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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260507T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260507T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20260418T032927Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260418T033655Z
UID:9391-1778180400-1778185800@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: May 2026
DESCRIPTION:Rusty-collared Seedeater. Photo by Steve Hunter. \nBobcat film preview and Total Uruguay\nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, May 7 in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA 94598. \n\n\n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Bobcat Film preview\n7:15 PM Announcements \n7:30 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:45 PM Main Program: Total Uruguay \n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea \nOur meeting will begin with a short preview of an upcoming film about bobcats. Vishal Subramanyan is a National Geographic Young Explorer and Osher Fellow at the California Academy of Sciences. For nearly a decade\, he’s been observing the life of an urban bobcat living along the Diablo Range\, and is now producing a long-term documentary film that follows this animal’s story. In this short pre-program presentation\, Vishal will share a teaser from the film and behind-the-scenes footage from years of fieldwork\, highlighting what bobcats can teach us about coexistence in the East Bay Area. He’ll also touch on habitat connectivity and the ripple effects of rodenticides on local wildlife\, and share what’s ahead for completing the film. \nMain Program: Total Uruguay with Viviana Wolinsky \nViviana Wolinsky and Steve Hunter began birding within the last decade\, combining this new passion with their love of travel. Steve focuses on bird photography and provided all the bird images for the presentation. Viviana has a life-list of over 3\,000 birds\, more than half of which she observed in South America. She has visited Uruguay twice for birding\, most recently on the Golden Gate Birding Alliance’s (GGBA) “Total Uruguay” trip\, and currently holds the number 121 spot on the eBird lifetime list for the country. \nBoth are active GGBA volunteers. Viviana serves as an assistant instructor for Steve’s intermediate birding and sparrow classes. Together\, they have led numerous local field trips and a special Birdathon trip to Colorado. Viviana also serves as the co-compiler for the Oakland Christmas Bird Count. \nThis presentation offers a preview of what to expect on a birding trip to Uruguay such as GGBA’s upcoming 2027 trip. While the country is roughly the size of Washington state with a climate similar to California’s\, it possesses a wide range of habitats\, including the Pampas\, Atlantic Forest\, savannas\, wetlands\, and palm tree forests. This diversity allows for a great variety of bird species to be seen easily across short distances. Uruguay is also a vital feeding and breeding destination for many migratory species. \n\n\nStraight-billed Reedhaunters. Photo by Steve Hunter.
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-may-2026/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Rusty-collared-Seedeater-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260402T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260402T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20260327T184526Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260327T185311Z
UID:9384-1775156400-1775161800@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: April 2026
DESCRIPTION:How the East Bay Got Its Regional Parks\nAmelia Marshall\n\n\n\nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, April 2 in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA 94598. \n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Announcements\n7:15 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:30 PM Main Program: History of the East Bay Regional Park District\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea\n  \nLearn about the founding of the East Bay Regional Park District with a presentation about the history of the Park District. \nAmelia Sue Marshall is a 27-year volunteer for the East Bay Regional Park District\, with the Volunteer Trail Patrols and the District archives and history center. There\, a team of park district retirees\, staff members\, and others curate materials\, develop oral histories\, and recall stories that rarely appear in official documents. She was awarded the 2023 “Outstanding Volunteer” award by the California Association of Recreation and Park Districts. \nHer first book on local history was Oakland’s Equestrian Heritage (Arcadia Publishing 2008). The second is East Bay Hills: A Brief History (The History Press\, 2017)\, which describes the origins of parks in Oakland\, Moraga\, and Castro Valley. She is currently collaborating with the Verona Band of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe. \nAmelia serves as trails chair for California State Horsemen’s Association. Region 5 (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties). She sits on three nonprofit boards: the Regional Park Association\, the Oakland Heritage Alliance\, and the Friends of Joaquin Miller Park. She and her family live on Peralta Creek in Oakland with a plus-size German Shepherd named Chewy.
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-april-2026/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260305T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260305T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20260204T002500Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260206T230142Z
UID:9337-1772737200-1772742600@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: March 2026
DESCRIPTION:In the Shadow of the Bridge: Birds of the Bay Area \nDick Evans and Hannah Hindley\n\n\n\nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, March 5 in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA 94598. \n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Announcements\n7:15 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:30 PM Main Program: In the Shadow of the Bridge: Birds of the Bay Area\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea\n \nJoin photographer Dick Evans and essayist Hannah Hindley for a lively talk inspired by their new book\, In the Shadow of the Bridge: Birds of the Bay Area (Heyday Books\, 2025). Blending striking photography with beautiful storytelling\, they’ll share the creative journey behind the book\, highlight regional conservation stories\, and offer tips on bird photography as well as resources for more deeply knowing and protecting our local avian world. Proceeds from the book will benefit Point Blue Conservation Science\, whose scientists guided Dick and Hannah into the world of birds and will join them onstage for this presentation. This talk invites readers\, birders\, and nature lovers to discover the human and natural forces that make this region one of the richest places on the continent for birdwatching. \nDick Evans became interested in photography as a graduate student at Stanford University and continued his practice throughout a forty-seven-year career in the global metals industry that took him all over the world. San Francisco always remained home base\, though\, and he now lives in the city with his wife\, Gretchen. Evans is the author or coauthor of the photography books San Francisco and the Bay Area: The Haight-Ashbury Edition\, The Mission\, and San Francisco’s Chinatown. \nHannah Hindley is a wilderness guide and the recipient of the Thomas Wood Award in Journalism\, the Ellen Meloy Desert Writers Award\, and the Barry Lopez Prize in Nonfiction. She graduated from Harvard with degrees in English and evolutionary biology; she holds an MFA in creative nonfiction from University of Arizona. Her environmental essays can be found in Bay Nature\, The Sun\, Hakai\, and more. Hannah writes about small creatures\, big landscapes\, and the scientists who love them. \nLishka Arata is Point Blue’s Communications Manager and supports\, facilitates\, and leads science communications to engage more people in conservation action. She is committed to conserving and restoring the natural world and cultivating a sustainable future where people\, wildlife\, ecology\, and economy are working together in one big\, mutually beneficial system. \n\n\n  \nPacific Brown Pelicans – Marin Headlands\, photo by Dick Evans
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-march-2026/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/ISHA_CVR_300RGB-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260205T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260205T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20260118T004337Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260119T230158Z
UID:9266-1770318000-1770323400@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: February 2026
DESCRIPTION:Brandt’s Cormorant\, Photo by Farallon Institute. \nAlcatraz Island – A Climate Refuge for Seabirds\nJulie Thayer\n\n\n\nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, February 5 in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA 94598. \n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Announcements\n7:15 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:30 PM Main Program: Alcatraz Island – A Climate Refuge for Seabirds\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea\n\n \n\nAlcatraz Island’s Brandt’s Cormorants moved into San Francisco Bay in the early 1990s during a coastward population shift. Alcatraz is now one of the largest Brandt’s Cormorant breeding colonies\, and one of only two estuarine colonies. Alcatraz seabirds\, including Pigeon Guillemots and Western Gulls\, have been outperforming their ocean counterparts despite a high level of human disturbance in this urban setting. The bay hosts a large anchovy population and demersal fish nursery\, with strong tidal currents and the river plume into the ocean concentrating prey for seabirds and other predators. We are working to mitigate anthropogenic stressors to support this important colony and increase seabird resilience to climate change.\n \nJulie Thayer has worked in the California Current marine ecosystem for three decades\, with a brief hiatus on the north coast of Brazil. She studied at the University of California at Santa Cruz/Long Marine Lab and UC Davis in Marine Biology and Ecology. Thayer has done field research on Alcatraz seabirds\, studying population changes\, diet\, productivity\, and human disturbance since 1997. \n\n\n  \nSeabird colony at Alcatraz Island\, Photo: Zoe Burr
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-february-2026/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Brandts-cormorant-Farallon-Institute.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260108T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260108T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20251129T205753Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251129T210846Z
UID:9237-1767898800-1767904200@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: January 2026
DESCRIPTION:Bornean Bristlehead. Photo by Bob Lewis. \nThe Importance of Islands to Avian Evolution\nBob Lewis\n\n \nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, January 8 in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA 94598. \n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Announcements\n7:15 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:30 PM Main Program: The Importance of Islands to Avian Evolution\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea\n\n  \nIslands play a pivotal role in both the evolution of new avian species and the extinction of others. Because islands are isolated landmasses\, species that arrive there evolve separately from their parent groups\, eventually becoming unique through genetic drift. However\, because island species are restricted to small areas with limited populations\, they are highly susceptible to natural disasters—such as hurricanes\, volcanic eruptions\, tsunamis\, and rising sea levels—as well as human-caused pressures. This talk focuses on the issues unique to islands and how we might protect these vulnerable species. \n\n\nBob has taught birding classes in the Bay Area for over 25 years and is an avid traveler\, specifically seeking out islands in search of birds. He is a board member of the Farallon Islands Foundation\, an organization dedicated to fostering life on islands. He has visited many of the world’s major biodiversity hotspots\, including Madagascar\, Borneo\, Hawaii\, Indonesia\, New Guinea\, New Zealand\, and Cuba.\n\n  \nEastern Crested Berrypecker. Photo By Bob Lewis
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-jan2026/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Bornean-Bristlehead-5276.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251211T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251211T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20251129T204807Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251129T205711Z
UID:9230-1765479600-1765485000@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: December 2025
DESCRIPTION:So Many Ways To Be a Bird\nConstance Anderson\n\n \nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, December 11 in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA 94598. \n\n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Announcements\n7:15 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:30 PM Main Program: So Many Ways To Be a Bird\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea \nBring your inner child to the December program as Constance Anderson discusses her newest book\, So Many Ways To Be a Bird. As an award finalist for children’s non-fiction\, this book explores the surprising world of bird adaptation\, where each egg\, beak\, and wing has a unique story. \nThe book reveals how birds have brilliantly adapted to a changing environment over time\, resulting in an incredible variety of sizes\, colors\, wings\, nests\, eggs\, beaks\, feet\, and feathers. Constance’s vibrant collage illustrations help readers identify birds and inspire a desire to protect them. \nSo Many Ways To Be a Bird follows Constance’s previous titles: A Stick Until\, a picture book and science journal about animal tool use; and Smelling Sunshine\, which celebrates the connection between people of diverse backgrounds through the simple act of hanging laundry with a loved one. \nJoin us as author\, illustrator\, and naturalist Constance Anderson shares her love of birds and her desire to connect people to one another and the environment.
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-dec2025/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Visual-info_So-Many-Ways-To-Be-a-Bird.jpeg
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251106T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251106T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20251027T013437Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251027T015459Z
UID:9192-1762455600-1762461000@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: November 2025
DESCRIPTION:Pacific Flyway Center\nVeronica Cornett\n\nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, November 6 in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA 94598. \n\n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Announcements\n7:15 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:30 PM Main Program: Pacific Flyway Center\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea \nVeronica Cornett of the Pacific Flyway Fund will share information about the development of the new Pacific Flyway Center\, which will be located in the Suisun Marsh in Fairfield\, California. The Pacific Flyway is one of four bird migration routes in North America. The Pacific Flyway Center will be front and center for this significant stopover on the north-south migration path for birds that stretches from Alaska to Patagonia. The Center will sit in the middle of this migratory corridor\, allowing every visitor an opportunity to see a great number of waterfowl and shorebirds\, as well as other wetland-dependent species.  \nFifteen newly created wetlands and surrounded by grasslands will serve as the Center’s primary classroom\, providing a vivid and engaging education environment that is home to hundreds of species of native plants and animals. In the future the Education Center will complement the experience with interactive displays that highlight the importance of biodiversity and ecosystems. The Center will stand as an example of wildlife and wetland stewardship\, preserving this ecological wonder for generations to come\, and fulfilling Ken Hofmann’s vision to do something good for the Planet. \nPhoto by Veronica Cornett
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-nov2025/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=application/pdf:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PFC-LOGO.pdf
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251002T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251002T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20250820T171937Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250930T194036Z
UID:9092-1759431600-1759437000@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: October 2025
DESCRIPTION:Woodpecker: A Year in the Life of North American Woodpeckers\nPaul Bannick\nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, October 2 in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA 94598. \n\n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Announcements\n7:15 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:30 PM Main Program: North American Woodpeckers\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea \nPaul’s program is based upon his new book\, “Woodpecker: A Year in the Life of North American Woodpeckers”.  In both\, award-winning photographer Paul Bannick uses his intimate yet dramatic images\, up-to-date science and first hand narratives to explore the lives of North American Woodpeckers through four seasons including: courtship\, mating\, and nesting in spring; fledging and feeding of young in summer; dispersal and learning independence in fall; and\, finally winter movements and survival. His exploration of these impactful birds and their habitats includes the species from the Arctic through southern Mexico\, including those of the Caribbean Islands.\nBannick’s startling images reflect their shared behaviors as well as some surprising exceptions and adaptations. More than just a backdrop\, the varied habitats—reveal wildly rich stories of their own.“Woodpecker: A Year in the Live of North American Woodpeckers” is a stunning follow-up to Bannick’s award-winning title\, “Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls”\, giving bird lovers yet another gorgeous photographic tribute\, engaging natural history\, and a compelling call to preserve the habitats that sustain these most iconic of birds.Paul Bannick is an award-winning author and photographer who makes images to inspire education and conservation.\nNorthern Red-Shafted Flicker. Photo by Paul Bannick
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-oct2025/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Woodpecker_FINAL-cover-1-copy-scaled.jpeg
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250904T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250904T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20250818T035858Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250818T042947Z
UID:9087-1757012400-1757017800@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: September 2025
DESCRIPTION:Lime Ridge Open Space\nRon Graydon\nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, September 4 in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA 94598. \n\n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Announcements\n7:15 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:30 PM Main Program: Lime Ridge Open Space\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea \nRon Graydon’s program on Lime Ridge Open Space will focus on the Northern Concord section of the Lime Ridge Open Space. It will include the geologic formation of the Diablo Range\, and specifically Lime Ridge. The program will also include the human history of the Diablo Valley\, including Lime Ridge\, human impact\, natural history and ecology. Finally\, Ron will discuss the Friends of Lime Ridge\, and their efforts toward ecological restoration. \nRon Graydon has over fifty years experience in environmental education and activism. Ron has a B.S. degree in Conservation of Natural Resources\, an interdisciplinary environmental major\, from U.C. Berkeley\, with an emphasis in environmental education and impact analysis. \nUpon retirement Ron hiked almost daily near his home at Lime Ridge Open Space in Concord. He was consequently inspired to form the Friends of Lime Ridge\, which is a volunteer group involved with the ecological restoration of the park. They have planted about seventy-five Oak and Buckeye trees\, developed three native plant gardens\, installed four Bluebird nesting boxes\, and conducted park clean ups\, nature walks\, and invasive plant removals. \nWhite-tailed Kites. Photo by Ron Graydon
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-sept2025/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/sign-scaled.jpeg
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250605T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250605T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20250512T165039Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250512T170248Z
UID:8986-1749150000-1749155400@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: June 2025
DESCRIPTION:Bay Area Wildlife: An Irreverent Guide\nJeff Miller\n  \nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, June 5 in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA 94598. \n\n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Announcements\n7:15 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:30 PM Main Program: Bay Area Wildlife: An Irreverent Guide\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea \nConservationist Jeff Miller will talk about his new book Bay Area Wildlife: An Irreverent Guide\, which invites Bay Area denizens to embrace their local fauna. Bay Area Wildlife casts a spotlight on the whereabouts and personalities of the Bay Area’s furred\, feathered\, and fork-tongued neighbors. Meet “screaming death parrots” (aka peregrine falcons)\, “disco slugs dressed for a P-Funk concert” (nudibranchs)\, and “rototillers with fur” (badgers)\, among many others. Jeff’s colorful descriptions offer a compilation of each species’ natural history and fun facts—did you know beavers have vanilla-scented butts\, elephant seals have the loudest recorded burps (at 130 decibels)\, only Usain Bolt can run faster than a roadrunner\, or that pooping whales might possibly save the world? Each section also includes tips on when\, where\, and how to best find and observe each animal. This irreverent and quirky guide to the coolest animal neighbors in the Bay Area will have you gawking at elk\, whooping with cranes\, and crowning yourself a crossing guard for newts before you know it. Mount Diablo critters featured in the book include gray foxes\, bobcats\, long-tailed weasels\, golden eagles\, peregrine falcons\, Alameda whipsnakes\, western rattlesnakes\, tarantulas\, and convergent ladybugs. Jeff will discuss iconic and ecologically essential wildlife species that are returning to our region\, such as beavers\, steelhead trout\, condors\, and black bears. \nJeff Miller is an amateur naturalist\, professional conservationist\, and passionate advocate for wildlife. Jeff is the founder of the nonprofit Alameda Creek Alliance and has served as its executive director since 1997\, working to restore steelhead trout and salmon to Alameda Creek and protect the Bay Area’s largest local watershed. He’s a senior conservation advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity\, spearheading biodiversity protection campaigns throughout the Bay Area and California\, preparing endangered species listing petitions\, writing press releases\, and doing public outreach and organizing around wildlife protection issues. Over the last quarter century\, he has been involved in conservation efforts for dozens of the most iconic imperiled wildlife species in the Bay Area\, the most recent being securing state protections for burrowing owls. Jeff says that loving nature is as important as fighting for it and grieving ecological destruction. People tend to care more about animals and places that they have a direct experience with\, so he wrote Bay Area Wildlife: An Irreverent Guide to try to connect readers with our regional fauna and inspire them to make a pilgrimage to witness the Bay Area’s spectacular natural phenomena.
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-june2025/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/BAW-Cover-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250501T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250501T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20250418T031456Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250418T032333Z
UID:8954-1746126000-1746131400@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: May 2025
DESCRIPTION:California Condors – Conservation and Return to Mount Diablo\nJuan Pablo Galván Martínez\n\n \nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, May 1 in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA 94598. \n\n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Announcements\n7:15 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:30 PM Main Program: California Condors\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea \nAfter a century\, California condors have started to return to the Mount Diablo region. Why are condors so special? Why are they in trouble and what has been done to help them? What might the future of condors hold? Why is their return to Mount Diablo so exciting and what can you do to make it a reality? If you want to know the answers to these questions\, this talk is for you! \nJuan Pablo Galván Martínez is a professional conservationist who loves being able to have a career focused on studying\, protecting and restoring wildlife and nature. Even before he graduated from UC San Diego with a BS in Ecology\, Behavior and Evolution\, he was already engaged in bird research and conservation. Receiving an MS in Sustainable Development and Conservation Biology from the University of Maryland College Park increased his opportunities. When he is not working as the Senior Land Use Manager of Save Mount Diablo\, he volunteers as the Conservation Chair of Mount Diablo Bird Alliance\, hikes and birds the Mount Diablo region\, contributes data as a certified California Naturalist\, assists conservation efforts in Mexico and tries to apply what he’s learned as a certified California Climate Steward. \nCondor flock at Pinnacles National Park. Two of the birds in this picture\, the ones in the middle with numbers 12 and 86 on their tags\, were among those who flew to the Mount Diablo foothills on August 18\, 2024. Photo: Joseph Belli
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-may2025/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Diablo_Travel_Condors2.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250403T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250403T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20250321T031639Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250321T032408Z
UID:8910-1743706800-1743712200@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: April 2025
DESCRIPTION:Birds of Prey Live Animal Presentation\nLindsay Wildlife Experience\n  \nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, April 3 in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA 94598. \n\n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Announcements\n7:15 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:30 PM Main Program: Live Raptors\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea \nExplore the wonders of California’s native wildlife with Lindsay Wildlife Experience. Delve into the captivating world of creatures that call our state home. From intriguing natural history specimens to interactive encounters with live animal ambassadors\, this event is designed to spark your curiosity and foster a deeper appreciation for the marvels of nature. Join us for an engaging journey you won’t soon forget!
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-april2025/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/191113_Ambassadors-143-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250306T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250306T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20250216T064940Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250216T065704Z
UID:8866-1741287600-1741293000@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: March 2025
DESCRIPTION:Juvenile Osprey \nKEEP ‘EM FLYING — Helping Raptors Survive in the Human Environment \nCraig Nikitas\n \nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, March 6 in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA 94598. \n\n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Announcements\n7:15 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:30 PM Main Program: Bay Raptor Rescue\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea \nCraig Nikitas\, a retired urban planner\, has been a wildlife volunteer working with raptors for over fifty years.His talk will provide an overview of 10 years of raptor rescue work\, focusing on common issues necessitating intervention\, and accounts of rescues of common and rare local species and techniques to help them. \nCraig’s career has included caring for captive animals at the Randall Museum\, Steinhart Aquarium\, and the San Francisco Zoo\, tending birds in rehab at WildCare\, trapping and banding migratory and dispersive birds of prey for 30 years with the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory\, and presenting talks on the natural history of corvids\, diurnal raptors\, and owls at schools\, colleges\, universities\, local naturalist groups\, park associations\, the Point Reyes Birding and Nature Festival\, and to professional staff at the Lindsay Wildlife Experience\, CuriOdyssey\, and the S F and Oakland Zoos. \nIn 2015\, Craig founded Bay Raptor Rescue to provide a free service to aid predatory birds in distress. The work is done under permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service\, and the Cal Department of Fish and Wildlife. His work comprises trapping free-flighted birds in buildings\, netting birds grounded by illness or injury\, and transporting those who need veterinary care to local rehabilitation facilities. \nBurrowing Owl
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-mar2025/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Juvenile-Osprey.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250206T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250206T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20250116T211949Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250116T213929Z
UID:8785-1738868400-1738873800@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: February 2025
DESCRIPTION:Mandarin Duck. Photo by Jill Hedgecock \nIn Nature and Imaginations: Birds and Art in Central Europe\nJill Hedgecock\n \n\nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, February 6 in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA 94598. \n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Announcements\n7:15 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:30 PM Main Program: Birds and Art in Central Europe\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea \nJill Hedgecock will share photos from her birding adventures\, museum visits\, and more during her travels through Amsterdam\, Germany\, Prague\, and Salsburg. From taking a cable car to the highest mountain in Germany and seeing the alpine cough\, to stumbling upon a stunningly beautiful nonnative mandarin duck\, Central Europe was full of birding surprises. Jill will also show how birds have found their way into many art forms in Europe. She will provide background information on bird-inspired paintings such as Rembrandt’s 1639 Self-Portrait with a Dead Bittern and his 1635 Abduction of Ganymede painting\, from her visit to the Old Master’s Picture Gallery in Dresden\, Germany\, and the parrot mosaic she saw in Berlin’s Pergamon Museum. \nJill Hedgecock\, who has spoken to MDBA on topics from rhino conservation\, microplastics\, and falconry in Scotland\, returns to share more of her international travels with the Mount Diablo Bird Alliance. She has a M.S. degree in Environmental Management and is the author of two novels inspired by her love of rhinos. She previously served as the International Conservation Coordinator for the club back in the early 1990s and was a long-term leader of the Black Diamond Mine Christmas Count circle. \nParrot Mosaic\, photo by Jill Hedgecock
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-feb2025/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/mandarinduckHedgecock-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250102T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250102T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20241122T212111Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241122T212956Z
UID:8709-1735844400-1735849800@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: January 2025
DESCRIPTION:Blood Pheasant. Photo by Bob Lewis \nBirds of Bhutan\nBob Lewis\n \n\nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, January 2 in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA 94598. \n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Announcements\n7:10 PM Christmas Bird Count Report\n7:25 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:40 PM Main Program: Birds of Bhutan\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea \nAlong with our main program\, Mount Diablo Bird Alliance President Jerry Britten will report highlights of the 2024 Christmas Bird Counts. \n7:30 PM Main Program: Bhutan – A Happy Place for Birds and Birders\nBob Lewis\n \n\n\n\nThe Himalayan Buddhist country of Bhutan calls itself the Happiest Place in the World\, and indeed\, it is a delight for birders. With over 60% of its land forested\, from Alpine scrub to Tropical broadleaf habitats\, there are many birds to be seen. Bob joined a spring 2024 tour and will discuss many interesting families of birds seen as the group traveled east from the airport at Paro\, and then returned along the Indian border in the south. The talk is illustrated with many striking bird images\, as well as some illustrations to give a feeling of a lovely country. \nBob trained as a chemist and worked in the energy field for 33 years. He’s taught birding classes in the Bay Area for over 30 years and served as the chair of Golden Gate Audubon’s Adult Education Committee. Recently he’s been giving classes and talks via Zoom. Bob was honored with American Birding Association’s Chandler Robbins Award for Education and Conservation in 2016\, and Golden Gate Bird Alliance’s Paul Covel Education Award in 2010 and 2017. He loves to travel and photograph birds and has chased birds in over 60 countries. His life list is over 5400 species.
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-jan2025/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Blood-Pheasant-6632-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241212T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241212T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20241122T211536Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241122T212045Z
UID:8705-1734030000-1734035400@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: December 2024
DESCRIPTION:Dr. Van Schmidt surveying a California Gull breeding colony on a levee in the salt ponds \nFlows of Water and Waterbirds across California\nNathan Van Schmidt\n \n\nOur December meeting will be held the second Thursday of the month\, on December 12. We will meet in person at the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm. \n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Announcements\n7:15 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:30 PM Main Program: Flows of Water and Waterbirds across California\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea \n7:30 PM Main Program: Flows of Water and Waterbirds across California\nNathan Van Schmidt\n \n\n\n\nWater has always been the heart of California\, providing essential habitat for both waterbirds and people. After the Gold Rush\, California experienced rapid and widespread destruction and modification of natural hydrological ecosystems and wetlands. This included the rapid conversion of Delta wetlands to peat farmland\, development of many North Bay and San Francisco wetlands\, and the conversion of much of south San Francisco Bay to commercial salt production ponds. To recover endangered tidal marsh birds and protect communities from sea level rise\, the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project is now restoring large swaths of tidal marsh habitat–but they are faced with a new dilemma: many bird species that had used wetlands lost or degraded elsewhere in California have come to use the salt ponds as accidental habitat. Drawing connections across a decade of research on waterbird use of anthropogenic habitats in California and beyond\, Dr. Van Schmidt will discuss the contemporary challenges and promising paradigms for conservation of waterbirds in ecosystems that have already been grappling with repeated dramatic transformations over the past 175 years. \nDr. Van Schmidt is an ecologist whose research emphasizes understanding ecosystems and land-use as coupled systems\, combining field research with simulation methodology. His talk will explore habitat use and connections between accidental anthropogenic wetland habitats not only in the San Francisco Bay’s salt ponds\, but across California\, and reflect on how efforts to adapt water-dependent ecosystems to climate change may have surprising trade-offs for wildlife that need to be accounted for. The talk will draw not only on his current work as Director of Landscape Sustainability Science\, but also on past research at UC Berkeley on Black Rails in the Sierra Nevada\, and on reintroduced Whooping Crane’s use of farmland.
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-dec2024/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/CAGU-survey-1-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241111T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241111T100000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20241022T074448Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241022T074631Z
UID:8678-1731312000-1731319200@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Introducing the Birds of Heather Farm
DESCRIPTION:This trip is especially good for beginners! \nHeather Farm Park in Walnut Creek is an underrated birding spot\, home to dozens of resident species. We’ll hope to see some winter visitors as well! We’ll meet at the overlook of the Natural Lake\, west of North San Carlos Drive\, about 100 yards beyond the community center. \nMeeting point GPS: 37.921260813409184\, -122.04358260674651 \nAt 8:00AM an experienced birder or two will be on hand to demonstrate how to properly use binoculars\, and to discuss birding guidebooks and apps. We’ll be scanning the lake to see which ducks and other birds might have arrived to spend the winter. \nWe should be done around 10:00. Birders of all experience levels are welcome! Bring binoculars if you have them; we’ll also have a few pairs to borrow. \nTrip will go on in damp weather\, but significant rain or high wind cancels.\nREGISTER: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/meeker-slough-tickets-1052245593897 \n(Image of White-breasted Nuthatch by Matt Tarlach)
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/introducing-birds-of-heather-farm-nov-2024-2/
LOCATION:Heather Farm Park\, 301 N San Carlos Dr\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Birding,Birding Classes,Education,Field Trips
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/WBNU_HF_MTsmall.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241107T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241107T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20241020T033005Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241020T033400Z
UID:8666-1731006000-1731011400@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: November 2024
DESCRIPTION:Pied Barbet\, Namibia. Photo by J. Britten \nBirds of Namibia\nJerry Britten\n \n\nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, November 7\, in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm. \n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Announcements\n7:15 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:30 PM Main Program: Birds of Namibia\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea \n7:30 PM Main Program: Namibia Birds\n \n\n\nJerry Britten \n\nEarlier this year\, MDBA President Jerry Britten\, his wife and another couple set off on a self-driving adventure to explore the vast desert country of Namibia in southern Africa. Their 3-week journey of over 1300 miles\, a good portion over gravel roads driving from lodge-to-lodge\, took them through magnificent desert and coastal dunes\, barren deserts\, rocky scrub\, and flat acacia thornscrub teeming with game. While at the lodges they did game drives\, a little bit of walking\, sitting in waterhole hides\, and relaxing. Of course\, a lot of birding and photography was involved. Jerry will present highlights of the many birds and other animals he was able to photograph on this trip\, and offer his perspective on the sights and sounds of this part of Africa. \nWhen not birding or engaged with MDBA goings-on\, Jerry is a mostly-retired independent contractor/consultant in the fields of optical coatings and diffractive optic design and manufacture. He retired from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 2016 after a 30+ year career as a chemical engineer.
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-nov2024/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Pied-Barbet_Namibia_J-Britten.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241014T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241014T103000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20240927T010952Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241022T053843Z
UID:8609-1728892800-1728901800@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Introducing the Birds of Heather Farm
DESCRIPTION:Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek is an underrated birding spot\, home to dozens of resident species. We’ll hope to see some migrating birds as well! We’ll meet at the overlook of the Natural Lake\, west of North San Carlos Drive\, about 100 yards beyond the community center. \nMeeting point GPS: 37.921260813409184\, -122.04358260674651 \nAt 8:00AM an experienced birder or two will be on hand to demonstrate how to properly use binoculars\, and to discuss birding guidebooks and apps. We’ll be scanning the lake to see which ducks and other birds might be arriving to spend the winter. \nWhen we’re good and ready\, we’ll set off on a walk around the lake and adjacent Nature Area—an easy stroll of about half a mile on level\, accessible trails. Along the way we’ll hope to see and hear sparrow\, finch\, woodpecker and warbler\, along with nuthatch and dove. Wrens\, thrushes\, herons\, and raptors are often found here too… though in birding\, as in life\, nothing is guaranteed! Our guides will explain what features on the birds to look for\, to begin to tell one from the other. \nWe should be done around 10:30. Birders of all experience levels are welcome! Bring binoculars if you have them; we’ll also have a few pairs to borrow. \nSign up here:\nhttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/introducing-the-birds-of-heather-farm-tickets-1009474674927 \n(Image of White-breasted Nuthatch by Matt Tarlach)
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/introducing-birds-of-heather-farm-oct-2024/
LOCATION:Heather Farm Park\, 301 N San Carlos Dr\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Birding,Birding Classes,Education,Field Trips
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/WBNU_HF_MTsmall.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241003T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241003T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20240919T030944Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240919T033217Z
UID:8574-1727982000-1727987400@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: October 2024
DESCRIPTION:Wildlife Photography\nVishal Subramanyan\n \n\nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, October 3\, in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm. \n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Announcements\n7:15 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:30 PM Main Program: Wildlife Photography\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea \n7:30 PM Main Program: Wildlife Photography\n \n\n\nVishal Subramanyan \n\n\nVishal Subramanyan will share some of his amazing photos and the techniques he uses to capture remarkable images. Vishal is a 21 year old wildlife photographer and undergraduate at the University of California\, Berkeley. Using camera traps\, telephoto lenses\, and other photography techniques\, he aims to capture unique imagery that raises awareness about conservation and inspires community action. With an academic background in ecology\, he integrates science into his storytelling efforts\, using his knowledge of the animals and environments to create compelling stories. \nVishal has been photographing since he was 14 years old\, when he went on a trip to Alaska with his dad. He had always wanted to see the bears fishing salmon\, and immediately got hooked onto photography when he picked up a camera there. Since then\, he has been working on conservation stories across California. His work with bobcats in the Bay Area has earned him both local coverage and international recognition. \nAn important part of his work is directly engaging with his community. Vishal regularly gives speaking engagements in the Bay Area and beyond\, where he’s able to connect with a wide audience of nature lovers. With a community of over 100\,000 followers on social media\, he’s been able to share stories of California’s wildlife with global audiences. \nCurrently\, he is in his final year of university\, and is collaborating with the National Park Service\, UC Berkeley\, National Geographic\, and local non-profits on various science and storytelling projects across the state. \n\n\nMountain Lion\, photo by Vishal Subramanyan \n 
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-oct2024/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Vishal.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240916T073000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240916T103000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20240927T012527Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241022T053758Z
UID:8619-1726471800-1726482600@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Introducing the Birds of Heather Farm
DESCRIPTION:The Natural Area at Heather Farm is an underrated birding site. It is possible to see five species of heron one day\, and on the next five species of sparrow. Common Gallinule and Sora are frequently reported\, along with wintering ducks and migrating passerines. All told\, over 200 species have been recorded at Heather Farm over the years. The Natural Area is also in need of conservation advocacy\, as it is under constant pressure from park users who are more interested in sports and recreation than wildlife or habitat. \n“Introducing the Birds of Heather Farm” is a series of bird walks intended to promote appreciation of birds and of the Natural Area\, and to help new birders improve their skills. In addition to this announcement in the Quail it will be promoted via flyers in the park and at local businesses. If you are new to birding\, or would enjoy an introduction to Heather Farm\, please sign up via Eventbrite! If you know anyone who’s getting their start in birding invite them to sign up too:\nhttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/introducing-the-birds-of-heather-farm-tickets-991048712377 \nIf you’re a somewhat more experienced birder—not necessarily an “expert”—your assistance in this program is invited! MDBA members who can turn out to help with this “Introduction” bird walk\, spotting birds and sharing experience with new birders\, do not need to sign up via Eventbrite. The low number of signup spots is intended to limit the number of beginners so that each may receive some personal attention. \nIf you can join us to help spot birds\, or would like copies of the flyer to post somewhere in the area—your office? your favorite coffee shop? the bulletin board at a library or city facility?—please email Matt: mdbafieldtrips@gmail.com
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/introducing-birds-of-heather-farm-sep-2024/
LOCATION:Heather Farm Park\, 301 N San Carlos Dr\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Birding,Birding Classes,Education,Field Trips
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/green-heron-matt-tarlach.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240905T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240905T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20240818T040753Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240818T042346Z
UID:8544-1725562800-1725568200@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: September 2024
DESCRIPTION:Birds of Canada and North American Wood Warblers\nNorman Kikuchi\, MD\n \n\nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, September 5\, in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm. \n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Announcements\n7:15 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:30 PM Main Program: Birds of Canada and North American Wood Warblers\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea \n7:30 PM Main Program: Birds of Canada and North American Wood Warblers\nNorman Kikuchi\, MD \nNorman Kikuchi will present photos taken from a few of his favorite locations in Canada. In a small town named Elliston\, there is a lesser known breeding colony of Atlantic Puffins\, that are sometimes known to nibble on visitors’ shoelaces! \nWe will also learn about New World Wood Warblers (Parulidae) taken from migration hotspots and breeding locations in the US and Canada. Warbler addiction among birders is a common condition from which happily there seems to be no cure. \nNorman’s childhood interest in birds began while stalking Ring-necked Pheasants in the Mt Diablo foothills\, however witnessing the impalement of a Western Fence lizard by a Loggerhead Shrike on a Joshua tree spine was his real bird epiphany. He was transfixed by the moment! \nNorman graduated from UC Davis in Zoology with a minor in herpetology. He received my MD family practice specialty at UC Irvine. In 1997 he acquired the super telephoto Canon lenses and switched to avian photography. His current ultimate goal is photographing all the breeding birds in the US and Canada. \n\n\nBlackburnian Warbler; Photo by Norman Kikuchi \n 
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-sept2024/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/IU4A5813-copy-3.jpeg
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240606T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240606T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20240520T234008Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240605T023011Z
UID:8464-1717700400-1717705800@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: June 2024
DESCRIPTION:Conservation Ranching in California\nPelayo Alvarez \n\nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, June 6\, in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm. \n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Birding Info: Winners of the MDBA photo contest\n7:15 PM Announcements\n7:30 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:45 PM Main Program: Conservation Ranching\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea \n7:00 PM Birding info: Winners of the MDBA photo contest\nWe reviewed your submissions\, now it is time to reveal the winners of the fourth annual Mt Diablo Bird Alliance Photo Contest! See who won in six categories: Bird Beauty\, Birds and Humans\, Birds Dining\, Birds in Action\, Worst Bird Photo EVER\, and Youth: For photographers aged 8-17. (Any type of bird photo can be submitted in this category. Membership is not required.) \nWinners and runners-up will be announced at the meeting\, so come enjoy the best photos from our local birding community! \n7:45 PM Main Program: Conservation Ranching in California\nPelayo Alvarez \nAudubon Conservation Ranching Program: Partnering with ranchers to protect bird habitats. \nGrassland bird species are experiencing steep declines across California and the United States. In 2019\, Audubon launched its Conservation Ranching program (ACR) in California. This program is designed to stem the loss of bird habitat and improve the ecological function of rangeland ecosystems by partnering with ranchers to implement regenerative management practices via a ranch certification program. This presentation will highlight the ACR program components\, which include the development of ranch-specific Habitat Management Plans and a third-party certified set of conservation practices to protect and enhance bird habitats while providing additional environmental benefits such as increased soil health\, carbon sequestration\, resilience to drought and increased biodiversity. Participating producers receive technical assistance and support promoting their certified products. Audubon is building local partnerships with chapters\, Resource Conservation Districts and others to support certified ranchers. This presentation will highlight program practices and standards\, chapter participation\, marketing opportunities and the potential for scaling up and developing new partnerships. \nPelayo Alvarez works as the Director of the Conservation Ranching Program in California. Before joining Audubon\, Pelayo worked for the Carbon Cycle Institute where he helped establish carbon farming programs across California. Pelayo has experience working with the ranching community\, government agencies\, academia and other stakeholders on rangeland conservation initiatives including the development of programs to incentivize good stewardship practices on rangelands. Pelayo also worked for Defenders of Wildlife as the Conservation Program Director for the California Rangeland Conservation Coalition where he coordinated research and outreach activities. Pelayo also teaches Rangeland Ecology and Management at American River College in Sacramento. His previous work experience includes positions at UC Davis\, The World Bank and The Nature Conservancy. He has a bachelor’s degree in veterinary medicine from Universidad de Leon (Spain)\, a MS degree in Animal Science from Oklahoma State University and a PhD in Ecology from UC Davis.
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-june2024/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Conservation-Ranching-in-California.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240502T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240502T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20240423T040231Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240423T040832Z
UID:8408-1714676400-1714681800@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: May 2024
DESCRIPTION:Imprint of a Mourning Dove on a sliding glass door\, Photo by Glenn Phillips \nBuilding a Bird-Friendly City\nGlenn Phillips \n\nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, May 2\, in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm. \n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Announcements\n7:15 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:30 PM Main Program: Building a Bird-Friendly City\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea \nEvery year\, nearly 1 Billion birds are killed by collisions with glass. The Bay Area has led the nation in enacting bird-friendly ordinances that will help stop this conservation crisis. Learn how birds see\, and what you can do to stop bird collisions in your community and at your home. \nGlenn Phillips\, Golden Gate Bird Alliance’s Executive Director\, holds master’s degrees in Urban Sustainability and Science Education from the City University of New York and is a co-author of the Bird Friendly Building Guide published by the American Bird Conservancy. He has worked on Bird-safe Buildings since 2007.
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-may2024/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_2932.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240404T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240404T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20240304T005454Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240304T010505Z
UID:8271-1712257200-1712262600@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: April 2024
DESCRIPTION:Red-shafted Northern Flicker\, Photo by Jeffery R. Martin \nBay Area Woodpeckers \nJeffery R. Martin \n\nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, April 4\, in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm. \n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Announcements\n7:15 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:30 PM Main Program: Bay Area Woodpeckers\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea \nWoodpeckers have captured the human imagination for generations. The distant sounds of pecking\, flashes of red plumage\, and inevitable disappearance into the shadows of the forest evoke a sense of wonder about these extraordinary yet elusive creatures. Jeffery Martin’s lecture and his close-up high-definition video segments explore the foraging strategies of our eight Bay Area woodpecker species. Insect excavation\, acorn storage\, the use of sap wells and other intriguing behaviors are our focus. Jeff’s video segments illustrate unique evolutionary adaptations. We examine the anatomy of feet\, tail\, tongue and head which enable agile vertical climbing\, adept grabbing of prey\, and protection from concussion and dust inhalation. From the exquisite green and rose-colored Lewis’s Woodpecker to the dazzling Northern Flicker\, and more\, we take a close-up look at the worlds of our eight North Bay Woodpeckers. \nVideographer and naturalist\, Jeffery Martin has filmed and produced “Bahia Wildlife Habitat” and “Birds of Las Gallinas Marsh” which can be viewed on the web sites of Marin Audubon Society and Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District. His films\, “Woodpecker Haven” and “Birds of Lake Solano and Putah Creek” have been shown at the Lake Solano Visitors Center and Solano Parks Website. His “Bay Area Woodpeckers” and “Foraging Behavior in Large Wading Birds” lecture/video programs have been presented at several Bay Area Audubon Societies. In the past\, Jeff has contributed to the slide library\, visitor literature and campfire talks for Pt. Reyes National Seashore. He has created an assortment of natural history walks\, lectures and training for adults and children. In another vein\, he has lectured to college faculty\, students\, and National Park Service Rangers on “visitor motivation” and the “psychology of nature” including on safari in East Africa. In his “day job” Jeff is a clinical psychologist and associate clinical professor at UCSF School of Medicine. \n\n\nLewis’s Woodpecker Photo by Jeffery R. Martin
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-april2024/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/bmp:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Northern-Flicker-Red-Shafted-Lake-Solano-2014-15.bmp
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240307T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240307T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20240222T231406Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240222T232111Z
UID:8265-1709838000-1709843400@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: March 2024
DESCRIPTION:Birds of Palomarin \nLarissa Babicz \n\nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, March 7\, in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm. \n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Announcements\n7:15 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:30 PM Main Program: Birds of Palomarin\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea \nLarissa is a wildlife artist and biologist who works almost exclusively with birds. She has been working seasonal field jobs since she graduated from Dickinson College in 2020 and has found huge inspiration while out in nature! Her goal is to share her experiences in the field and bring the beauty of the natural world to her community through her drawings. \nThis piece was inspired by a recent apprenticeship at Point Blue’s Palomarin Field Station\, where she learned about bird banding and conservation science. She was an apprentice for nearly eight months from February to October\, and the season included the spring migration\, breeding season\, and part of fall migration. She and her fellow apprentices banded a total of 78 bird species during this time\, each of which is represented in the drawing. The piece is meant to represent all aspects of the Palomarin banding program\, including the plants that were studied at the sites and a variety of bird age classes. Completed in April 2023\, the Birds of Palomarin\, while being in part an educational piece\, evolved into a way to thank everyone she worked with at Palomarin and show her love for the birds.
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-march2024/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Palo-Birds-home-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240201T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240201T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20240117T032530Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240121T033004Z
UID:8141-1706814000-1706819400@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: February 2024
DESCRIPTION:Cross-country Birding adventure \nRobert Raffel  \n\nMount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday\, February 1\, in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm. \n6:30 PM Doors Open\n7:00 PM Announcements\n7:15 PM Refreshments and Raffle\n7:30 PM Main Program: Cross-country Birding Adventure\n*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea \nLast year at this time\, Robert was sleeping in his car in sub-zero temperatures in search of Snowy Owls and other birds from the far north. At our February meeting\, Robert will share the highlights of his six month road trip\, which included birding along the Canadian border from Washington to Maine in January\, birding Florida and the Texas Coast during spring migration\, and then birding from Arkansas to Minnesota back to Oregon in the beginning of the breeding season. Robert has plenty of pictures of his favorite birds including some that show identification challenges and insights he encountered along the way. Robert’s presentation will also share his perspectives on birding various parts of the country as well as considerations to take into account in planning your own trip. \nRobert Raffel grew up in Pennsylvania and began birding as a teenager. In his 30s\, he started birding more seriously\, traveling extensively throughout the continental United States\, building his life list. In his 40s and 50s\, Robert took a break from birding and focused on raising his two sons. Once they could drive and no longer needed his services\, Robert picked up his binoculars again and found that eBird and digital photography had completely changed birding for the better.
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-february2024/
LOCATION:The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm\, 1540 Marchbanks Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94598\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Snowy-Owl-7373.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240104T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240104T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20231117T195900Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231220T223334Z
UID:8022-1704394800-1704400200@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: January 2024
DESCRIPTION:A Life Bird in Every State\nJennifer Rycenga \nA Life Bird in Every State recounts one birder’s journey across the United States to ensure that every one of the fifty states would have a distinct memory and honor in her birding annals. Part birding narrative\, part travelogue\, and part reflection on America\, this talk recounts the adventures\, successes\, occasional (temporary) failures of this quixotic quest. \nJennifer Rycenga is the Past President of Sequoia Audubon Society in San Mateo county\, and an avid proponent of iNaturalist\, eBird\, and community science. Recently retired and relocated to Rochester New York\, she is an academic who writes on American abolitionism and women’s history. \n\nWebinar Access Info:\n\n\n\n\nDate:\nJanuary 4\, 2024 7:00 PM Pacific Time\n\n\nTime:\n7:00 PM–8:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)\n\n\nLocation:\nZoom online meeting\n\n\nAccess:\nhttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/88122680065?pwd=ankzN2pwU08yL0ZqK2ZPcnYrYnlFZz09\n\n\nMeeting ID:\n881 2268 0065\n\n\nPasscode:\n869148\n\n\nPhone access:\nOne tap mobile\n+16699006833\,\,88122680065#\,\,\,\,*869148# US (San Jose)\n+14086380968\,\,88122680065#\,\,\,\,*869148# US (San Jose)\n\n\n\n 
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-january2024/
LOCATION:Zoom\, CA\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Jennifer-Rycenga.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231207T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231207T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20231117T194828Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231117T195611Z
UID:8015-1701975600-1701981000@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: December 2023
DESCRIPTION:New Zealand: Great Walks and Great Birds \nJill Hedgecock \n\nJill Hedgecock will share photos from her hiking and birding adventures in the North and South Islands of New Zealand. Come experience the wonders of Tongariro Alpine Crossing\, a trek that takes adventurous souls over an active volcano and which has been described as the best one-day trek in New Zealand. This hike also has the distinction of requiring the highest number of search and rescues! On the South Island\, the 20+ mile\, three-day Routeburn Great Walk offers stunning views of snow-capped mountains\, mirrored lakes\, and flowing turquoise water. Sections of this hike are so pristine that unfiltered water is safe to drink. New Zealand’s birding opportunities did not disappoint. Photos of iridescent wood pigeons\, the endemic takahe\, little blue penguins\, and mischievous kea parrots (the only alpine parrot in the world) will be shared. \nJill Hedgecock\, who has spoken on topics from rhino conservation\, microplastics\, and falconry in Scotland\, returns to share more of her international travels with the Mount Diablo Bird Alliance. She has a M.S. degree in Environmental Management. She previously served as the International Conservation Coordinator for the club back in the early 1990s and was a long-term leader of the Black Diamond Mine Christmas Count circle. \n\n  \n\nKea\, the only alpine parrot Photo: Jill Hedgecock
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-december2023/
LOCATION:Walnut Creek Civic Park Assembly Hall\, 1375 Civic Drive\, Walnut Creek\, CA\, 94596\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/IMG_9673-scaled.jpeg
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231102T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231102T203000
DTSTAMP:20260508T031801
CREATED:20231015T043352Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231015T044150Z
UID:7971-1698951600-1698957000@mtdiablobirds.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Program: November 2023
DESCRIPTION:Bio-Bowerman\nDan Fitzgerald and Dan Sandri\, Mount Diablo Interpretive Association \n\nThe two Dans will take you on a walk along the highest trail on Mount Diablo\, highlighting some of the insects like bees\, dragonflies and butterflies\, unusual plants\, and a few birds that they have photographed along this 3/4-mile loop which circumnavigates the summit. Learn about the fabulous Mary Bowerman\, who inspired the naming of this popular trail. Along this trail\, because of the elevation\, flowers bloom later than at lower parts of the mountain\, providing insects with nectar later into the summer. The soils\, elevation\, and isolation of the peak impact the variety of flora and fauna found here\, contributing to some of the rarities that can be seen. The summit and the trail lie entirely within early Franciscan Complex geologic rocks – greywacke\, chert\, greenstone\, and mélange. Come along on this photo-filled exploration led by two local naturalists! \nDan Fitzgerald grew up in Concord with a view of the mountain and spent time exploring it. After retirement he became a state park volunteer active in environmental cleanup and as a docent in our visitor center and out on the trail. He is a California Naturalist and leads nature hikes for MDIA where he serves as Treasurer and a board director since 2016. \nDan Sandri has lived in the East Bay nearly all of his life\, and the mountain has always been his favorite hiking place. With a B. S. degree in Entomology he enjoys observing and photographing insects\, birds\, reptiles\, as well as other plant and animal life. Upon retirement\, Dan became a volunteer visitor center docent\, a member of the Native Plant Garden team\, and a back-country rover. He is a California Naturalist and leads nature hikes for MIDA where he serves as Secretary and a board director since 2020. \n\n  \n\nGenus Eulonchus\, Mary Bowerman Trail\, Mount Diablo State Park.
URL:https://mtdiablobirds.org/event/monthly-program-november2023/
LOCATION:Don Tatzin Community Hall at the Lafayette Library at 3491 Mount Diablo Blvd\, Lafayette\, 94549\, 3491 Mount Diablo Blvd.\, Lafayette\, CA\, 94549\, United States
CATEGORIES:Monthly Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mtdiablobirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Cercyonis-sthenele-10-Great-Basin-Wood-Nymph.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Ariana Rickard":MAILTO:arianajrickard@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR