about an hour from Marin. Light rain will not cancel this trip, but a heavy storm will.