Seabirds and Marine Mammals
of the Point Reyes Headlands
Friday, June 2, 2023
9:00 am - 3:30 pm
The area between Chimney Rock and the Lighthouse is one of the most visually striking in the national seashore. In the early summer its natural history is equally rich. Pigeon Guillemot, Common Murre and Brandt's Cormorant are some of the birds nesting on the sea cliffs while some loons, grebes and Surf Scoters linger in Drakes Bay.
This class will cover the nesting behaviors of these seabirds. In some conditions warblers, flycatchers and other songbirds pause in the cypress trees on the way to their breeding regions. We will focus on the identification and behaviors of all these species.
Molting Elephant Seals may be on the beaches while other pinnipeds feed in the rich marine habitat. With any luck there may be a feeding Humpback Whale offshore or a lingering Gray Whale just past the surf. All this and more contribute to a wonderfully rich tapestry of biological diversity. In several short hikes we will explore this area and discover its full splendor.
sponsored by the Point Reyes Field Institute
Fall Migration at the Point
September 2023 Date yet to be determined
9:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Sponsored by Point Reyes Field Institute
Fall can be one of the most exciting times for birding at Point Reyes National Seashore. Specific conditions and weather patterns may cause a wide variety of migrant warblers, flycatchers and other land birds to rest and feed in trees near the Lighthouse, ranches and Drakes Beach.
Migration can be especially dramatic at this time when many surprises and unusual birds have been discovered. Warblers may include common migrants like Townsend's and Yellows, but also surprises from other parts of California and the entire continent.
During this outing we will explore a wide variety of habitats in search of these species, raptors, shorebirds and any other birds that may be in the area. This class will meet at the Chimney Rock parking area. It will consist of several short walks.
Down For the Count: Exploring Bird Diversity and Abundance at Point Reyes
Sunday, December 17, 2023
9:30 am to 3:30 pm
For over fifty years the Point Reyes Christmas Bird Count (CBC) has been an annual tradition monitoring the winter populations of over two hundred species of birds here. The National Seashore and adjoining areas rank in the top ten of over two thousand counts nationwide in terms of species diversity. This remarkable accomplishment is mostly the result of the wide variety of habitats here. A week before the 2022 count we will enjoy some of this amazing avian diversity. The outing will be moderately fast paced with the focus of seeing a large variety of birds, but allowing time to learn bird identification by sight and sound.
David compiled the CBC for twenty years and will share information on population trends of birds at Point Reyes. Learn which birds are more common here than in the past and conversely which are less common. This outing will begin at the Bear Valley picnic area.
Birds of the Delta
A Natural History Cruise
February 4,2023
TO REGISTER Call Dolphin Charters
(510) 527-9622 or (800) 472-9942
Come aboard for a wonderful day exploring the rich habitats of the California Delta system. Our trip will begin in Antioch and we’ll cruise the meandering sloughs and channels in comfort aboard the River Dolphin with its elevated viewing platform. Shorebirds, raptors and thousands of waterfowl, such as Tundra Swans, Snow Geese, White-fronted Geese, numerous ducks and stately Sandhill Cranes are birds that will be in the air or marshes most of the day. In previous years, participants have sighted six or more species of raptors including harriers, kites and Peregrine Falcon. Enjoy a specialized look at the rich natural and human history of the California Delta at a time of year when bird life is abundant.
Winter Birds of Tomales Bay
February 10, 2023
Sponsored by Point Reyes Field Institute
Tomales Bay is an important wintering area for thousands of loons, grebes, ducks and other waterbirds. The tidal flats, marshes, rocky shores, and beaches provide diverse feeding areas for raptors, shorebirds and waders. We’ll focus on bird identification and behavior during short and easy walks. Our class begins at the bakery in Tomales and then we explore the mouth of the bay, a dramatic ecosystem. After returning to Tomales we visit habitats along the east shore of the bay, including Cypress Grove Preserve, a research center of Aububon Canyon Ranch, which protects nearly 500 acres of important and diverse lands. The class will end with an overlook of the Giacomini wetlands, one of the largest wetland restoration projects on the California coast and a joint effort of the Point Reyes National Seashore Association and the National Park Service.
Birding 101
April 16, 2023
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
sponsored by Point Reyes Field Institute
This class covers the basics of field identification of birds as well as insights into the use of binoculars, scopes, apps and field guides. Birding is one of the most popular and enjoyable pastimes in the country. Come discover why. Enjoy the incredible bird diversity of Point Reyes National Seashore. Coastal estuaries such as Tomales Bay and Bolinas Lagoon are rich feeding areas for huge numbers of waterbirds, raptors and other land birds. Bird identification and behavior will be a focus in a series of short walks.
Spring Migration at Point Reyes
April 28, 2023
8:30 am - 4:00 pm
sponsored by the Point Reyes Field Institute
Explore the varied habitats of Point Reyes National Seashore at the peak of the bird breeding season. Around Bear Valley we will look for resident and neotropical breeding species, including Pacific-slope and several other flycatchers, vireos, sparrows and warblers. Grebes, loons and other waterbirds will be our focus at Drakes Beach. Osprey, Red-shouldered Hawk and Northern Harrier are raptors that frequent these areas. The class may visit other coastal locations as well to view seabirds. We will meet at the picnic area near the Bear Valley Visitor Center. The class will focus on identification and bird behavior in a series of short walks.
Natural History of the Point Reyes Headlands
TBD Spring, 2023
sponsored by the Point Reyes Field Institute
The area between the Lighthouse, Chimney Rock and Drakes Beach is one of the most visually striking in the national seashore. In the spring its natural history is equally rich. Blooming paintbrush, lillies, iris and other wildflowers put on a dramatic and diverse display. Young or molting Elephant Seals rest on beaches while Harbor Seals, California Sea Lions and other pinnipeds feed in the rich marine habitat. This can be a good time to see migratory Gray Whales, perhaps mothers with their nursing calves. Pigeon Guillemot, Common Murre and Brandt's Cormorant are some of the birds nesting in the area while loons, Surf Scoter and Brant migrate past the point, sometimes in the thousands. All this and more contribute to a wonderfully rich tapestry of biological diversity. In several short hikes we will explore this area and discover its full splendor. The class will meet at the Lighthouse parking lot.
Point Reyes Birding and Nature Festival
April 21 - 23, 2023
Many field trips and presentations led by some of the most knowledgeable naturalists and biologists in the Bay Area. Due to covid restrictions, details of this popular festival are still being worked out.
http://www.pointreyesbirdingfestival.org/
Shorebirds at Point Reyes
TBD 2023
Sponsored by the Point Reyes Field Institute
Limantour Beach and estero are some of the most productive wetlands at Point Reyes National Seashore. On this exploration hike we will visit the the area to observe a variety of shorebirds and other birds which we will study.
This is an especially good time to observe and learn the differences between phalaropes and plovers, Sanderlings and sandpipers. Breeding species like Snowy Plover are joined by migrant godwit, dowitchers and a variety of small sandpipers. Elegant Terns, Surf Scoters and other ducks, raptors and additional birds may be seen on this four-mile hike.
Fall Migration at the Point
TBD, 2023
9:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Sponsored by Point Reyes Field Institute
Fall can be one of the most exciting times for birding at Point Reyes National Seashore. Specific conditions and weather patterns may cause a wide variety of migrant warblers, flycatchers and other land birds to rest and feed in trees near the Lighthouse, ranches and Drakes Beach.
Migration can be especially dramatic at this time when many surprises and unusual birds have been discovered. Warblers may include common migrants like Townsend's and Yellows, but also surprises from other parts of California and the entire continent.
During this outing we will explore a wide variety of habitats in search of these species, raptors, shorebirds and any other birds that may be in the area. This class will meet at the Chimney Rock parking area. It will consist of several short walks.
