Every year, a few herons and cormorants nest in the tall trees in the riparian area of the park. We'll take a look at the rookeries, hopefully even catching views of chicks within the nests. Shadow Cliffs, being located in Pleasanton, can get very hot this time of year! Please dress appropriately (broad-brimmed hat recommended), […]

We’ll be taking a leisurely sunset walk around the lagoon and shoreline of Radke Martinez Regional Shoreline Park. This flat, unpaved trail meanders through a habitat mosaic of urban parkland, saltmarsh, and seashore. It’s a good outing for beginner birders to see a diverse mix of common northern California species at fairly close range. This […]

We'll search for shorebirds in the shade of the fragrant eucalyptus groves that line the shores of Pt. Pinole Regional Park. July marks the beginning of shorebird migration: peeps, plovers, and more are starting to trickle back in from the north. We'll scan the beach as the tide rises for shorebirds and marine ducks. The […]

Unwind after a hard day's work at the beautiful Lafayette Reservoir. Tucked into the hills between the coast and interior Contra Costa County, the reservoir's forested hills are home to many pine-oak residents like Spotted Towhees, Red-shouldered Hawks, and Band-tailed Pigeons. The iconic 100-year-old, 170-foot-tall outlet tower in the center of the reservoir attracts many […]

Point Reyes is one of the premiere birding locations in Northern California, a great spot to find rarities during migration. We'll meet at Drake's Beach, where there is excellent birding and a comfort stop, and then head out to the "fish docks." We may skip the lighthouse overlook on this trip and see if that […]

Vaux's Swifts migrate south along the Pacific Americas Flyway each fall, and one of their few known stopping points in Northern California is McNear Brick and Block in San Rafael. At sunset on many September and October evenings as many as 20,000 swifts mass and fly into the decommissioned brickyard chimneys to spend the night. […]

This hike is especially good for beginning birders! Mt. Wanda is part of the John Muir NHS. We'll walk through oak woodlands and oak savannah habitats, climbing uphill on a rugged fire road with one steep section. Then we'll walk a single-track trail back to the fire road, about 2.5 miles total. We should have […]

Join the Friends of Lime Ridge for this special walk introducing MDBA members to this unique area right in our backyard. No signup required! Meet at the public parking lot off of Treat Blvd at 8 AM. GPS: 37.948153622668165, -122.0087961986339 Leaders: Matt Tarlach and Ron Graydon (Friends of Lime Ridge) Hike Rating: 2, moderate. About […]

An easy walk along Wildcat Creek and around Jewel Lake in Tilden Park. We'll try this trip a little later in the season than in past years, when we should have a better chance for Varied Thrush, Golden Kinglet and wintering birds. This trip is especially good for beginners! Bring binoculars if you have them, […]

Our target birds will be shorebirds and possibly early-arriving loons, grebes, and bay ducks. The first stop will be to look for shorebirds on the mudflats at the Albany State Marine Reserve, off Buchanan Street. Meet the leader here at 10:00 AM. If you have a spotting scope, bring it. The leader will bring 2 […]

Alameda has several good spots for shorebirds. We'll meet at Elsie Roemer Bird Sanctuary, then proceed by caravan to additional spots such as Ballena Bay, Crab Cove, and/or Encinal Beach. Exact itinerary to be determined based on conditions. Hike Rating: Easy. Limited walking over mostly-level paths at each of the planned spots. Leader: Mona Lange, […]

Markham Arboretum is a small island of riparian habitat in the middle of suburban Concord that attracts many winter visitors including Northern Flickers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, and Hermit Thrushes. This is a great walk for beginner birders who want to get to know CoCo County’s winter woodland birds. We’ll be walking the unpaved trail that goes […]

We'll bird first at Lodi Lake and its riparian area alongside the Mokelumne River. Plan to see waterfowl and many bird species including Woodpeckers, White-breasted Nuthatch, Cedar Waxwing, Herons, Warblers and Wood Duck. (We've had Varied Thrush in the past but cannot guarantee!) From Lodi Lake we'll move on to Woodbridge Ecological Reserve, where we'll […]

Pacheco Marsh is a wetland along the Carquinez Strait, east of Martinez, that has been restored by the John Muir Land Trust and recently opened to the public. JMLT is giving us early access, at 8 AM, to facilitate the best birding. We'll meet at the parking lot, where there are rest rooms, and walk […]

Los Vaqueros Reservoir is a relatively remote area overseen by the Contra Costa Water District. The open savannah surrounding the reservoir is one of the best places to observe grassland species such as American Kestrels, Meadowlarks, Horned Larks, and Prairie Falcons. Rarities like Mountain Bluebird, Lewis’ Woodpeckers, and Burrowing Owl occasionally show up there as […]