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Birding and natural history classes, field reports, essays and tours around the Bay Area, California and the West with Ted Pierce.

These trips allow novice and veteran birders to sample many scenic parklands with a small investment of time. They have minimal amounts of walking at a relaxed pace, usually over level or near- level terrain. Where traffic may be a problem, the trips start at 10am. Directions will be sent at the time of payment.
Trip registration is $30 per person.

2011 Trips

Las Gallinas Wetlands, San Rafael

Sat. Jan. 15, 2011, 9am-12am
At Las Gallinas, hundreds of acres of grasslands and wetlands (ponds, marshes) surround a small waste-water treatment facility. The marshes recede in all directions for hundreds of yards, and are surrounded by the beautiful hills of Marin. Acre for acre, it has some of the greatest diversity of birdlife I’ve ever seen, a favorite resort of many kinds of ducks, herons, egrets, shorebirds, raptors and songbirds. Numbers are very impressive. Walking tour is about 1-2 miles around ponds.

Shollenberger Park and Wetlands, Petaluma

Sat. Feb. 19, 2011, 9-12am
This wetland complex along the Petaluma River is a wonderful setting for viewing a surprising array of birdlife, almost any season. In the fall and winter it hosts cormorants, herons, egrets, geese and swans, some raptors, many species of ducks and shorebirds, not to mention a great variety of songbirds (such as sparrows, finches, pipits, bluebirds). Terrain is flat, with a short walk of about 1-2 miles.

Sunol Regional Park, Sunol

Sat. May 21, 2011, 9am-12am
This area is one of the most remote, wild and beautiful of Alameda’s parklands, far from towns and highways. It is bisected by Alameda Creek, with high crags and hillsides dotted with pines and oak woodlands, and birds of all kinds. Found here are many raptors (including Golden Eagles and Kestrels), Acorn woodpeckers and songbirds such as flycatchers, nuthatches, bluebirds, Yellow-billed Magpies, finches, warblers and wrens. An extraordinary place. (Admission fee for cars.)

 

2010 Trips

Las Gallinas Wetlands, San Rafael

Friday June 18, 2010 (10 am to 1 pm)
At Las Gallinas, hundreds of acres of grasslands and wetlands (ponds, marshes) surround a small waste-water treatment facility. The marshes recede in all directions for hundreds of yards, and are surrounded by the beautiful hills of Marin. Acre for acre, it has some of the greatest diversity of birdlife I’ve ever seen. It is a favorite resort of many kinds of ducks, herons, egrets, swallows, shorebirds, raptors and songbirds. Numbers are impressive, even in summer. Walking tour is about 1-2 miles around ponds. 

Sunol Regional Park, Sunol

Wednesday June 30 (10 am to 1 pm)
This area is one of the most remote, wild and beautiful of Alameda’s parklands, bisected by Alameda Creek, with high crags and hillsides dotted with pines and oak woodlands, and birds of all kinds. Found here are many raptors (including Golden Eagles), Acorn woodpeckers and songbirds such as flycatchers, nuthatches, bluebirds, magpies, finches, warblers and wrens. This park is as wild and scenic as Alameda County gets; it feels like another world. Unforgettable! (admission fee for cars)

Coyote Hills, Fremont

Wednesday July 21, 2010 (10 am to 1 pm)
Coyote Hills, with its mix of ponds, woodlands, grasslands, cattail marshes and bay coastline, has a diversity of birdlife equal to any park in the East Bay. Raptors, ducks, terns, woodpeckers, pelicans, songbirds of all kinds, owls and shorebirds can all be found within this scenic and attractive setting, throughout the year. It has a great Nature Center also, with impressive dioramas of the wildlife of the marshes.

Valle Vista, Moraga

Wednesday July 28, 2010 (10 am to - 1 pm)
This very scenic EBMUD land on the east side of the East Bay hills is a mix of conifer and hardwood forests, grasslands and riparian thickets. Surrounded by wooded hills on all sides, it is very beautiful country. It commonly has resident and migratory birds such as raptors, herons, woodpeckers, ducks, egrets, finches, jays, thrushes, warblers, nuthatches, among others. Walk is about a two mile loop, with a slight grade at times.

Arrowhead Marsh/ML King Shoreline, Oakland

Wednesday Aug. 25, 2010 (10 am to 1 pm)
This large marsh on San Leandro Bay (near the Oakland Airport) has extensive tidal flats, marshes and grasslands, all of which attract large numbers of waders, terns, shorebirds, avocets, stilts, Burrowing Owls, songbirds, ducks and raptors. This is one of the most reliable places to see Clapper Rails. Walk is a level, easy one-mile loop.

 

Marin Headlands Tour: Hawk Hill to Rodeo Beach

Sunday Sept. 12, 2010 (9 to 12 am)
This tour of the Marin Headlands gives you an introduction to the birds of the woodlands, seacoast, ponds and lagoons of the area, all in the spectacular setting of San Francisco Bay, Pt. Bonita Lighthouse and the Golden Gate Bridge. Harbor seals frequently display themselves on the rocks. Fall is the prime season for viewing raptor migration, and we usually see Red-tails, accipiters, harriers and falcons flying through the area. Pelicans, oystercatchers, ravens, finches and other songbirds; woodpeckers, ducks and terns are common. Touring is by car with minimal walking and one short slope.

Shollenberger Park and Wetlands, Petaluma

Saturday Oct. 16, 2010 (9 to 12 am)
This wetland complex along the Petaluma River is a wonderful setting for viewing a surprising array of birdlife, almost any season. In the fall and winter it hosts cormorants, herons, egrets, geese and swans, some raptors, many species of ducks and shorebirds, not to mention a great variety of songbirds (such as sparrows, finches, pipits, bluebirds). Terrain is flat, with a short walk of about 1-2 miles.

Baylands Preserve, Palo Alto

Saturday Nov. 6, 2010 (9 to 12 am)
This section of Palo Alto shoreline and marshlands has some of the greatest variety and numbers of wildfowl, shorebirds, raptors, waders and songbirds of any in the Bay Area. Herons and egrets, stilts, dowitchers, ducks such as ruddies, canvasback, cinnamon and green-winged teal, terns and raptors, among many others, are common in the fall. Low to moderate level of walking.

San Pablo Reservoir, Orinda

Saturday Nov. 20, 2010 (9 to 12 am)
San Pablo Reservoir (an EBMUD preserve) just north of Orinda has lush woodlands and creeks surrounding the large reservoir. The beautiful forests, cut by streams, are full of many kinds of songbirds and woodpeckers. Flickers, Acorn and Nuttall’s woodpeckers, waders and other waterbirds, chickadees, finches, kinglets, nuthatches, sparrows, creepers and many other songbirds are common at this time. Red-breasted Sapsuckers, Western Bluebirds and Red-shouldered Hawks are occasionally seen. Walking is moderate, with some slight hills, 1-2 miles.

Coyote Hills Regional Park, Fremont

Saturday Dec. 4, 2009 (9 to 12 am)

See description above