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

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

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

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

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

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

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