MDAS Field Trip — Mitchell Canyon
Mitchell Canyon 96 Mitchell Canyon Road, Clayton, CA, United StatesMitchell Canyon Thursday, April 20, 8 AM to 1 PM We will walk into Mitchell Canyon on the lower slopes of Mount Diablo State Park. Many spring birds are possible here, warblers, hummingbirds, flycatchers, gnatcatchers and more. Spring flowers should still be blooming. Trail Rating: Category 3, hot, dusty trail, 3+ miles Elevation change: up […]
Earth Day at Pleasant Hill Instructional Garden
Hear from Pollinator Posse on how to support monarch butterflies and native pollinators, CNPS on gardening with keystone native plants to improve habitat, James "Doc" Hale on living with nature and in tune with your environment, and Master Gardeners on easy home composting. Expert talks, informative displays, garden tour and hands-on demonstrations to understand how […]
Lafayette Earth Day Festival
Join Mt. Diablo Audubon Society at Lafayette’s annual Earth Day Festival! Sustainable Lafayette presents this free event at Lafayette Plaza Park with live music, kids & family activities, and a petting zoo! For more information, visit: https://www.sustainablelafayette.org/2023-earth-day-festival
MDAS Field Trip — Del Puerto Canyon
Del Puerto Canyon Rd & Diablo Grande Pkwy Del Puerto Canyon Rd, Patterson, CA, United StatesDel Puerto Canyon Monday, April 24 Trail Rating: 1 - Easy walking, mostly driving. Leader: Steve Buffi (925) 200-4555 Meet: Carpool leaves at 7:30 AM from Sycamore Valley Road Park and Ride. OR, meet on Del Puerto Canyon Road west of I-5 at 9 AM at Patterson Exit (Diablo Grande Parkway and Sperry Road) off […]
MDAS Field Trip — Mines Road
Del Valle Regional Park 7000 Delvalle, Livermore, CAMines Road Saturday, April 29 This is an all-day trip and often hot! Phainopepla, Lewis’ Woodpecker and Lawrence’s Goldfinch and many spring migrants are possible, plus great spring wild flowers. Entry fee required for Del Valle Regional Park. Bring lunch, snacks, and plenty of liquids, as this trip takes us further from conveniences than most. […]
MDAS Field Trip — Mount Diablo State Park
801 La Gonda Way, Danville 801 La Gonda Way, Danville, CAMount Diablo State Park Tuesday, May 2, 8 AM to 1 PM MDSP is a treasure trove for birders. Although every season in the park has its special qualities, late spring on the mountain has its own beauty, as wildflowers add color to the vistas. Usually hot! Bring lunch and drinks. Many migrant and nesting […]
Monthly Program: May 2023
Zoom CA, United StatesThe Magic of Central America: Costa Rica’s Birds and Ecology Benny Jacobs-Schwartz Costa Rica has long been regarded as one of the top tropical birding destinations in the world and with good reason! This small Central American country is roughly the size of West Virginia yet is home to ~5% of the world’s biodiversity, 900+ […]
MDAS/SMD Field Trip — Curry Canyon
Curry Canyon RanchJoint Mt. Diablo Audubon & Save Mount Diablo Birding Walk at Curry Canyon Mount Diablo Audubon Society and Save Mount Diablo are partnering up for a hike on Save Mount Diablo's gorgeous Curry Canyon Ranch. This portion of Curry Canyon Ranch showcases beautiful rangeland ecosystems and valley oak and riparian habitat. We will be […]
MDAS Field Trip — West Briones Regional Park
Bear Creek Staging Area Briones Bear Creek Staging Area, 16 Bear Creek Rd, Lafayette, CA, United StatesWest Briones Regional Park Thursday, May 11, 8 AM to 1 PM A visit to the west entrance of Briones Regional Park in the spring offers views of spring wildflowers and spring birds. Lazuli Buntings are usually present; many years this trip provides the first viewings of these beautiful birds for most of us. Bring […]
MDAS Field Trip — East Contra Costa County
Marsh Creek Regional Trail Trailhead X8R3+9H, Oakley, CA, United StatesEast Contra Costa County Monday, May 15, 7 AM to 12PM Note starting time: we start this trip early as the location can be very hot by mid-day. We will walk part of the Marsh Creek Trail, and then visit Piper Slough north of Bethel Island. Other locations are possible. Target birds include: Blue Grosbeak, […]
The Shoreline Festival in Crockett
Join Mt. Diablo Audubon Society at The Shoreline Festival! FREE ADMISSION ENJOY LIVE MUSIC ALL DAY! This is a first-of-its-kind festival in Crockett, California, on May 20th, 2023, from 11 am to 6 pm! The Shoreline Festival will celebrate air, fire, water, and earth—the elements that are the essential forces that shape our natural environment. […]
Monthly Program: June 2023
McHale Room of the Pleasant Hill Community Center 320 Civic Drive, Pleasant Hill, United StatesThe Mt. Diablo Audubon Society will meet Thursday, June 1, in the McHale Room of the Pleasant Hill Community Center at 320 Civic Drive, Pleasant Hill, 94523. Everyone is welcome to bring a snack to share, if they wish. Parking is free. 6:30 PM Doors Open 7:00 PM Birding Info: Winners of the […]
MDAS Field Trip — Outer Point Reyes
Bear Valley Visitor Center 25RX+CV, Inverness, CA, United StatesOuter Point Reyes Saturday, June 3, 8:30 AM to 3 PM Point Reyes is one of the premiere birding locations in Northern California, a great spot to find rarities during migration---like the Prairie Warbler pictured on the registration page (image by Beth Branthaver). MDAS tries to visit at least twice a year. On this trip […]
The Beaver Festival in Martinez
Join Mt. Diablo Audubon Society at The Beaver Festival in Martinez! The Beaver Festival is finally back! Show your support for urban beavers and join your friends and favorite nature organizations at the FOURTEENTH festival celebrating the Martinez Beavers. Beavers have become big news lately but this is the festival that started it all. Don’t […]
MDAS Field Trip — Hayward Regional Shoreline, Frank’s Dump
Hayward Regional Shoreline 3010 W. Winton Ave, Hayward, CA, United StatesHayward Regional Shoreline, Frank's Dump Friday, July 21, 3:30 PM to 6 PM For a shorebird spectacle, we will visit the hotspot known as "Frank's Dump" in late afternoon when the sun will be at our backs, allowing good viewing of shorebirds congregating on the dry flats at high tide. At this time of year […]
MDAS Field Trip — Bodega Bay
Tides Restaurant Bodega Bay 835Bay Highway, Bodega Bay, CA, United StatesBodega Bay Saturday, August 19, 9 AM to 3 PM The last trip of our annual field trip calendar, but sometimes considered the first trip for fall birding. At Bodega Bay we'll encounter flocks of shorebirds including Black Oystercatcher and Marbled Godwit, as well as terns, gulls, cormorants, near-shore pelagics and more - perhaps a […]
MDAS Field Trip — Jewel Lake, Tilden Park
Jewel Lake, Tilden Nature Area, California 600 Canon Dr, Berkeley, CA 94708, Berkeley, CA, United StatesJewel Lake, Tilden Park Thursday, August 31, 7:30 AM - 11 AM Our traditional first field trip of fall - a short walk along Wildcat Creek and around Jewel Lake in Tilden Park. Possible highlights include fall warblers, Red-Breasted and Pygmy Nuthatch, Pacific Wren and maybe a Varied Thrush. This trip is suitable for beginners. […]
Monthly Program: September 2023
Zoom CA, United StatesBloody Feather—Death of the Cardinal, A New Anti Bird Poaching Novel Bruce Lewis Bruce Lewis was an award-winning crime reporter for several California daily newspapers, including the Contra Costa Times. After leaving the Times, he spent nearly a decade in corporate public relations at Kaiser Permanente and McKesson Corp. before co-founding Lewis & […]
MDAS Field Trip — Mt. Wanda, John Muir NHS, Martinez
Mount Wanda Trailhead XVQ9+QW, Martinez, CA, United StatesThis hike is especially for beginning birders! We'll walk through oak woodlands and oak savannah habitats, climbing uphill on a rutted 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 excellent views of acorn woodpeckers, likely views of red-tailed […]
MDAS Field Trip — Vaux’s Swifts at McNear Brickyard
McNear Brickyard 1 McNear Brickyard Rd., San Rafael, CAVaux'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. […]