Saturday January 4, Predawn to Dusk

Spend the first Saturday of the New Year on an all-day birding trip that will visit several different habitats spread across Contra Costa County. To maximize the fun and minimize issues with parking, we’ll carpool, starting from a place or places to be discussed by the group—perhaps Heather Farm and/or Lafayette BART.

From the meeting point we’ll drive to Valle Vista, arriving before dawn to listen for owls and maybe spot a poorwill. We’ll spend the first part of the morning at this rich hotspot, then pile into our cars and drive west to Richmond where we’ll scope the Bay, and look for shorebirds. Then back east across the county on Highway 4, making multiple stops before finishing our day in the Delta. The exact itinerary will be determined partly by what we find during our Christmas Bird Counts.

“Big” days are known for their frenetic pace, with birders pushing hard to max out their species count. This “Large” day will be somewhat more relaxed. We’ll stay together in a group as much as possible, and take relaxed breaks when needed. The pace will still be more urgent than a typical field trip, though, and this is an all-day commitment—things to consider before signing up. More details to follow by email, to those who sign up. Please note that signups for this trip (and wait list) close a week in advance.

Hike Rating: 2 – moderate grades in some places, probably a few miles total walking throughout the day.
Elevation change: TBD, probably not over 100 feet in one climb.
Leader: Matthew Tarlach, 925-482-6129,
Meet: TBD

This special trip is for MDBA members only, and limited to 12 participants. We will carpool, hopefully fitting into 3 vehicles to minimize parking hassles. Register HERE:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/contra-costa-large-day-tickets-1090305837109