Monthly Program: June 2026
2026-06-04 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | The Camellia Room at The Gardens at Heather Farm, 1540 Marchbanks Drive, Walnut Creek, CA, 94598, United States
Mount Diablo Bird Alliance will meet Thursday, June 4 in the Camellia Room at the Gardens at Heather Farm, 1540 Marchbanks Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94598.

6:30 PM Doors Open
7:00 PM Announcements
7:15 PM Refreshments and Raffle
7:30 PM Main Program: Gardening for Wildlife
*as a conservation organization we encourage you to bring your own mug for coffee or tea
Main Program: Bringing Nature Home with Kathy Kramer
Want to learn how to create a beautiful garden that saves water, money, time, and the planet? Join us on June 4 for a program with Kathy Kramer, who will share how we can create beautiful water conserving native plants gardens that are teeming with life. By creating a wildlife friendly garden, you can make the world a better place for our children and grandchildren.
In 2005, Ms. Kramer founded, and she still coordinates, the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour. Through this program more than 225,000 visits have been made to native plant gardens in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
For nearly forty years, Ms. Kramer has been developing programs that educate Bay Area residents about local environmental issues. The programs developed under Ms. Kramer’s leadership have received local, state, and national awards, including:

the Department of Pesticide Regulation’s Environmental Innovator’s Award,
the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award,
the National Wetlands Award for Education/Outreach Award, and
the Jefferson Award

MDBA Field Trip -- Search for the Silky Flycatcher
2026-06-07 07:30 - 10:00 | Montecito Dr Parking Lot (Lime Ridge), 5150 Montecito Dr, Concord, CA, 94521
Phainopeplas are the only representatives of the silky flycatcher family that are regularly found in the US. In Contra Costa County, they are most commonly found east of Mount Diablo in winter, but in summer they can also be found locally in select places. We’ll search Lime Ridge for Phainopeplas early in the day before the heat kicks in. Keep an eye out for clumps of mistletoe in the oaks, which the birds love. We’ll also have a chance to see other summer visitors including Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, and multiple swallow species.
Water, sunscreen, and shade are musts on this hike! Even by late morning it can get quite warm.
Trail Rating: 3 – Dry, hilly, potentially hot, and more than a mile.
Leader: Elisa Fernandes-McDade, elisa.fernandesmcdade@gmail.com
Meeting Point: 5150 Montecito Dr, Concord, CA 94521. There are multiple access points along Lime Ridge. We’ll meet at the parking lot just off Ygnacio Valley Road.
GPS: 37.94668064840542, -121.99249383706143
Directions: (Northbound) Take I-680 north. Take Exit 44 for Rudgear Rd and continue on South Broadway for 1 mile. Take a right onto Newell Ave and be prepared to take the next left in 300 ft onto Newell Hill Pl. Turn left onto San Miguel Dr. Be prepared to take the next right in 300ft onto Sierra Dr. In half a mile, turn left onto Walnut Blvd and continue for another half mile before turning left onto Ygnacio Valley Blvd. Continue for 5 miles. Turn right onto Montecito Dr. The destination will be on your right just after the intersection.
This outing is limited to 15 people. Register HERE:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/search-for-the-silky-flycatcher-tickets-1989778836062
(Image of Phainopepla by Maren Smith)
