Mount Diablo Bird Alliance

West Briones Regional Park CANCELLED
2020-05-14 08:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Bear Creek Staging Area Briones, Bear Creek Staging Area, 16 Bear Creek Rd, Lafayette, CA, 94549, United States
In light of the Stay-at-Home Order instituted for the State of California, Mt. Diablo Audubon Society has canceled all field trips through May 31. If the timing of this order changes, we will reassess the situation and send another message. Please check our website and our Facebook page for updates.

Outer Point Reyes - CANCELLED
2020-06-06 | Bear Valley Visitor Center, 25RX+CV, Inverness, CA, 94956, United States
In light of the continuning COVID 19 crisis, Mt. Diablo Audubon Society has canceled the few scheduled field trips through the month of June. If the timing of this order changes, we will reassess the situation and send another message. Please check our website and our Facebook page for updates.

Pine Canyon (Wild Birds Unlimited Bird Walk Series) - CANCELLED
2020-06-06 08:00 - 12:00 | Wild Birds Unlimited, Pleasant Hill, 692 Contra Costa Blvd, Pleasant Hill, CA, 94523, United States

Mare Island Shoreline Heritage Preserve - CANCELLED
2020-06-12 07:30 - 14:00 | Mare Island Shoreline Heritage Preserve, 3PJV+G5, Vallejo, CA, 94592, United States

Yuba Pass (2-day outing) CANCELLED
2020-06-13 07:00 - 2020-06-14 19:00 | Yuba Pass, Yuba Pass, Yuba Pass Road, Calpine, CA, 96124, United States
This outing is cancelled for this year. Please go out and go birding on your own!
This is always a productive and well-favored weekend trip to the northern Sierra which requires driving and walking, some of it over rough terrain. Saturday we will bird in the Sierra Valley for basin birds. Sunday we will be birding in the Yuba Pass area for mountain birds. Meet at the parking lot at the top of Hwy 49 at the pass at 7:00 AM Saturday morning. Make motel reservations now! Closest motels are in Sierra City, 11 miles down Highway 49 to the west. The Sierra Pines Resort (530-862-1151 or 800-682-9848) is one of the most popular; or try Yuba River Inn (530-862-1122) with cabins and kitchenettes (cash or check only). Bassett’s Station (530-862-1297) at Highway 49 and Gold Lake Road has some accommodations and meals. High Country Inn (530-862-1530 or 800-862-1530) is across Hwy 49 from Bassett’s. Also, in Calpine is Sierra Valley Lodge (530-994-3367 or 800-858-0322). More listings are at www.sierracity.com/Stay/LodgingCamp.html Campgrounds are located at Yuba Pass and Chapman Creek downhill to the west. Sites are available first come/first serve for only three days at a time. Longer term reservations can be made at 877-444-6777, but there is an additional $10 charge for this service. After June 8 call Wild Birds Unlimited (925-798-0303) for information. Co-leaders: Nancy Wenninger, 925-938-7987, Bill Chilson, 510-619-6692. Limited to 25 participants. Must call leaders ahead of time.

Free Webinar - Planned Helicopter Drop of 1.5 Tons of Rodent Poison on Farallon Island
2020-07-14 13:00 - 14:30 | CA
This presentation, by Richard Charter, representing the Ocean Foundation, outlines opposition vewpoints to the controversial U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposal to use anticoagulant rodenticide to eradicate the invasive house mouse from this island ecosystem and restore it to a more natural condition and thereby protect threatened nesting seabirds, notably Ashy and Leach’s Storm Petrels.
Register here for this seminar. The USFWS webinar is on July 16. Please see this event on the calendar to register.

Webinar: Farallon Islands USFWS proposed mouse eradication plan
2020-07-16 19:00 - 21:00 | CA
Attend (virtually) a presentation on July 16, 2020, 7PM, hosted by Marin Audubon Society, to learn about the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Plan to restore the ecosystem of this globally important wildlife refuge by removing the introduced house mice. Attend the webinar to hear how you can help restore this unique ecosystem.
Please register here

San Mateo Coast - CANCELLED
2020-07-25 07:30 - 18:00 | McDonald’s Half-Moon Bay, 100 N Cabrillo Highway, Half Moon Bay, CA, 94019, United States
In light of the continuning COVID 19 crisis, Mt. Diablo Audubon Society has canceled scheduled field trips through August 2020. If the timing of this order changes, we will reassess the situation and send another message. Please check our website and our Facebook page for updates.

Frank’s Dump—High Tide - CANCELLED
2020-07-26 15:00 - 20:30 | Hayward Regional Shoreline, 3010 W. Winton Ave, Hayward, CA, 94545, United States

Bodega Bay - CANCELLED
2020-08-15 07:30 - 18:00 | Tides Restaurant Bodega Bay, 835Bay Highway, Bodega Bay, CA, 94923, United States

SF Bay Bird Observatory - Sparrows in the Mist: Complex Winter Social Behavior in a Little Brown Bird
2020-08-20 16:30 - 18:00 | CA
Birdy Hour Speaker Series
Expand your knowledge of birds, birding, science, and conservation by joining us for virtual talks and discussions. These events are free and family-friendly!
Sparrows in the Mist: Complex Winter Social Behavior in a Little Brown Bird
by Dr. Bruce Lyon
August 20, 2020 at 4:30pm
Register here

Golden Gate Audubon Online Class - Evolution of Birds
2020-08-25 19:00 - 21:00 | CA
This science-based course offered by the Golden Gate Audubon Society is for curious adult learners who have some birding experience. The focus is on avian evolution – from the modern theory of evolution, the evolutionary processes that have resulted in over 10,000 species of birds today, and geological events that have been much of the cause of today’s avian multitude.

Six (6) Tuesday evening classes by Zoom, August 25, September 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 7 to 9 pm
Instructors: Bob Lewis and Bruce Mast
$75 for GGAS members, $110 for non-members
Limited to 95 participants
Click here to find out more information
Registration opens on June 3rd. Click here to register online

SF Bay Bird Observatory - Birding: Love at First Sight
2020-09-03 17:00 - 18:30 | CA
Birdy Hour Speaker Series
Expand your knowledge of birds, birding, science, and conservation by joining us for virtual talks and discussions. These events are free and family-friendly!
Birding: Love at First Sight
by Sebastian Casarez
September 3, 2020 at 5pm
Register here

Monthly Program: September 2020
2020-09-03 19:00 - 21:00 | Zoom, CA, United States
Birding Info: Rosalie Howarth and Krista Vossekuil will show us the winning photos from Mt. Diablo Audubon’s first ever photo contest! See who won the top prize and make plans to enter next year.

Main Program: Big Year 2019 with Eric Schroeder

Eric Schroeder will share stories from his big year 2019. Knowing he was doing some international travel that year, he decided he would use his birding trips to fundraise for the Golden Gate Audubon Society (GGAS). He set two goals for himself: to see 1,000 different species of birds and to raise $5,000 for GGAS. In his talk he’ll share photos of many of the species he saw on his adventures and recount some of the birding highlights of his big year.

Eric Schroeder is currently President and Travel Program coordinator at the Golden Gate Audubon Society. Eric worked at U.C. Davis where he had a thirty-year career as a lecturer and administrator. He taught for several departments—including the University Writing Program, the English Department, and the American Studies Program—and directed the Study Abroad Program for which he taught summer courses in Australia, South Africa, and Scotland. His volunteer work includes serving as president of the Tilden Wildcat Horsemen’s Association and as a member of the East Bay Regional Park District’s Volunteer Mounted Patrol. He completed the GGAS Master Birder Program and has published nature articles in Undercurrent, Bay Nature, and The Gull. He received his BA in Greek and English from UCLA, his MA in Renaissance Studies from the University of Sussex, and his PhD in English Literature from UCLA.

California Bluebird Nesting Season Celebration
2020-09-17 19:00 - 20:30 | CA
Join the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society for a California Bluebird Nesting Season Celebration! On Thursday, September 17 at 7:00 PM we invite you to a virtual party celebrating bluebirds and ALL cavity-nesting birds.
Learn about the California Bluebird Recovery Program’s nest box program, hear stories from around the state, see photos and meet County Coordinators and CBRP Board members!
If you would like to share your nest box and cavity-nesting stories and photos, please send them to: Californiabluebirder@gmail.com
RSVP for the celebration HERE.

Prairie Falcons: Flying into the Future
2020-09-24 18:30 - 19:30 | Zoom, CA, United States
The East Bay Regional Park District invites you to an evening with falcons. We will hear about prairie falcon populations across the Park District, including nesting at Black Diamond Mines and other locations.
Wildlife Program Manager Doug Bell and Naturalist Kevin Dixon will discuss the lives of falcons and other birds of prey: the challenges they face, and their outlook for the future. We will also examine the role the East Bay Parks plays in supporting raptors.
This exciting event will be offered virtually through Zoom for up to 100 participants, and will be simultaneously streamed live on the Black Diamond Mines Facebook Page.
https://www.facebook.com/BlackDiamondMines
*The event will be recorded for later viewing.
What: Prairie Falcons: Flying into the Future
When: Thursday, September 24, 6:30-7:30 pm
Where: wherever you are – see link below
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Meeting ID: 936 4941 0874
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Monthly Program: October 2020
2020-10-01 19:00 - 21:00 | Zoom, CA, United States
Birding Info: David Robinson, from our sister chapter Golden Gate Audubon, will share information about Auk the Vote! Partnering with groups such as the League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club Independent Action, Environmental Voter Project, 350 Bay Area, Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action, and others, Auk the Vote! helps birders do all we can to elect leaders who share our values and our sense of urgency about birds, the environment, environmental justice, and climate change. David Robinson is the unofficial Bird Nerd at The College Preparatory School in Oakland, where his official job is teaching high-school English.
Main Program: From Sea to Summit: The Marvelous Hummingbird with Benny Isaac Jacobs-Schwartz
From Alaska to the high Andes of South America, join us as we explore the magic of hummingbirds! With 360 species recognized globally, we’ll discuss their remarkable biology, expansive range, ecological significance and the best way to attract them to your yard! Mouth watering media, local hummingbird ID and native plants discussion included!
Benny Isaac Jacobs-Schwartz owns and operates a bird guiding business and lifestyle brand called BIRDS by BIJS (pronounced Bee-jus). Working professionally as a naturalist guide, expedition trip leader, and international bird guide, Benny works in a variety of locations. Most recently bringing him to such exotic places like coastal Alaska, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Ecuadorian cloud forest.
Benny or BIJS, has returned to his roots where he works leading birding adventures, and directing a kids outdoor education non-profit called Biocitizen Los Angeles. He is also a passionate photographer, specializing in birds. Benny uses his impressive collection of content to leverage his prolific social media presence. Benny hopes his love of the natural world will inspire others to conserve the open spaces around them and look up more often from their phones!

Golden Gate Audubon Online Class - Introduction to Avian Anatomy and Physiology
2020-10-06 19:00 - 21:00 | CA
A science-based course for curious adult learners who have some birding experience.
An overview of what makes birds unique, including feathers and flight; how birds breathe and how they produce song; their amazing hearts and circulatory system; how they feed, digest, and excrete; how they reproduce and raise their young; how they migrate and navigate.
We will look at some comparison and contrasts to mammals, and we will explore resources for continued learning.

Six Tuesday evening classes by Zoom, October 6, 13, 20, 27; November 3 and 10, 7 to 9 pm.
Instructor: Maureen Lahiff
Limited to 50 participants
$75 for GGAS members, $110 for non-members
Click here to find out more information
Registration opens in September. Once the class is full, you may register to be on a waiting list.

2020 World Migratory Bird Day Live Online
2020-10-08 - 2020-10-10 | Online
World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is a global event that celebrates the phenomenon of bird migrations and serves as a call to action to protect the birds we share. Environment for the Americas organizes WMBD in the Americas, connecting people to bird conservation from Canada to Argentina and the Caribbean. WMBD is officially celebrated on the second Saturday in May (May 9, 2020) and the second Saturday in October each year (October 10, 2020). Because of the nature of bird migrations, however, on-the-ground events take place year-round. Every Day is Bird Day!
This event spans three days and features a large number of presentations for all ages streaming on Facebook.

Global Birding Birdwatching Event
2020-10-17 - 2020-10-18 | Online
WHAT ARE THE AIMS OF THE EVENT?
1. We would like to have as many people as possible join in our Global Bird Weekend on October 17 and 18, 2020. COVID-19 lockdown meant many people became more aware of their local natural surroundings. We want everyone to celebrate their love for nature and birds across the world in their own local areas or “patch”. Part of our weekend event will include eBird’s October Big Day when we aim to create a world record for the largest number of birds seen by the greatest number of people on this peak migration weekend. We hope that at least 25,000 participants will go out Birdwatching on Saturday, October 17 and tell us what they see.
2. Record as many different species of bird as possible. Let us know by recording your sightings on eBird. Our goal is to record more than 6,000 bird species.
3. On Sunday October 18 take your camera, phone, friends and/or sketch pad to your favorite birdwatching area and share those places with your new global friends on our social media pages using:
#GLOBALBIRDWEEKEND
#GLOBALBIRDING
and upload your images to eBird’s dedicated Global Bird Weekend page. You can still upload your bird sightings to eBird that day too!
4. Raise funds for the Birdlife Conservation Project: Stop the illegal trade in birds!

Using eBird (Virtual Tutorial)
2020-10-22 18:30 - 20:00 | CA, United States
eBird is among the world’s largest biodiversity-related science projects, with more than 100 million bird sightings contributed each year by eBirders around the world. A collaborative enterprise with hundreds of partner organizations, thousands of regional experts, and hundreds of thousands of users, eBird is managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
This tutorial is aimed at new users. It will introduce the features and navigation of the site, illustrate how to use the site to explore hotspots, species and other data, and instruct how to enter checklists through the desktop site and the eBird mobile app.
Please contact the organizer (below) for info on how to sign up for this tutorial, free and open to MDAS members.

Monthly Program: November 2020
2020-11-05 19:00 - 21:00 | Zoom, CA, United States
Birding Info: Join Paul Detjens of Contra Costa County Flood Control District and Krista Vossekuil of John Muir Land Trust to learn about the Lower Walnut Creek / Pacheco Marsh Restoration and Public Access Project. The Project will restore and enhance more than 232 acres of salt marsh habitat and become a favorite destination for birdwatchers throughout the region. More here: https://jmlt.org/our-places/pacheco-marsh
Main Program: Wildlife and Wildfire: Animal Adaptations for a Dynamic Ecosystem with Lynn Schofield
Wildfires are an important part of many ecosystems around the world. Fires provide an opportunity for new growth, to return nutrients to the soil, and to create a wholly unique type of habitat. Many species are adapted for these ever-changing systems, and they have developed a wide variety of strategies for making the best of the post-fire habitat. However, these systems exist in a delicate balance. Recently, forest fires have been increasing in size, intensity, and frequency due to human activities, and even fire-adapted species are struggling to keep up. In this talk we discuss how animals survive and thrive in a system defined by fire and what we can do to help protect the balance of these special ecosystems.
Lynn Schofield is a biologist for the Institute for Bird Populations. Her research covers a diversity of topics including bird migration, forest fire ecology, and wetland conservation. In addition to using her research to help inform effective conservation strategies, Lynn also works to help make connections with nature accessible to all. She is one of the core members of the Cal Falcons social media project, a frequent trip leader for the Bay Area chapter of the Feminist Bird Club and a long-time volunteer for the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory.

Bay Area Raptor Rundown
2020-11-06 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Learn to identify raptors on the coast and in the Santa Cruz mountains during the migration season.
Join Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST), as we learn about birds of prey this fall with local Naturalist Jeff Caplan, director of Common Language Nature. Raptors play an integral role in the health of our ecosystems! Learn how to identify migratory and resident raptors when out on the coast or hiking in the Santa Cruz mountains. Jeff focuses on mindfulness, curiosity and bird language to help people from diverse backgrounds feel safe and connected in nature. This basic birding webinar will be great for all ages, especially kids and adults ages 12 and up!
Register HERE. All registrants will receive the access link prior to the event.
About the Instructor:
Bird Language instructor Jeff Caplan weaves 30 years as a naturalist and a teacher of communication skills, to cultivate a common language for connecting more deeply with nature and birds. He inspires youth science educators in Yosemite, tour guides in the Galapagos, and university students in the Amazon Jungles of Ecuador. He weaves mindfulness, citizen science and bird language to help people from diverse backgrounds to feel curious and connected in nature. If you want an invitation to Jeff’s smaller, more personalized workshops on Backyard Bird Language and other topics please go to CommonLanguageNature.com.

Bird, Nest, Nature
2020-11-11 - 2021-02-07 | CA
Due to the rise in COVID-19 cases, county health orders have closed the Bedford Gallery for in-person visits.
You can still view and shop for artwork in the current exhibition, Bird, Nest, Nature, from the comfort of home! There are over 170 pieces of artwork in the show, and they make a perfect holiday gift for the bird lover in your life!
View & Shop the virtual exhibition: bgviewingroom.org

Presented by Bedford Gallery
October 13, 2020 – February 7, 2021 Bird, Nest, Nature is a juried and invitational exhibition featuring a roster of local, national and international artists. Birds have long captured the attention of humankind, the earliest evidence of which can be found in cave drawings that reflect all that we cherish in nature from flora to fauna.Each Visit: approx. 60 minutes
This exhibition was juried by Jeffrey De Blois, Assistant Curator, ICA Boston and Rebecca Lowery, Assistant Curator, MOCA Los Angeles, and includes over 150 artists inspired by the exquisite beauty of creatures of flight.

Virtual Talk: Monitoring nesting boxes for the California Wood Duck Program
2020-11-19 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
Join SPAWNERS for their first virtual talk. Doug Vaughan will talk about his experiences monitoring nesting boxes for the California Wood Duck Program at the San Pablo Reservoir.
Participants must RSVP to helen@thewatershedproject.org to receive the meeting link, which will be sent several days prior to the event.
SPAWNERS mission is to protect the San Pablo Creek Watershed and inspire community appreciation and stewardship through advocacy, education, and habitat restoration.

The Return of the Pine Canyon Peregrines, a film by Joan Hamilton
2020-11-20 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
THANKSGIVING FILM PREMIERE: Audible Mount Diablo’s Newest Film
The Return of the Pine Canyon Peregrines, a film by Joan Hamilton
Watch the film: Friday, 11/20 at 4:00 PM on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFqtvJhx-5U&feature=youtu.be
Live Q&A panel discussion after the film on Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/97609709144
Once extinct in the Bay Area, these masters of the sky have made a dramatic comeback. How did they do it? With help from a remarkable team of bold biologists and determined volunteers.
Mount Diablo Interpretive Association and Save Mount Diablo will premiere the newest film in the Audible Mount Diablo series, The Return of the Pine Canyon Peregrines, in a special Thanksgiving presentation on Friday, November 20, 2020, at 4:00 PM via YouTube, with a live Q&A panel discussion following immediately on Zoom.
Join in to see this uplifting story, spanning more than 100 years, of the falcon’s fall and rise. By 1950, DDT had wiped out peregrines in the Bay Area, including in Pine Canyon, and had nearly driven the species extinct in the US as a whole.
Just-in-time restoration efforts brought this fastest-critter-in-the-world back from the brink. In Pine Canyon, it took four years of hard work, 1989 to 1993, to turn the corner. Today’s Peregrine Team in Pine Canyon, a natural history education group made up of Diablo volunteers and founded in 2015, has its roots in that time.

Monthly Program: December 2020
2020-12-03 19:00 - 21:00 | Zoom, CA, United States
Birding Info: Do you love Northern Saw-whet Owls? Julie Woodruff will provide an update on her Northern Saw-whet Owl banding project, a local program supported by Mt. Diablo Audubon Society.

Main Program: Tricolored Blackbirds with Xerónimo Castañeda
Xeronimo Castañeda is a Conservation Project Manager with Audubon California. A native of California he has lived and worked from Monterey to Arcata, ventured to the east coast and eventually finding his way to Sacramento. His work with Audubon focuses on habitat restoration and enhancement through multi-benefit management of Central Valley wetlands, agricultural operations, and groundwater recharge projects to benefit birds and people.
Current conservation work Xeronimo will present on this evening are 1) the protection of at-risk Tricolored Blackbird colonies, 2) development of multi-benefit groundwater recharge projects in target regions to benefit birds and communities, and 3) on-farm habitat enhancement using cover crops and through riparian restoration. Away from work, Xeronimo spends time backpacking, riding bikes, cooking, and of course birding.

2020 East County Christmas Bird Count
2020-12-16 | CA
Hold the date for the 20th annual East Contra Costa County Christmas Bird Count! Species and total numbers of birds within this count circle will be censused. To participate in field trips led by experienced birders on this special occasion, or to tally birds at your yard/feeder if you live within the count circle, contact one of the organizers below. For more details please visit the MDAS CBC page.

Sand Dunes and Salt Flats
2020-12-17 19:00 - 20:30 | Online
Presented by Bob Lewis

Namibia is one of the least densely populated countries in the world, with 2.6 million residents. It has the largest sand dunes in the world, and it hasn’t rained for over 10 years in parts of the Namib Desert. But it hosts many birds and animals that have learned to survive in this arid place. Bob and GGAS friends spent some time in Cape Town, and then drove to Walvis Bay to meet the GGAS tour group. Bob will show you many of the desert creatures he saw on tour. Photo of Burchell’s Courser by Bob Lewis.

2020 Central County Christmas Bird Count
2020-12-19 | CA
Hold the date for the Central Contra Costa County Christmas Bird Count, a tradition going back to 1955! Species and total numbers of birds within this count circle will be censused. To participate in field trips led by experienced birders on this special occasion, or to tally birds at your yard/feeder if you live within the count circle, contact one of the organizers below. For more details please visit the MDAS CBC page.
