If you or your organization is interested in having a table at the Point Reyes Birding and Nature Festival, please fill out the form below and return to us either by emailing it to prbnfestival@gmail or by regular mail to Susan Kelly, P.O. Box 609, Point Reyes, CA 94956.

Thanks and see you in April!

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Children accompanied by an adult are specifically encouraged to sign up for:

• Birds & Dunes of Abbott’s Lagoon for Families with Sharon Barnett and Kevin Stockmann, Saturday 8:30 to 1
• Birdathon4Kids with Tom Rusert & Darren Peterie– Sunday, 9 to 1
• Tidepooling at Duxbury Reef with Andrea Freeman– Sunday, 11 to 3
• Nesting Egrets at Griffin Preserve with Sarah Millus– Sunday, 1 to 4:30

Families are also welcome to sign up for the following outings, keeping in mind that there may be several hours of hiking and adult participants along. Please read the trip descriptions on the Schedule page to gauge the suitability of the outing for your children:

• Birding for Beginners with Missy Wipf– Friday, 1 to 4
• Birdbanding at Palomarin with PRBO Conservation Science– Saturday, 7:30 to 12
• Tracking and Awareness with Richard Vacha– Saturday, 7:30 to 11
• Terrestrial Mammals of Point Reyes with John Harris– Sunday, 8 to 12

Friday, April 27 | Saturday, April 28 | Sunday, April 29

Download Schedule at a Glance

Pelagic Trip to Cordell Bank
Monday, April 30 (8:00 am – 4:00 pm)
$140

This all-day cruise aboard the “New Sea Angler” will be an exploration of the pelagic zone that lies off the Sonoma and Marin coasts. Just after leaving Bodega Bay the group will begin looking for migrating flocks of loon, scoter, and brant, while common murre and pigeon guillemot may dive near the boat. The destination is the Cordell Bank, a granitic undersea mount off the Continental Shelf that rises to within 100 feet of the surface. Upwelling of nutrients and oxygen-rich water here fuel a rich food chain that supports a varied assemblage of seabirds and marine mammals. The whole area is part of the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary.

This outing has an unpredictable element as few pelagic birding trips visit these waters in the spring. Birds that feed here include tufted puffin, Cassin’s and rhinoceros auklet, and black-footed albatross. Less common species may include Northern fulmar, Pomarine jaeger, Red phalarope, Sooty and Pink-footed Shearwater. There’s always a chance for the unexpected— Sabine’s gull, Laysan albatross, or even a Murphy’s petrel. On our cruise in 2010 we enjoyed extended views of a Great shearwater! Gray whales migrate along the coast at this time, but humpback whale, Dall’s porpoise and killer whale are some of the other cetaceans possible.

Special Registration procedure: Because the conditions at sea on the date of the trip may be deemed unfavorable by the captain, tickets for this outing will not be sold by our ticket vendor, Brown Paper Tickets. Instead, please send a check ($140 per person) to EAC-Pelagic, PO Box 609, Point Reyes Station CA 94956. We will put your name on the list and hold the check until the date of the trip and simply return it you if the trip is cancelled. Please also provide your email address and cell phone number so we can let you know if the forecasted conditions are not sufficiently favorable for the trip to go.

For additional background on the Cordell Bank, sign up for our informative talk, “Cordell Bank: Above and Below the Surface,” from 3:00 – 4:00 pm on Friday, April 27.

Guides: Lisa Hug and Dan Singer
Meeting Place: Outside EAC Office, 65 Third Street, Suite 14, at 6:45 am to carpool or join the group in Bodega Bay at Porto Bodega parking lot at 7:45 am. Travel north on Highway 1 into the town of Bodega Bay; continue north and turn left onto Eastshore Road, where a brown sign points toward Bodega Head. At the bottom of the hill, continue straight ahead to the large gravel parking area.
Event location: Boat departs from Port Bodega
What to bring: Binoculars; warm, waterproof clothing for a variety of conditions, no matter what the weather forecast; water; seasickness medication; lunch
Limited to 45 participants, but the trip will only go if at least 22 people sign up.

Friday, April 27 | Saturday, April 28 | Sunday, April 29

Friday, April 27 |  Saturday, April 29 | Monday, April 30

Download Schedule at a Glance

King Ridge Road and the Russian River
Sunday, April 29 (6:30 am – 1:00 pm)
$65

We will bird the Russian River area at Duncan’s Mills, then along Austin Creek near Cazadero and finally King’s Ridge Road. Birds often found in this area include common merganser, green heron, red-shouldered hawk, Cooper’s hawk, band-tailed pigeon, northern pygmy owl, Allen’s hummingbird, Nuttall’s woodpecker, acorn woodpecker, red-breasted sapsucker, Pacific-slope flycatcher, olive-sided flycatcher, ash-throated flycatcher, western wood pewee, western kingbird, oak titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, house wren, warbling and Cassin’s vireo, western bluebird, hermit thrush, Steller’s jay; tree, violet-green, barn and cliff swallow; orange-crowned, Wilson’s and black-throated grey warbler, lark sparrow, western tanager, black-headed grosbeak, lazuli bunting, lesser goldfinch and American goldfinch. Great habitat diversity from the broad riparian zone through several forest types at the southern end of the Coast Range gives us a chance for less common species such as sooty grouse, mountain quail, American dipper, pileated woodpecker, golden eagle, peregrine falcon, hermit warbler and white-throated swift.

Guide: Ian Morrison
Where to meet: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station at 6:30 am or at Duncan’s Mills in front of the coffee shop (there is only one) at 8 am. It will be essential to car pool from the coffee shop as parking along King Ridge Road is very limited. There are no restroom facilities beyond Duncan’s Mills.
What to bring: Binoculars, scope, lunch, water, sun protection, snack
Limited to 15 participants
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Tomales Bay to Drake’s Bay
Sunday, April 29 (8 am -12.30 pm)
$40

Join Ken Wilson and Becky Olsen for the exploration of the diverse and productive habitats of Point Reyes. This group will begin the morning on the west shore of Tomales Bay near the town of Inverness looking for gulls, waterfowl and shorebirds. Driving further west we will search Bishop Pines for a range of passerines that will include recently returned neotropical migrants. Ultimately, having birded some riparian and grassland habitats, participants will check out the shoreline and waters of Drakes Bay for those birds that prefer the coastline of the Pacific Ocean, such as loons, red-necked grebes, scoters and shorebirds.

Guides: Ken Wilson and Becky Olsen
Carpool from: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 8.00 am
Event location: Diverse spots along the west side of Tomales Bay, continuing to Drake’s Beach
What to bring: Binoculars, hiking shoes, warm clothing, water, snacks
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Birding Drakes Estero
Sunday, April 29 (8:00 am – 1:00 pm)
$45

This trail through open grassland offers outstanding views of Drakes Estero and Limantour Estero and of locally rich bird life. The Home Ranch is located at the northern end of Drakes Estero, and the area around it offers a number of quality habitats. Look for waterfowl, shorebirds, and raptors as well as resident and migratory land birds. Easy trail walking.

Guide: Alan Hopkins
Carpool from: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 8:00 am
Event location: Starts at Estero Trail parking area.
What to bring: Binoculars, spotting scope if possible, hiking boots, warm clothing, water, lunch
Limited to 15 participants
Target bird or species information: Grasshopper sparrows, migrant shorebirds and songbirds, Tule elk, coyote, bobcats
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Birds and Tea at Tomasini Point
Sunday, April 29 ( 9:00 am – 12:00 pm)
$30

Our master guide is sure to provide some unusual angles on the birdlife of a seldom-traveled place — as well as a tasting of exceptional Chinese teas! This entertaining hike begins at Tomasini Point, the promontory just north of Millerton Point on Tomales Bay. The route will include grasslands, oak woodland, an estuary pond, Meditation Marsh, and tidal flats along the shore of the bay. We will sample teas such as Monkey Picked Oolong from Yunan, Birds Tongue from Fujian Province, and some first blush Bi Luo Chun at several stops and, if there’s time, on the bluff overlooking the Bivalve and the outer marshes. Easy trail walking.

Guide: Terry Nordbye
Carpool from: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 9:00 am
Event location: Tomasini Point, about six miles north of Point Reyes Station on Highway One
What to bring: Binoculars, hiking boots, warm clothing including long pants, water
Limited to 10 participants
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Raptors!
Sunday, April 29 (8:00 am – 1:00 pm)
$40

Raptors often puzzle birders because of their similar plumage and the difficulty of identifying them when they are flying far away or even overhead. Join raptor biologist Joe DiDonato for a field trip to learn more about raptors, their habits, how to identify them, and their interesting courtship displays. The trip will seek red-tailed and red-shouldered hawk, osprey, white tailed kite, northern harrier, American kestrel, and other raptors. The trip will visit a variety of habitats in the Point Reyes National Seashore.

Guide: Joe DiDonato
Where to meet: Bear Valley Visitor Center, Point Reyes National Seashore at 8:00 am
Event location: Bear Valley, other sites in Point Reyes National Seashore
What to bring: Binoculars, hiking shoes, warm clothing, water, lunch, sunscreen, field guides
Limited to 15 participants
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Five Brooks
Sunday, April 29 (7:30 am – 1:30 pm)
$60

Join Rigdon Currie and Will Wilson for a ramble that starts at Point Reyes National Seashore’s Five Brooks trailhead. From there, travel along some of the area’s heavily forested trails which wind through old stands of Douglas fir, California bay, and coast live oak trees. Bird around Five Brooks pond, a former millpond that is now a favorite spot for birds and birders. Responsible use of recorded bird songs will be discussed. Includes lunch at Rigdon’s house, also a productive birding spot. Easy trail walking.

Guides: Rigdon Currie and Will Wilson
Carpool from: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 7:30 am
Event location: Five Brooks Trailhead, six miles south of Olema on Highway One
What to bring: Binoculars, hiking shoes, warm clothing, water, snacks
Limited to 15 participants
Target bird or species information: Ducks and woodland species, possibly purple martin
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Tidepooling at Duxbury Reef – Life on the Edge
Sunday April 29 (11:00 am – 3:00 pm)
$30

Come enjoy a low-tide exploration of one of the largest shale reefs in North America. We’ll discuss the unique geology of the area and the marine influences that make it such a rich site. Peering into tidepools we’ll marvel at extraordinary critters, admiring the adaptations that enable them to survive. The sunflower sea star, which can grow 24 arms and 15,000 tube feet, is but one of the remarkable animals found in the tidepools that we might see. Other equally amazing invertebrates include purple sea urchins, giant green anemones, ochre sea stars, an array of crabs and curious worms, as well as mussels, whelks, barnacles, limpets, chitons and bryozoans. If we’re lucky, we may also find some nudibranchs – sea slugs of such incredible beauty they’re referred to as the ‘butterflies of the sea’. We’ll also be looking at the diverse assemblage of seaweeds, many of which are edible, that grow on the reef. All ages welcome.

Guide: Andrea Freeman
Carpool from: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station at 11 am or meet the group at Agate Beach County Park in Bolinas at 11:30. To reach the park, travel on Route 1 to the north end of Bolinas Lagoon, take the diagonal turnoff that leads to the west. Turn left at the T intersection next to the plant nursery. Continue past the school to Mesa Road, turn right. At Overlook Road, turn left; continue to Elm, turn right and proceed to the parking lot at the end of the road.
Event location: Duxbury Reef
What to bring: The reef is covered with slippery algae and we’ll be walking about a mile so wear reef-walking shoes, wading boots, or shoes with some grip that you don’t mind getting wet. Dress in layers. Bring binoculars, a hand lens if you have one, lunch.
Target birds or species information: In addition to the tidepool critters, we’re likely to see harbor seals that often use the reef as a haul out. We may see gray whales who hug the coast with their calves as they migrate northward. Birds that frequent the reef include herons, egrets, cormorants, black oystercatchers, brown pelicans, and western gulls
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Birding by Ear: Forest Birds
Sunday, April 29 (7:00 am – 12:00 pm)
$40

Join Ed Pandolfino in a diverse forest habitat, concentrating on the many woodland birds that sing this time of year. This outing is offered in conjunction with EAC’s custom CD, Birding By Ear at Point Reyes. Order a copy from the Merchandise Page. The CD covers three habitats: chaparral and grasslands, forest and woodlands, and wetlands both fresh and saltwater. Separate field walks are scheduled for each habitat. Participants should purchase the CD through the festival website and sign up for as many of the field walks as desired. For maximum success in learning birdsong, listen in advance to the portion of the CD pertaining to habitat covered during the outing. Easy walking.

Guide: Ed Pandolfino
Carpool from: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 7:00 am
Event location: Five Brooks Pond
What to bring: Binoculars, hiking boots, warm clothing, water
Limited to 12 participants
Target species: Pileated woodpecker, Pacific slope flycatcher, warbling vireo, brown creeper, Pacific wren, Swainson’s thrush, orange-crowned and Wilson’s warblers
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Terrestrial Mammals of Point Reyes
Sunday, April 29 (8:00 am – 12:00 pm)
$35

Point Reyes National Seashore is home to such dynamic mammals as Tule elk, coyote, bobcat, seals, sea lions and whales. Almost 40 species of land mammals inhabit the area including a diverse group of rodents, weasels, hares, ringtail, and mountain lion. Join biologist John Harris to discover the natural history and unique world of many of these elusive animals. This field trip will include the use of live traps that will allow a closer study and appreciation of several mice, voles, and other nocturnal rodents.

Guide: John Harris
Carpool from: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 8:00 am
Event location: Environmental Ed Center, Coast trail, Point Reyes National Seashore
What to bring: Binoculars, hiking shoes, warm clothing, water, lunch
Limited to 15 participants
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Walking Big Day
Sunday, April 29 (7:00 am – 4:30 pm)
$85

Join naturalist and expert birder David Wimpfheimer for a Big Day on foot. The group will walk through wetland, oak and fir forest, grassland and riparian habitats as we walk from the Giacomini wetlands by Olema Marsh through varied habitats to the ocean at Limantour Beach. The hike will be around 11 miles and 80-100 species of birds will be seen. The walk goes up and over Inverness Ridge, a gain of 1000 feet. This is not a trip for beginners: the goal is to see and hear as many birds as possible during a challenging, but wonderfully rich day. Although the pace will be fast a main focus will be on bird identification by sight and sound.

Guide: David Wimpfheimer
Where to meet: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station at 7:00 am
Event location: Limantour Beach, Giacomini Wetlands, Olema Marsh, and other parts of Point Reyes National Seashore.
What to bring: Binoculars, hiking shoes, warm clothing, water, lunch, snacks
Limited to 15 participants
Target birds: Large variety of raptors, shorebirds, waterfowl, and passerines.
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Birding Abbott’s Lagoon
Sunday, April 29 (8:30 am – 2:00 pm)
$55

Flanking the Pacific Ocean and Point Reyes’ Great Beach, Abbott’s Lagoon attracts many wintering, migrant shorebirds, waterfowl, and threatened species such as the snowy plover. Alvaro Jaramillo will share his extensive knowledge of the distribution and identification of the many bird species that participants will see on the outing. Moderate walking, including off trail.

Guide: Alvaro Jaramillo
Carpool from: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station at 8:30 am
Event location: Abbott’s Lagoon Trailhead, Pierce Point Road, Inverness
What to bring: Binoculars, spotting scope (optional), warm clothing, footwear suitable for sand, wet grass, and mud; water, lunch
Limited to 15 participants
Target bird or species information: Raptors; scrub, grassland, and riparian land birds; waterfowl; loons; grebes; shorebirds; gulls; terns; snowy plover
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Birding Stinson Beach and Bolinas Lagoon
Sunday, April 29 (8:30 am – 2:00 pm)
$50

Join well-known bird expert and artist Keith Hansen for a tour of the Stinson Beach and Bolinas Lagoon area. This tour will cover forested and coastline habitats as well as the very productive mudflats in Bolinas Lagoon. Easy walking.

Guide: Keith Hansen
Where to meet: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 8:30 or Stinson Beach Post Office, Stinson Beach, at 9:00 am
Event location: Stinson Beach and Bolinas Lagoon
What to bring: Binoculars, hiking boots, warm clothing, wate, lunch
Limited to 15 participants
Target species: Shorebirds, many ducks and other waterbirds, and dozens of forest and grassland birds.
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Birding the Ranchlands of Chileno Valley
Sunday, April 29 (8:00 am – 2:00 pm)
$40

Thousands of acres of wild, undeveloped ranchlands contain critical grassland, chaparral, and riparian habitat in West Marin. Western kingbird, lazuli bunting, rufous-crowned and grasshopper sparrows are breeding species here that are seldom found in coastal zones. This three-mile walk will focus on the natural history of species in these habitats. This unique property is usually not accessible to the general public. Moderate walking. There are no restrooms available at this location.

Guide: Bob Power
Carpool from: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 8:00 am
Event location: Chileno Valley Ranch. (Don’t try to drive to this remote location; use the carpool)
What to bring: Binoculars, spotting scope (optional), hiking boots, warm clothing, water, lunch
Limited to 15 participants
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Wildflowers of Chimney Rock
Sunday, April 29 (9:00 am – 1:00 pm)
$35

Join Susan Cochrane Levitsky on a tour of the wildflower gardens of Chimney Rock. This spectacular area has an enormous number of wildflowers. Here at the western edge of the continent you’ll see one species after another on this gorgeous, casual walk of under 3 miles. Don’t forget to look out to sea or up in the sky once in awhile, to catch a glimpse of a whale or peregrine falcon going by! Easy, mostly flat trail walking.

Guide: Susan Cochrane Levitsky
Carpool from: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 9:00 am
Event location: Chimney Rock parking lot
What to bring: Binoculars, hiking boots, warm clothing/wind protection, water
Limited to 15 participants
Target species: Tidy tips, lupine, California poppies, dozens more!
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Birding Chimney Rock
Sunday, April 29 (8:30 am – 2:00 pm)
$50

It’s hard to beat the combination of local birds of the grasslands, shore, and ocean found at Chimney Rock, not to mention the occasional rare eastern vagrant. And there is always the chance of seeing a whale or other marine mammals. Join Bill Yeates to bird this fascinating and beautiful area. Easy trail walking.

Guide: Bill Yeates
Carpool from: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 8:30 am
What to bring: Binoculars, spotting scope and lens (if possible), hiking boots, warm clothing, water, rain/wind gear
Limited to 15 participants
Target species: loons (3 species), grebes (5 species), pigeon guillemot, Brandt’s and pelagic cormorants; great horned owl; black oystercatcher; peregrine falcon; rock wren; northern harrier; savannah sparrow; common murre, western bluebird
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Digital Photography Workshop
Sunday, April 29 (9 am – 2pm)
$50

Bring your camera and get ready to learn about exposure, composition and capturing wildlife using digital single lens reflex-type cameras. Ron LeValley has spent 40 years photographing nature and become expert in the camera technology that has evolved over that time. Ron will review settings on digital SLR cameras and techniques of exposure, depth of field and capturing moving targets.

Presenter: Ron LeValley
Event Location: West Marin School, Room 2
What to bring: your camera, lunch, water
Limited to 15 participants
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Farming Birds by Growing Habitat with Rich Stallcup
and STRAW staff Laurette Rogers and John Parodit
Sunday, April 28 (9 am – 1 pm)
$45 for adults.  Children under 18 are free.

This event will begin with an indoor presentation to introduce STRAW (Students and Teachers Restoring a Watershed), an innovative habitat restoration program created by PRBO Conservation Science. To date, STRAW has involved over 27,000 students and 450 teachers and regrown 23 miles of streamside forest where formerly there was only mud! All of this astounding restoration has taken place on northbay ranches and Open Space lands, mostly in Marin and Sonoma Counties.

After watching a short film about the program, join Rich Stallcup and STRAW staff Laurette Rogers and John Parodi on an excursion to the nearby Martinelli Ranch, the site of one of the newly-resurrected riparian communites. Rich will point out the many species of resident and migratory birds thriving in the ranch’s grassland, chaparral, ponds and the newly restored riparian zone, answer questions and offer identification tips. This is a unique opportunity to enjoy a relaxed outing with one of the region’s top birders and to see for yourself how ranching can support bird conservation. This is a kid-friendly event.

Presenters: Rich Stallcup, Laurette Rogers and John Parodi
Place to meet: West Marin School, Rm 1
What to bring: binoculars, hiking boots, layered clothing, water and lunch
Limited to 20 participants
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Walk Like a Heron:  A Half-Day Exploring Inner and Outer Nature on Mt. Tamalpais with Tai Chi and Careful Observation
Sunday, April 28 (10 am – 3 pm)
$40

On this outing we will journey through inner landscapes of energy mapped by the meridian  system of Chinese medicine, and learn how attuning our inner nature can profoundly enhance our observation skills and appreciation of our surroundings.  Tai Chi originated by observing the movement qualities of Nature.  Mt. Tam on a spring day offers many splendid eco-types in which to explore.  We’ll head up to the open grassland and oak savanah hills of Bolinas Ridge, which at 1,800 ft. offers stunning views of the Pacific and all of Northern Marin County.  After a walk and some warm-up tai chi exercises, we’ll enjoy lunch amidst the wildflowers.  We’ll then drop down into Cataract Canyon for a 3-4 mile loop through Old Growth Douglas Fir, chaparall, and serpentine/Sargent Cypress ecosystems.  Attention will be given to slowing down and keeping talking to a minimum to quietly absorb the environments we travel through.  There will be a snack break for group discussion and insights learned from this harmonious interplay of inner and outer Nature.

Difficulty:  moderate, with approx. 500 ft. elevation gain/loss.

Presenters: Christopher Anderl
Place to meet: Meet at the West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 10:00 am, then carpool to the trail.
What to bring: Binoculars, spotting scope if possible, hiking boots, warm clothing, water, lunch
Limited to 15 participants
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Coastal Grassland and Freshwater Marsh Wildflowers
Sunday, April 29 (12:30 pm to 4:00 pm)
$30

This walk will take the group into the marshy wetlands near the Bull Point trailhead, then into coastal grassland and old dunes. Locally unusual plants can be found here such as blue camas, tofieldia, may-lilies, native clovers, yellow-eyed-grass, Point Reyes checkerbloom, coast gilia, rose linanthus, and San Francisco spineflower to mention just a few of the species in the flatlands. What actually will be in flower depends on the preceding weather. A full plant list by Latin scientific name is available online at the Marin Chapter Native Plant Society website www.marin.edu/cnps/. This is an easy trail walk but some parts may be wet underfoot .

Guide: Doreen Smith
Carpool from: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 12:30 pm
What to bring: binoculars, 10X hand lens (optional), camera, hiking boots, hat, water, and warm, wind and waterproof clothing as the weather is quite unpredictable.
Limited to 20 participants
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Beginning Birding Field Class
Sunday, April 29 (8:30 am – 12:00)
$35

You may have already dived into this wonderful world of birding. Maybe you’ve been watching birds for a while in a friendly small group. Or maybe, you have a backyard feeder and the birds using it have raised your curiosity. In any case, this class will help you further enjoy your birding experience. Starting with an introduction to birds and a tutorial on using a field guide, we’ll also cover bird behavior. In the field we’ll learn species identification and how to find and explain a bird location to other birders. Attend this class and learn more the basic of birding.

Guide: Rich Cimino
Carpool from: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 8:30 am
What to bring: Binoculars, spotting scope if you have one, hiking boots, warm clothing, water
Limited to 15 participants
Target species: Variety of water and land birds visible from a close range.
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Bird Walking: Olema Marsh to Bear Valley
Sunday, April 29 (9:00 am to 2:00 pm)
$50

This classic Point Reyes walk begins at Olema Marsh, one of the largest fresh water marsh areas in Marin County. This is a great habitat for species such as green heron, cinnamon teal, Virginia and sora rails. If we’re lucky a bittern will appear. The walk continues through a variety of open grassland, riparian, and wooded habitats, including Lagunitas Creek, White House Pool, the Limantour Road, the Bear Valley Visitor Center, and Kule Loklo (a replica Coast Miwok village). Expect to see or hear about fifty species on this wonderfully diverse route. This is an easy 2.5 mile trail walk.

Guide: Jim White
Where to meet: The Olema Marsh parking lot, one mile north of the Bear Valley Visitor Center at 9 am.
What to Bring: Binoculars, a scope if available, hiking shoes, layered clothing, water, lunch.
Limited to 15 participants
Target Birds: Green heron, cinnamon teal, red-shouldered hawk, Pacific-slope flycatcher, wrentit, sora, barn owl, Allen’s hummingbird, Swainson’s thrush, black-headed grosbeak, Wilson’s and orange-crowned warblers
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Kids Birdathon (Ages 8-16)
Sunday, April 29 (9:00 am – 1:00 pm)
$5 per child

Experienced birders will lead small teams of approximately six kids each (with parents along to observe, assist, and help transport birding teams). Groups will scour several unique habitats within the beautiful Point Reyes National Seashore with a goal of having the kids spot 20 species per hour for a total of 60 bird species in three hours! A 90-minute hike will be followed by a compilation celebration at the West Marin School.

Guides: Tom Rusert and Darren Peterie
Carpool from: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 9:00 am Teams will depart by 9:30 sharp.
Event location: Various Point Reyes National Seashore routes
What to bring: Brown bag lunch, water, binoculars, spotting scope (optional), hiking boots, warm clothing, snack, western field guide (optional)
Limited to 20 participants (do NOT register the accompanying adults for this event; ONLY register the children. We need to make sure that the 20 registered participants are all children)
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Loma Alta
Sunday, April 29 (8:30 am – 2:00 pm)
$55

Join Marin County naturalist David Herlocker on a walk above Lucas Valley Road, a location rich with birds, reptiles, wildflowers, and insects. David will focus on natural history and identification of all the flora and fauna here. There is gentle elevation gain on the Loma Alta Fire Road, but you will be so fascinated with the birds, flowers and scenery that you will barely notice the climb. The views all along the route are spectacular! Moderate walking on gravel road.

Guide: David Herlocker
Carpool from: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 8:30 am or meet at 9:15 at the Big Rock parking lot on Lucas Valley Road
Event location: Loma Alta Fire Road.
What to bring: Binoculars, scope (optional), hiking boots, warm layered clothing, water, lunch, field guides
Limited to 15 participants
Target species: Lazuli bunting, horned lark, ash-throated flycatcher, and chipping, lark and grasshopper sparrows. Serpentine endemic wildflowers.
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Nesting Egrets at Griffin Preserve
Sunday, April 29 (12:30 pm – 4:30 pm)
$30

Enjoy visiting one of the largest, most dramatic heron and egret nesting sites on the West Coast at this 1,000-acre wildlife sanctuary. A brief lecture on the history of the nesting site at the Martin Griffin Preserve and Audubon Canyon Ranch’s long-term heronry monitoring project will be followed by a half-mile walk. The walk will be uphill and mildly strenuous but well worth it for the views of nesting herons and egrets.

Guide: Sarah Millus
Carpool from: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 12:30 pm
Event location: Audubon Canyon Ranch, Martin Griffin Preserve, Stinson Beach
What to bring: Binoculars, scopes, hiking boots, warm clothing, water
Limited to 15 participants
Target bird or species information: Nesting great blue herons, great egrets, and woodland birds.
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Writing the Walk
Sunday, April 29 (12:30 – 4:00 pm)
$20

Do you love nature and writing, and want to improve your ability to transmit passion, humor, observations and ideas in written form? If you would like a forum to share approaches to writing, observation, note-taking, and reference materials for nature writing, this is the walk for you! We will walk, write, and talk along one of our favorite trails in Point Reyes. The walk begins at Abbott’s Lagoon and will move toward the beach over fairly flat terrain. There will be several stops for brief writing practice, and participants can share their “work of the moment” or not, as they wish.

Guides: Megan Isadore and Ceci Herrmann
Where to meet: West Marin School Gym at 12:30 pm
What to bring: Writing materials, a hat, sunglasses, water, and a snack if you like. Artists feel free to bring sketchbooks as well.
Limited to 10 participants
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Corte Madera Marsh Shorebirds
Sunday, April 29, 2:00-6:00 pm
$40

Bring binoculars, a scope if you have one (and a chair if you’d like one) to spend an afternoon observing shorebird behavior as the birds frantically stage for their big migration north. Harris and Sundove will point out changes in the birds’ behavior as the tide rises and explain how so many different species can pack so densely into so small a space. They will also be watching out for peregrine falcons, merlins, and possibly, a California Clapper Rail.

Guides: Roger Harris and Meryl Sundove
Where to meet: Carpool from the West Marin School Gym at 1 PM or meet the group at 2 at the entrance to the marsh. To reach Corte Madera Marsh, take the Paradise exit off I-101, head east on Tamalpais Drive, bear right on to San Clemente Drive, take the first left on to Harbor Drive, the next right onto Yolo Street, and the next left on to Channel Drive. The marsh entrance is at the end of the street.
Event Location: Corte Madera Marsh
What to bring: Binoculars, scope (optional), hiking boots, warm clothing, water, snack
Limited to 15 participants
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Marine Mammals
Sunday, April 29 (2:30 – 3:30 pm)
$10

Marine mammals are diverse and abundant in the coastal waters of Point Reyes, part of one of the most productive marine ecosystems in the world. More than 35 species occur in the ocean and nearshore waters of the Gulf of the Farallones. Species that are observed here range from the largest of all mammals, blue whales; to the longest migrant seals, elephant seals; to the deepest divers, sperm whales. Learn about the ecology of the marine mammals of this coastal ecosystem, and where, when, and how to observe them.

Presenter: Sarah Allen
Location: West Marin School, Room 2
Limited to 25 participants
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Effective Advocacy for the Environment
Sunday, April 29 (2:30 – 3:30 pm)
FREE

Marin Audubon Society has a 56-year history of saving habitat, from its beginning to the present. It is one of the few (if not the only) organizations that saves habitat both by advocating for protecting habitat during environmental review for projects (opposing landowners’ proposals) and by acquiring land (often dealing with those very same landowners). During its history, MAS has permanently protected more than 3,000 acres and saved countless other habitats on properties, a portion of which have been developed. MAS also restores and enhances wetland habitats. This talk will focus on how they have done it, and answer questions that will help you do it, too.

Presenter: Barbara Salzman, Marin Audubon Society
Event location: West Marin School, Room 1
Limited to 25 participants
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Coho Salmon Ecology
Sunday, April 29 (2:30 — 3:30)
$10

Dive into the Lagunitas Creek watershed on an informational journey to discover the many mysteries of the complex life history and the myriad challenges facing the endangered coho salmon that migrate through Tomales Bay into West Marin. Learn from a salmon expert and restoration biologist with hands-on experience with the ongoing struggle of this Central California subspecies to survive in 21st Century Marin.

Presenter: Dr. Chris Pincetich of SPAWN, the Salmon Protection and Watershed Network
Event location: West Marin School, Room 4
Limited to 25 participants
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Soundscapes
Sunday, April 29 (3:30 – 4:30 pm)
$10

Ever notice how noisy the world is these days? Learn how our parks are struggling with soundscape preservation and how natural sounds are documented by nature sound recordists in two styles, species hunting and soundscape recording. The presenter will give an introduction to the theory of soundscape analysis, demonstrate the difference between mono, stereo, and surround sound, and briefly survey the available equipment. Participants will have an opportunity to handle both the economical and professional gear. Listeners will experience a tour of 16 California soundscapes in surround sound, ending with recent recordings at Muir Woods.

Presenter: Dan Dugan
Event location: West Marin School, Room 3
Limited to 25 participants
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How Birds Got Their Human Names
Sunday, April 29 (3:45 – 4:45 pm)
$10

Ever wonder how birds got their human names: Nuttall, Townsend, Steller, Gamble, Brandt, Forster, Wilson, Allen (the only Marin County person with a species named after him) and all those other folks with namesake birds? Harry Fuller, who has studied bird-naming, will relate the fascinating stories of how the species we all know received their now-familiar names.

Presenter: Harry Fuller
Event location: West Marin School, Room 4
Limited to 25 participants
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Friday, April 27 | Saturday, April 29 | Monday, April 30

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Birding to a Fault: The Continental Plate
Saturday, April 28 (6:45 am – 2:30 pm)
$70

Take part in this friendly tectonic birding competition by joining Keith Hansen on the “Continental Plate” side of the San Andreas Fault. We will bird, uncover, discover, and tease out the shy from the east, or Stinson Beach side, of the rift. The group will begin birding Stinson Beach and its environs and then work north along the east side of Bolinas Lagoon. At 1:30 pm the outing will end at Five Brooks for a compilation meeting and lunch with the competing “Pacific Plate” team, plus some birding at Five Brooks. Expect to see many species of water, forest, and grasslands birds. While everyone from beginners to experts are welcome, this will be a day where we will move quickly and concentrate primarily on seeing as many species as possible.

Guide: Keith Hansen
Where to meet: West Marin School, Point Reyes Station, at 6:45 am to carpool, or at the Stinson Beach Post Office parking lot at 7:30 am
What to bring: Binoculars, hiking boots, warm clothing, water, lunch, a quick eye, a competitive spirit, and the will to crush the opposing team!
Limited to 15 participants
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Birding to a Fault:  The Pacific Plate
Saturday, April 28 6:45 am – 2:30 pm
$70

Take part in this friendly tectonic birding competition by joining Gary Page and Lynne Stenzel to bird the west side of the San Andreas Fault on the “Pacific Plate”. The team will cover the west side of Bolinas Lagoon as well as the Pine Gulch Creek area. At 1:30 pm the outing will end at Five Brooks for a compilation meeting and lunch with your competitors from Keith Hansen’s “Continental Plate” team, plus some birding at Five Brooks. Expect to see about 80 species of water, forest, and grasslands birds. This is not a good trip for beginning birders: the team will move quickly, and there will not be a lot of time for careful study of each species.

Guides: Lynne Stenzel and Gary Page
Where to meet: West Marin School, Point Reyes Station, at 6:45 am to carpool or meet guides at the Bolinas School at 7:30 am. Warning: there is no sign to Bolinas off Highway 1, but the turnoff is just north of Bolinas Lagoon. Take the diagonal turn to the west and turn left at the T intersection next to the plant nursery. The school is on the right about 1/4 mile down.
Event location: Pine Gulch Creek delta, Bolinas Lagoon, Five Brooks
What to bring: Binoculars, hiking boots, warm clothing, water, lunch
Limited to 15 participants
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Point Reyes to Bodega Bay and Back!
Saturday, April 28 (7:30 am – 4:00 pm)
$70

Join leader Terry Colborn for a full day of birding from Point Reyes Station north to Bodega Bay and witness the annual renaissance of nature. Many species that winter along our coast, such as common loon, eared, horned and western grebes, along with thousands of shorebirds and waterfowl, will be moving north to their breeding grounds. Other species such as Swainson’s thrush, western wood pewee, Pacific-slope and ash-throated flycatchers, and western warblers, will be arriving and establishing territories to begin their breeding season. This trip will include a number of stops along the scenic coast in route to Bodega Bay, where the group will look for a variety of resident and spring migrants. From Bodega Head we’ll scope for passing offshore migrants including loons, grebes, scoters, and possibly an alcid or two. The trip will be timed to coincide with favorable tides in order to see the greatest number of shorebirds and waders. We also expect to see a few raptors, and there is always the possibility of a surprise or two!

Guide: Terry Colborn
Where to meet: West Marin School, Point Reyes Station, at 7:30 am
What to bring: Binoculars, spotting scope (optional), warm clothing and layers, liquids, lunch
Limited to 15 participants
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Tracking and Awareness
Saturday, April 28 (7:30 am – 11:00 am)
$30

Slow down into the world of the Tracker. Join internationally certified (Level III) tracker and Marin Tracking Club leader Richard Vacha in an exploration of tracks and signs left by local birds, mammals and insects, bringing to life the often invisible world of animal activities and their relationships with each other and with the environment. We will learn and practice ancient awareness techniques and learn the skills to enter the world of the tracker. The group will focus as much as possible on bird tracks and how a tracker can use bird calls and bird movement as an awareness tool. Easy trail walking.

Guide: Richard Vacha
Where to meet: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 7:30 am
Event location: Limantour Beach and Estero most likely; specific location to be determined by weather
What to bring: Binoculars, hiking boots, warm clothing, water
Limited to 15 participants
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Bird Banding at Palomarin Field Station
Saturday, April 28 7:30 am – 12:00 pm)
FREE

Get up close and personal with the many resident and migratory songbirds that are captured in mist nests at the PRBO’s Palomarin Field Station (aka Bird Banding Lab) in Bolinas. As they do every day in the spring, PRBO interns and staff will be banding birds, measuring and weighing them, explaining the process to visitors, and answering questions. Learn how bird banding is done and how data obtained contributes to conservation.

Guide: Staff and volunteers of PRBO Conservation Science
Carpool from: West Marin School Gym at 7:30 am
Event location: Palomarin Field Station (aka Bird Banding Lab), Bolinas
What to bring: Binoculars; hiking boots; warm clothing; water
Limited to 15 participants
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Birding by Bike at Bolinas
Saturday, April 28 (8:00 am – 3:00 pm)
$65

Whether you are a beginning birder or have been at it for decades, bicycling adds a whole new dimension to the pursuit and study of birds. This trip aims to encourage birders of all abilities to get back into the saddle. But do not fear; this is not a race or endurance event. The pace will be leisurely as the group pedals through the many quiet roads and trails. Bolinas has a rich diversity of habitats, and there is no better way to experience those qualities than by bicycle. Participants will have the opportunity to visit at least seven distinct habitat types and learn a bit about the plant communities therein. Being the height of spring, birdsong and bird visibility will both be at their peak. Bird diversity is also at its peak during this period. The group will make frequent stops to search out as many species as possible, as we have a chance to observe 100 or more species. The guide will carry a spotting scope. The outing will begin with some basic birding-cycling safety tips. This field trip is geared for beginning cyclists with only a few small hills (that the group can walk if we have to). This ride will cover about 10-12 miles.

Guide: Josiah Clark
Where to meet: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 8:00 am to carpool or meet at Bolinas School at 9:00 am. Warning: there is no sign to Bolinas off Highway 1, but the turnoff is just north of Bolinas Lagoon. Take the diagonal turn to the west. Turn left at the T intersection next to the plant nursery. The school is on the right about 1/4 mile down.
What to bring: Your own or rental bike, binoculars, lightweight scope, hiking boots, warm clothing, water, lunch. A good way to carry a spotting scope is to have the tripod on a rear rack and the scope in a backpack.
Limited to 10 participants
Target bird species: Eurasian wigeon, hooded oriole, songbird migrants, migrant loons, and other seabirds
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Spring Delights of Steep Ravine
Saturday, April 28 (8:00 am – 2:00 pm)
$60

See everything from birds to wildflowers to butterflies on one of the most scenic hikes in Marin. We will study the flora and fauna of riparian and redwood communities. Depending on the group, the route will either go up Steep Ravine and down the Dipsea Trail for wonderful ocean views or go out and back on the Steep Ravine Trail.

Guide: Wendy Dreskin
Where to meet: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 8:00 am to carpool or Steep Ravine trailhead, Mount Tamalpais State Park, at 8:45 am. From Stinson Beach go south on Highway 1 (towards San Francisco).  Look for mile marker 11.04 and the locked gate for the Steep Ravine cabins on the west side of the highway.  Parking is on the east side of the highway.
What to bring: Binoculars, hiking boots, warm clothing, water, hand lens
Limited to 15 participants
Target species: Pacific wren, orange-crowned warbler and hermit thrush. Wildfllowers and other native plants to expect include wake-robin, giant trillium, Smith’s fairy-bells, leaves of wavy-leaf soap root, fat Solomon’s seal, slender Solomon’s seal, star lily, leaves of fetid adder’s tongue), and eight species of fern– leather, chain, lady, bracken, California polypody, five-finger, sword, and goldbacked. Seven berries (oso berry, blackberry, salmonberry, thimbleberry, barberry, pink flowering currant and red elderberry also occur on this trail.
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Tomales Bay Waterbird Cruise
Saturday, April 28 (8:00 am – 11:30 am)
$65

Tomales Bay is an extremely productive estuary where tens of thousands of scoters, scaup, bufflehead, brant, loons, and grebes feed during the winter and spring migration. This cruise will access waters near the mouth of the bay, a zone frequented by less common species such as red-necked grebe, Pacific loon and pigeon guillemot. If conditions permit, the cruise will continue out onto the open ocean to look for seabirds and marine mammals. Learn identification and natural history of loons, grebes, and other waterbirds

Guides: Tom Baty
Time and place to meet: Marshall Store, 19225 State Route (Highway) 1, in Marshall at 8 am
What to bring: Binoculars; camera; waterproof shoes; layered waterproof clothing for a variety of conditions, no matter the weather forecast; water, snack
Limited to 3 participants
Target bird or species information: In the bay, red-necked grebe, Pacific loon, black scoter; brant; on the ocean, shearwaters, phalaropes and alcids.
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Tomales Bay Breeding Birds
Saturday, April 28 (8:00 am – 1:00 pm)
$50

Late April is the best time of year to visit Tomales Bay State Park’s amazing diversity of habitats. Participants will discover a dozen or more songbirds by sight and song. And the adjoining majestic bay and its pristine shorelines will also yield an abundance of shorebird and waterfowl sightings. Migrant species are also likely discoveries. Good bets include seeing close views of nesting Wilson’s and orange-crowned warbler, Bewick’s wren and Anna’s hummingbird, while loons and grebes in gorgeous breeding plumage may be spotted on Tomales Bay. You’ll receive handouts related to spring nesting and migration in Marin County, including “Top Ten Tips To Improving Your Birding By Ear” as we discuss the ecology of bird songs and their functions. Easy trail walking.

Guide: Daniel Edelstein
Where to meet: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 8:00 am
Event location: Shell Beach, Heart’s Desire Beach, bayside trails, and other sites in Tomales Bay State Park
What to bring: Binoculars, hiking boots, warm clothing, water
Limited to 15 participants
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Abbott’s Lagoon: Birds of Sea, Shore, Swale & Scrub
Saturday, April 28 (8:00 am – 12:30 pm)
$40

Dave Shuford will share his extensive knowledge of the numerous species drawn to a mix of coastal scrub, grassland, riparian, coastal swale, freshwater pond, brackish lagoon, dune, sandy beach, and open ocean habitats. He’ll also discuss snowy plover conservation efforts.

Guide: Dave Shuford
Where to meet: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 8:00 am
What to bring: Binoculars, spotting scope (optional), warm clothing, footwear suitable for sand, wet grass, and mud, water, lunch
Limited to 15 participants
Target species: Scrub, grassland, and riparian land birds, raptors, waterfowl, loons, grebes, shorebirds, gulls, terns, snowy plover
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Microhabitats of Inner Marin
Saturday, April 28 (8:00 am – 2:00 pm)
$60

The beautiful drive from Point Reyes Station to the open slopes of Big Rock Ridge reveals multiple habitats from the open grasslands surrounding Nicasio Reservoir to deep redwood forest leading into the extraordinary bay-oak woodland of Loma Alta. This trip will focus on species typical of each habitat with a particular emphasis on birding by ear, breeding behaviors, and the specialty birds of Big Rock Ridge. Mostly gentle walking with moderate uphill walking at Big Rock Ridge.

Guide: Bob Power
Where to meet: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 8:00 am
What to bring: Binoculars, notebook, hiking boots, warm clothing, lunch, water
Limited to 15 participants
Target bird or species information: Lazuli bunting, grasshopper sparrow, Pacific wren, and yellow warbler
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Birding By Ear: Birds of Forest and Woodlands at Muddy Hollow
Saturday, April 28 (8:00 a.m. – 12:00 pm)
$35

Since forest birds are often hidden, one of the best ways to identify and find them is by their vocalizations. Join MaryAnne Flett to listen and look for birds in the coniferous forest along Limantour Road, then walk the new Muddy Hollow trail along the creek and above the canopy of riparian trees in search of some of our loveliest and most melodious springtime singers. Learn spring bird songs and identify species by vocalizations.

Guide: MaryAnne Flett
Where to meet: West Marin School, Point Reyes Station, at 8:00 am
What to bring: Bincoculars, hiking boots, warm clothing, water
Limited to 15 participants
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Birds of Shollenberger Marsh
Saturday, April 28 (8:15 am – 1:00 pm)
$35

In just a few years this wetland has become a favorite of many birders. And with good reason, as the last tidal marsh north of San Francisco Bay it is a critically important habitat for large numbers of migrant shorebirds and waterfowl. Nesting avocets and stilts share the area with godwits, peeps and plovers, often including Pacific golden plover.  This can be an especially good spot for marsh species such as Virginia rail and American bittern. Dabbling ducks here include wigeon, pintail, gadwall and often blue-winged teal.

Guide: Peter Colasanti
Where to meet: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 8:15 am to carpool or at Shollenberger Park at 9:00 am. From Highway 101 going north take the Highway 116 exit. Turn left onto Lakeville Highway/116 going east. Turn right onto South McDowell Blvd. Take the third right onto Cader Lane.
What to bring: Binoculars, spotting scope (optional), warm clothing
Limited to 15 participants
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Whales and More at the Outer Point
Saturday, April 28 (8:30 am – 1 pm)
$40

Join marine mammal expert Sarah Allen to observe migrating California gray whales, elephant seals, breeding harbor seals, California sea lions, and thousands of nesting sea birds. At this time of year, gray whale females can be seen from the Point Reyes Headland as they escort their newborn young from Mexico to Alaska. Brandt’s and pelagic cormorants, pigeon guillemots, and common murres nest on the rocky cliffs here, and hundreds of molting elephant seals will be visible in a nearby cove.

Guide: Sarah Allen
Where to meet: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 8:30 am
Event location: Point Reyes Lighthouse; outer Point Reyes; elephant seal overlook
What to bring: binoculars, camera, warm clothing, hiking shoes
Limited to 15 participants
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Raptor Courtship Displays: Talon-grappling, Porpoising & Leg-dropping
Saturday, April 28 (8:30 am – 1:00 pm)
$50

Join Golden Gate Raptor Observatory Director Allen Fish for a talk and field outing to observe birds of prey performing spectacular, ritualized flight behaviors to attract mates, strengthen pair bonds, stimulate gonadal growth, and show territory ownership. With a lot of open sky, Point Reyes affords many opportunities to see raptors at the heights of their hormone-driven lust.

Guide: Allen Fish
Where to meet: Room 2, West Marin School, Point Reyes Station, at 8:30 am
Event location: Different sites in Point Reyes National Seashore
What to bring: Binoculars, hiking boots, warm clothing, water, lunch
Limited to 15 participants
Target bird or species information: northern harrier, white-tailed kite, osprey, red-tailed hawk, red-shouldered hawk, and peregrine falcon.
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Birds and Dunes of Abbott’s Lagoon for Families
Saturday, April 28 (8:30 am – 1:00 pm)
$35

This is a family-friendly outing, with special focus on kids. With its rich variety of habitats, Abbott’s Lagoon is a favorite birding and nature destination at Point Reyes. Sharon Barnett and Kevin Stockmann will point out numerous bird species that inhabit the chaparral, fresh water pond, brackish water lagoon, dunes, sandy beach and open ocean. They’ll also explain the intricacies of dune ecology, ongoing dune restoration projects, and challenges faced by the federally listed snowy plover. Other interesting natural features like butterflies, plants, tracks, scat- and if we are lucky maybe even a river otter- will make this a great outing for families. Easy walking.

Guides: Sharon Barnett and Kevin Stockmann
Where to meet: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 8:30 am
Event location: Abbott’s Lagoon Trailhead, Pierce Point Road, and Inverness
What to bring: Binoculars, hiking boots, warm clothing, water, and a bag lunch. We will eat near the water.
Limited to 20 participants
Target bird or species information: Chaparral and grassland species, raptors, shorebirds, seabirds, loons and grebes, peregrine falcon, northern harrier, California quail, white-crowned and savannah sparrows, snowy plover, marsh wren, western meadowlark.
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Farming Birds by Growing Habitat with Rich Stallcup and STRAW staff Laurette Rogers and John Parodi
Saturday, April 28 (9:00 am – 1:00 pm)
$45 for adults.  Children under 18 are free.

This event will begin with an indoor presentation to introduce STRAW (Students and Teachers Restoring a Watershed), an innovative habitat restoration program created by PRBO Conservation Science. To date, STRAW has involved more than 27,000 students and 450 teachers and restored 23 miles of streamside forest where formerly there was only mud! All of this astounding restoration has taken place on north bay ranches and open space lands, mostly in Marin and Sonoma Counties. After watching a short film about the program, join Rich Stallcup and STRAW staff Laurette Rogers and John Parodi on an excursion to the nearby Martinelli Ranch, site of one of the newly-resurrected riparian communities. Rich will point out the many species of resident and migratory birds thriving in the ranch’s grassland, chaparral, ponds, and the newly restored riparian zone, answer questions, and offer identification tips. This is a unique opportunity to enjoy a relaxed outing with one of the region’s top birders and to see for yourself how ranching can support bird conservation. This is a kid-friendly event.

Guides: Rich Stallcup, Laurette Rogers, and John Parodi
Where to meet: West Marin School, Room 1 at 9 am
What to bring: binoculars, hiking boots, layered clothing, water, lunch
Limited to 20 participants
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Learn to Sketch Birds
Saturday, April 28 (9:00 am – 12:00 pm)
$30

Learn how to quickly and accurately draw birds in the field and from photo reference. In this class participants will learn the basics of bird anatomy and quick field sketching either for field notes or for the pleasure of sketching. Master the one-minute gesture sketch and learn tricks on how to draw heads, wing, and feet. No previous drawing experience necessary.

Presenter: John Muir Laws
Where to meet: West Marin School Room 2 at 9 am
What to bring: sketch pad and pencil
Limited to 40 participants
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Butterflies and More at Muddy Hollow
Saturday, April 28 (10 a.m. – 2:00 pm)
$35

Join butterfly expert Jerry Powell  for this easy walk along the newly-reopened Muddy Hollow trail. As the group ambles along the bottom of this riparian canyon, the discussion will include butterfly identification tips, plant-insect associations, and life histories of any interesting insect species encountered. Target species include echo blue, acmon blue, margined white, anglewings of several kinds, Lorquin’s admiral, pale swallowtail, mourning cloak, two-banded skipper, checkered skipper, and mylitta and field crescentspot.

Guides: Jerry Powell
Where to meet: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station at 10 am.
What to bring: binoculars, hiking boots, layered clothing, water, lunch
Limited to 15 participants
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Dragonflies of Five Brooks
Saturday, April 28 (12:30 pm – 4:30 pm)
$35

Join dragonfly experts Kathy and Dave Biggs as they explore Five Brooks in Point Reyes National Seashore for spring examples of our colorful and fascinating dragonflies and damselflies. If the day is warm, the group will see such wonderful creatures as the blue-eyed darner, Pacific forktail, western pondhawk, and cardinal meadowhawk. Learn the difference between dragonflies and damselflies, where to see them, and how to identify individual species. Find out why dragonflies are the Next Big Thing! Easy walking. This program will begin with an indoor presentation on the area’s dragonflies.

Guides: Kathy and Dave Biggs
Where to meet: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 12:30 pm
What to bring: Binoculars, hiking boots, warm clothing, water
Limited to 20 participants
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Field Sketching at Bolinas Lagoon
Saturday, April 28 (1:00 – 4:30 pm)
$30

Join renowned wildlife and nature artist John Muir Laws for a sketching field trip along the shore of Bolinas Lagoon to learn and practice the fundamentals of bird field sketching. We will have opportunities to observe and draw waders, waterfowl, and songbirds. By drawing what you see, you will observe more carefully and will be able to remember the features of the birds. Learn tricks to see past the details to capture the essence of birds with posture and proportions, and learn a revolutionary way of handling shading.

Guide: John Muir Laws
Where to meet: West Marin School Gym, Point Reyes Station, at 1:00 pm
What to bring: Sketch pad and pencil
Limited to 15 participants
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Lagunitas Creekwalk
Saturday, April 28 (1 – 4pm)
$30

Explore the rich diversity of the Lagunitas Creek watershed on a casual hike to discover endangered coho salmon.  Learn about the many ways their life cycle depends on a healthy watershed and how healthy watersheds depend on salmon. This informative journey begins at Samuel P Taylor Park, travels over Lagunitas Creek, into redwood groves and the dense riparian corridor where dozens of bird species congregate.  The journey is led by an expert coho conservation and habitat restoration biologist from SPAWN, the Salmon Protection and Watershed Network, a local non-profit whose work over the last decade to safeguard coho has received national recognition.

Guide: Chris Pincetich
Where to meet: West Marin School Gym at 1 pm
Event location: Samuel P. Taylor State Park
What to bring: Binoculars, hiking shoes, layered clothing, water
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Corvids of California
Saturday, April 28 (2:00 – 3:00 pm)
$10

This program provides an overview of the worldwide crow family (also comprising ravens, jays, magpies, and others) including their characteristics and adaptations, with a focus on Bay Area species, a sidebar on how to tell a crow from a raven, a survey of other California species, and a discussion of the notable intelligence of some species of this group.

Presenter: Craig Nikitas
Where to meet: West Marin School, Point Reyes Station, Room 1
Limited to 25 participants
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Molt: What You Need to Know (But Are Afraid to Ask)
Saturday, April 28 (2:30 – 3:30 pm)
$10

Bird molting can make identification difficult, but the birds need to do it! Join biologist Peter Pyle as he explores how birds renew their plumage, when to expect molting, what purpose molting serves, how birds change from breeding to non-breeding plumage, and what ecological forces drive molt extent, timing, and sequence. Let this nationally-known molt expert make this somewhat arcane subject fascinating, understandable, and even fun.

Presenter: Peter Pyle
Where to meet: West Marin School, Point Reyes Station, Room 2
Limited to 25 participants
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High-Tech Innovations in Birding
Saturday, April 28 (2:30 – 4:00 pm)
$10

The Information Age has certainly arrived in birding, and this workshop panel will discuss the latest innovations we have available, from iPhone applications to Internet record keeping and the evolution of rare-bird alerts and birding list serves. We’ll feature some examples of birding software that is available and in use, along with other readily-available “tricks and gadgets” that you can easily incorporate into your bird-finding ventures.

Presenters: Steve Patt  and Melissa Hero 
Where to meet: West Marin School, Room 3
Limited to 25 participants
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Citizen Science
Saturday, April 28 (3:15 – 4:45 pm)
FREE

Citizen science efforts by birders such as Christmas Bird Counts, waterbird and shorebird surveys, and eBird lists provide important data for conservation. Panelists from PRBO Conservation Science, Christmas Bird Counts, The California Bird Records Committee and eBird show how important citizen science is and how you can make a contribution to conservation science while doing what you love.

Presenters: Khara Strum, David Wimpfheimer, Joe Morlan, Dan Singer
Where to meet: West Marin School Room1
Limited to 25 participants
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Cross-Pacific Migration
Saturday, April 28 (3:30 – 4:40 pm)
$10

Join veteran Farallon Island biologist Peter Pyle for a one-hour talk on new information being gained as a result of radio tracking trans-Pacific migrants, including black-footed and Laysan albatross, whimbrels, bar-tailed godwits, white sharks, and even tuna and leatherback turtles.

Presenter: Peter Pyle
Where to meet: West Marin School, Room 2
Limited to 25 participants
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Optics Demystified
Saturday, April 28 (3:30 – 4:30 pm)
Free

Marilyn Rose, owner of Out of this World and DiscountBinoculars.com in Mendocino, will explain the pros and cons of the different models of binoculars and scopes, discuss how particular products perform in different birding situations, and answer your questions about purchasing optics. Marilyn will have lots of samples for you to try.

Presenter: Marilyn Rose
Where to meet: West Marin School Gym
Limited to 25 participants
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Happy Hour and Live Auction
Saturday, April 28, 4:45 to 6:45
Free admittance

Come and join your fellow birders and nature enthusiasts for some socializing, libations and a live auction, beginning at 4:45. Would you like to have your own private birding group guided for a day by a top expert? A David Tomb painting, a sketch class with John Muir Laws or other exciting offering? Details on the Auction page.
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Banquet and Keynote Program
Saturday, April 28, 7:00 pm
$40

Keynote: “Reclaiming the Art of Natural History: The Coast Range of California” by John Muir Laws
Enjoy a scrumptious catered buffet dinner and then settle down to hear this year’s keynote address by John Muir Laws. California’s Coast Ranges extend north-south for more than 600 miles, more than two-thirds the length of the state. The variety of elevations, rock types, and climate zones in this group of mountain ranges supports a remarkable diversity of plant and animal life. John Muir Laws is working on an illustrated field guide to the region and in the course of this work has learned some delightful tales of natural history. Through an illustrated lecture, he will lead us on a virtual walk across the Coast Ranges, exploring amazing relationships between plants and animals. Along the way, we will learn a three-step process that will help us see more and think like naturalists. Jack will also discuss some of the conservation challenges in the region and what stewards of nature are doing to confront them. Whether you’re a birder, botanist or hiker, don’t miss this great opportunity to enrich your next exploration along the coast!
Event Location: Friedman Hall, Dance Palace, 503 B Street, Point Reyes Station
Limited to 80 participants
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Come to the Dance Palace from 4:45 to 6:45 on Saturday, April 28 to mix with your fellow Festival attendees, enjoy an entertaining presentation by our auctioneer, Claire Peaslee.

Keep checking back for more items as the date approaches!

 
1.    Kowa Binoculars– Genesis 8 X 33
Give your birding a big boost with these top-of-the-line binoculars, featuring Prominar XD Glass, multi-coated lenses, a new wide-angle eyepiece design, multiple coatings, multi-position eye-cups and much more. These bino’s are waterproof and fogproof and close-focus to 5 feet.

According to reviews posted on Eagle Optics’s website, “These are great binoculars. Light, clear, a wonderful tool.” Also: “The clarity, light weight, light gathering, and durability of these binoculars is unbelievable.”

Comes with Kowa limited lifetime warranty.

Value $1285.00
Minimum Bid: $95

2.    Rich Stallcup For-A-Day (gourmet box lunch included)
Bird for a day with Point Reyes legend Rich Stallcup at your side. Rich Stallcup has been studying birds around Point Reyes for over 30 years. He is a founder of and current naturalist at PRBO Conservation Science, a Field Associate of the California Academy of Science, and a Research Associate at Audubon Canyon Ranch on its Scientific Advisory Panel. Rich has authored numerous publications, including: Field List of Birds at Point Reyes National Seashore, Ocean Birds of the Nearshore Pacific and the Nature Company’s Birding. In June 2002, Rich was presented with the Ludlow Griscom Award for Outstanding Contributions to American Ornithology, the nation’s highest award in the field. You and up to 5 friends can customize your day with Rich. You will learn a great deal and see more than you thought possible!

The successful bidder and Rich will mutually determine the day and itinerary.

Value Extraordinary!
Minimum Bid: $95

3.    Jules Evens For-A-Day  (gourmet box lunch included)
With acclaimed writer and naturalist Jules Evens as your personal guide, enjoy a day of birding, hiking and natural history appreciation.  Evens has been living and birding in the Point Reyes area for more than three decades. He is the founder and principal of Avocet Research Associates and a long-time research associate with Point Reyes Bird Observatory Conservation Science and Audubon Canyon Ranch. His primary research focuses on tidal wetlands and avian population trends. He is also the author of The Natural History of the Point Reyes Peninsula and An Introduction to California Birdlife (both University of California Press). Gourmet picnic lunch prepared by local chef included.

Bring up to 5 friends with you. The place and date to be mutually determined between Jules and the successful bidder.

Value Fantastic!
Minimum Bid: $95

4.    Learn to Sketch Nature with John Muir Laws
If you long to capture your wildlife observations on paper accurately and with flair, here is your chance for personal instruction in the art of drawing nature! John Muir Laws, acclaimed nature artist will provide a 3-hour sketch class to the successful bidder and up to 5 friends for a day. John (Jack) Muir Laws is a naturalist, educator, author, and artist. His books include: The Laws Guide to the Sierra Nevada, a pocket guide to over 1,700 species found there; and Sierra Birds: A Hiker’s Guide. He is trained as a wildlife biologist and is an associate of the California Academy of Sciences. In 2009, he received the Terwilliger Environmental Award for outstanding service in Environmental Education.

Value Incredible!
Minimum Bid: $95

5.    Keith Hansen For-A-Day (gourmet box lunch included)
Have a great time and learn a lot from one of the best birders around when Keith Hansen leads you and up to 5 friends for a day of feather-chasing! Keith Hansen’s childhood interest in birds developed into a lifelong passion. He is a wildlife illustrator specializing in birds, and he leads birding tours to Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, and the Yucatan. He is currently illustrating a field guide to the birds of the Sierra Nevada to be published by the UC Press. He works from his gallery in Bolinas.

The successful bidder and Keith will mutually determine the day and itinerary.

Value Exceptional!
Minimum Bid: $95

6.    Running Y Ranch: Two Nights Deluxe Accommodations in the Lodge with Two Rounds of Golf
Running Y Ranch is a full-service Southern Oregon resort situated in the heart of the breathtaking Cascade Mountain range, just across the California border near Klamath Falls and host to Oregon’s only Arnold Palmer designed golf course. Running Y Ranch is set on 3,600 acres of wooded hills and lush meadows. Its lakeside location provides an array of activities, and is the perfect back drop for hiking,  birding or any outdoor activity. The abundance of unspoiled, protected lands has made the Klamath Basin the most important gathering point along the Pacific Flyway. It is also host to the largest gathering of wintering Bald Eagles in the continental U.S.

Value $416
Minimum Bid: $85

7.    New Years at Ramsey Canyon with High Lonesome Bird Tours–December 28, 2012-January 2, 2013
Take your place in a group of 8 to bird Southeastern Arizona over the holidays! The tremendous variety of habitat types and the geographic proximity to Mexico provide for a phenomenal diversity of avian species.

Most of the neotropical species go south, but many other species move in to winter here, and a number of resident species are easy to find. Hawks, eagles, falcons, sparrows and other resident birds will be our focus for this long weekend.

Highlights include: Patagonia and the San Raphael Valley for hummingbirds and Black-capped Gnatcatcher; wintering raptors and cranes in the Sulphur Springs Valley; a visit to the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area: one of the Nature Conservancy’s 12 “Last Great Places on Earth;” high- elevation species in the Huachuca Mountains; and the old mining town of Bisbee, now thriving as an artists’ colony.

Specialties: Black-capped Gnatcatcher, Pyrrhuloxia, Phainopepla, Ferruginous Hawk, Sandhill Crane, Mexican Spotted Owl, Yellow-eyed Junco, Prairie Falcons, Golden Eagles, Bald Eagles, Bendire’s Thrasher, Mountain Plover, Sprague’s Pipit, Sage Sparrow.

Value $1475
Minimum Bid: $95

8.    Shooting Star (Dodecatheon hendersonii). Watercolor on paper; 18 1/4″ x 10 3/4″ (framed size)
Pamela Glasscock’s watercolors have been exhibited in contemporary art galleries, museums, and botanical institutions, including the Oakland Museum, the Hunt Institute for Botanical Art, the New York Academy of Sciences, the Bedford Gallery in Walnut Creek, Susan Cummins Gallery, the Fresno Art Museum, the Sonnenberg Gardens, I Wolk gallery in St. Helena, Anne Reed gallery in Ketchum, Idaho, and the Sonoma County Museum.

9.   Bank Swallow nest
A 16×16 artists print, pigment ink on etching paper, framed. San Francisco photographer Sharon Beal’s work seeks to express all that she has learned about the threats to survival of so many avian species through her art. When she conceived the idea of letting nests speak for their builders, her photography project evolved into art shows and a book. Working with high-resolution cameras she created larger than life images that reveal the details and materials of nest specimens collected over the last two centuries and from far corners of the planet. American Photo included Nests: Fifty Nests and the Birds that Built Them in their list of the best 50 photo books of 2011, saying the essays “are as remarkably free of jargon as they are interesting”.   No trees were scaled for this project; just the ladders for the tall cabinets in The California Academy of Sciences, the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, and the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology.

1.    Motel Inverness — Gift Certificate
The winning bidder will enjoy a 2-night stay in the Heart’s Desire Suite over- looking the Salt Marsh of Tomales Bay. The suite features its own deck, kitchenette and 2 bedrooms equipped with queen-size beds.

Advance reservations required; not redeemable during holidays

Value $550
Minimum Bid $95

2.    David Tomb painting
Enhance your home with a beautiful 30 X 44” painting of an exotic species by acclaimed bird painter David Tomb. Tomb is a San Francisco-based artist who has enlisted his considerable artistic talent to raise both awareness about birds and funds for conservation. After beginning his career in portraiture and other genres, Tomb turned to depictions of birds found in Central and South America. More recently, after traveling to the Philippines, he co-founded Jeepney Projects Worldwide, which raises funds from the sale of art for habitat conservation projects both in the Phillipines and elsewhere. 

Value Phenomenal!
Minimum Bid: $95

We would like to thank the following cosponsors for their generous support:

American Birding Association (ABA)
The American Birding Association (ABA) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) membership organization that welcomes and provides leadership to all birders by increasing their knowledge, skills, and enjoyment of birding. The ABA provides a community, forum, and resources for every birder, bird watcher, and bird enthusiast. ABA’s members enjoy the benefits of belonging to the only organization in North America that specifically represents the interests of recreational birders.

Audubon Canyon Ranch (ACR)
The mission of Audubon Canyon Ranch (ACR) is to protect the natural resources of its sanctuaries while fostering an understanding and appreciation of these environments. Through ACR’s preservation, education, and research programs, Audubon Canyon Ranch educates children and adults, promotes ecological literacy that is grounded in direct experience, and conducts research and restoration that advances conservation science. Audubon Canyon Ranch properties include the Cypress Grove Research Center on Tomales Bay, the 535-acre Bouverie Preserve in Sonoma and the 1,000-acre Martin Griffin Preserve in Stinson Beach, which is home to one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s most significant and most studied Great Egret and Great Blue Heron nesting sites. ACR is an independent non-profit organization with 501(c)3 status. ACR’s programs are made possible thanks to the contribution of thousands of hours of volunteer service, and donations from caring individuals, foundations and businesses.

Bay Nature
Bay Nature is the award-winning quarterly magazine that explores and celebrates the natural world of the San Francisco Bay Area.

California Native Plant Society (CNPS)
Originally formed in 1965 in the east bay region, the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) is a statewide non-profit organization of amateurs and professionals with a common interest in California’s native plants. Its nearly 10,000 members work to promote native plant appreciation, research, education, and conservation through CNPS’ five statewide programs and 33 regional chapters in California. Through membership in CNPS, Californians of all walks of life are able to support and engage in opportunities to experience and learn about native plants and their habitats, gardening and landscaping with native plants, restoration of habitat areas, and conservation issues throughout the state.  The mission of CNPS is to conserve California native plants and their natural habitats, and increase understanding, appreciation, and horticultural use of native plants.

Environmental Action Committee of West Marin (EAC)
The Environmental Action Committee of West Marin is a grass-roots group dedicated to the protection and appreciation of West Marin’s natural environment and rural character.  EAC works for clean air, pure waters, healthy ecosystems, a diverse and thriving native flora and fauna, and the preservation of a rural, community spirit.  EAC does this by: Monitoring, publicizing, and campaigning against threats to West Marin’s natural environment; Educating the public and policy-makers about the environmental issues facing West Marin; Providing reliable information about controversial issues in order to create a common ground of understanding and promote informed debate; and encouraging and facilitating productive resolutions to land-use conflicts by working closely with those who own, manage, and use West Marin’s lands.

Golden Gate Raptor Observatory (GGRO)
The mission of the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory is to study migrating birds of prey along the Pacific coast and to promote public awareness of the state of raptor populations. The GGRO is dedicated to the conservation of raptors and to community involvement in wildlife research. GGRO’s studies of the movements of hawks through the Golden Gate National Recreation Area demonstrate that biological boundaries extend far beyond political boundaries. The GGRO is a project of the Golden Gate National Parks Association and the National Park Service, is made up of 250+ community volunteers and a small staff, and turns 25 this year. For a quarter century, GGRO volunteers have been tabulating the annual fall migration of birds of prey over the Marin Headlands. This migration—the most significant of its kind in the western United States—soars over Hawk Hill in the southern Headlands, a critical place from which to monitor eagles, vultures, falcons, hawks, and kites of more than 19 species, and to track long-term changes in their populations.g

GreenInfo Network – Information and Mapping in the Public Interest
GreenInfo Network is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization that assists others in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and related information technologies.  Created in 1996, GreenInfo works as a consultant for 80-100 public interest clients annually, in California and the United States generally.  Since its founding, GreenInfo has assisted over 300 public interest groups and agencies with mapping, data, analysis and other information technology projects. In addition to direct support of these groups, GreenInfo also connect them into a network of relationships, fostering collaboration and sharing whenever possible. As a consulting organization, GreenInfo Network works mostly on a fee for service basis – its outstanding staff is highly responsive and dedicated to meeting your needs.  Focusing on projects that address issues from a public perspective, they have worked for small neighborhood organizations, special governmental districts and large national groups.  Much of GreenInfo’s work is in California and the West, but they work all over the United States and sometimes on other continents.  Some projects costs less than $1,000, others have much larger budgets – they focus on getting the right solution for any type of client.  The map for the 2011 Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival which appears on this website in the Maps link, and which we have printed as a hand-out available at the festival registration desk, was generously designed and donated by GreenInfo Network.

Institute for Bird Populations (IBP)
The Institute for Bird Populations is a tax-exempt, 501 (c (3) California nonprofit corporation dedicated to research and dissemination of information on the abundance, distribution, and ecology of birds, and to facilitating scientifically informed conservation of birds and their habitats.  The primary goals of IBP are: To develop, facilitate, coordinate, and conduct scientific research and standardized monitoring of birds and their environments.  The Institute focuses especially on programs that can be applied on a global scale, can provide for the long-term monitoring of avian vital rates and population trends, can help identify causes of avian population change, and can aid in formulating management actions to reverse population declines and maintain stable or increasing populations; To educate and train individuals, organizations, and agencies, here and abroad, in avian research and monitoring methods that can elucidate the ecological effects of environmental change and can lead to scientifically defensible strategies for avian and ecosystem conservation; and To serve as a global forum for disseminating information on regional and global changes in the abundance, distribution, and ecology of birds, and the causes of such changes.  IBP presents its findings in scientific and lay publications, and publishes Bird Populations, a scientific journal of global avian demography and biogeography.

Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT)
Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) was the first land trust in the United States to focus on farmland preservation. Founded in 1980 by a coalition of ranchers and environmentalists to preserve farmland in Marin County, California, MALT acquires agricultural conservation easements on farmland in voluntary transactions with landowners. MALT also encourages public policies that support and enhance agriculture. It is a model for agricultural land preservation efforts across the nation. MALT has so far permanently protected more than 41,800 acres of land on 66 family farms and ranches.

Marin Audubon Society
Marin Audubon Society’s mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds and other wildlife and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity. We carry out our mission by advocating for protection of wildlife habitat during environmental review for development projects and planning process, and by permanently protecting and restoring wetland habitats. Marin Audubon has been instrumental in the acquisition and permanent protection of more than 1,000 acres alongSan Francisco Bay, has restored more than 600 acres to tidal marsh habitat, and currently owns more than 500 acres of wetland and related habitats. We offer field trips to habitats throughout the Bay Area and beyond and Speaker Series presented by experienced naturalists, a monthly newsletter, opportunities to participate in habitat restoration, and  citizen science activities such as Christmas Bird Counts. Marin Audubon is  an all-volunteer,  non-profit 502 (c) (3) organization.

Madrone Audubon Society (Madrone AS)
The Madrone Audubon Society, a Sonoma County Chapter of the National Audubon Society, is a non-profit organization which promotes education, enjoyment, and protection of the natural world, especially birds.  Madrone Audubon Society recognizes its responsibility to influence decisions affecting all wildlife and natural resources. Its interests are worldwide; its focus is on the local community, the State of California, the West Coast, and the high-priority campaigns of the National Audubon Society.  The Madrone Audubon Society’s members, volunteers, and board seek to involve the community in these endeavors.

PRBO Conservation Science (PRBO)
PRBO Conservation Science (PRBO) is a non-profit organization founded in 1965 as Point Reyes Bird Observatory, and is dedicated to conserving birds, other wildlife and ecosystems through innovative scientific research and outreach.  PRBO does bird ecology research, creates management tools, leads field science training programs, and develops and delivers bird science education programs to advance biodiversity conservation in the west on land and at sea. Its scientists study birds because they are excellent indicators of environmental health: they are top predators, relatively inexpensive to monitor and widely distributed.  PRBO has catalyzed the development of some of the most innovative conservation partnerships and decision support tools in the nation. Major conservation initiatives are achieving more effective outcomes as a result of PRBO’s innovative science, training and outreach.  Working in partnership with wildlife and habitat management agencies, nongovernmental organizations, academic institutions, private landowners, fisheries and others, PRBO’s award-winning science advances win-win solutions to today’s conservation challenges.

SonomaBirding
SonomaBirding.com is a conservation organization founded in 2004 by Tom Rusert and Darren Peterie and based in Sonoma, CA. It sustains the two annual Sonoma Valley Audubon Christmas Bird Counts for adults and kids, bird camps, seasonal bird lists, a nature lecture series, classes, and other bird-and nature-related educational collaborations for all ages. For more information call 707-939-8007.

SPAWN
The Salmon Protection and Watershed Network is an award-winning, science-based watershed protection organization that engages community members to take action in order to help the salmon recover and thrive. We hope that you will join our efforts to protect this majestic, endangered species!

WildNature
WildNature is an educational nonprofit that promotes preservation and restoration of the wildlands, parklands and ranches of the West.  Wild-Nature publishes natural history wall and desk calendars, journals and notecards which enhance public education.  Part of your purchase is tax-deductible. WildNature directs a percentage of the total yearly sales to specific environmental projects.  Free 2011 calendars, while they last, are being generously donated by WildNature to the Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival.  For more information email info@wild-nature.org

Dancing Coyote Beach Bed & Breakfast
You won’t forget the time you spend at Dancing Coyote Beach in Inverness.  Located on a private beach alongside Tomales Bay, a peaceful sanctuary only an hour from San Francisco.  Situated in the midst of the Point Reyes National Seashore – a home-base for kayaking, bicycling, hiking, bird-watching, whale-watching, beachcombing, wild-flower walks, great local dining and whatever adventures come your way.  The graceful curve of the Tomales Bay shoreline, the sheltering pines and cedars, and relaxing by a fire crackling in the fireplace – will call you back again and again. Features include secluded and comfortable two-story architecturally unique cottages with kitchens, fireplaces and private entrances; Perfect for a romantic holiday or a quiet vacation watching the tides or reading a book in front of a fireplace; In-room massage available; Cook in your own kitchen or choose from many nearby restaurants; Pet-friendly cottage available; Free Wi-Fi wireless internet connection for your laptop.
12794 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Inverness, CA 94937, 800-210-1692 or 415-669-7200

Motel Inverness
Featuring its own deck overlooking the Salt Marsh of Tomales Bay, Kitchenette & two bedrooms each with a Queen Bed.  On Tomales Bay at the Point Reyes National Seashore, we’re surrounded on three sides by wildlife preserves and the splendor of Tomales Bay’s salt marshes. Enjoy them from our deck and you’ll understand why Frommer’s call us “the perfect place to hole up” while exploring the Point Reyes National Seashore. Visit our gardens and you’ll find enchantment. Take a stroll down our observation walkway and you’ll know why birds flock here year round – it’s too peaceful to leave. Spend a perfect day hiking the many trails of Point Reyes, kayaking secret coves, or spotting more birds than you even imagined – and come home to a roaring fire and a waiting pool table in our redwood lodge. Relax in a stress-releasing rocker, play a game of scrabble – or share stories of our perfect day with fellow travelers. The only hard part is leaving. But that’s okay. We know you’ll be back.
12718 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Inverness, CA 94937, 866-453-3839 or 415-236-1967 or info@motelinverness.com

Olema Cottages
The Olema Cottages is a one-acre lodging farmstead located an hour north of San Francisco and an hour south of the Napa-Sonoma wine country. Nestled in the town of Olema, just 1/2 mile from the Point Reyes National Seashore park entrance, we are the ideal spot for convenient access to all the area’s best beaching, hiking, cycling, kayaking, whale watching, birding, dining, and gallery browsing.
9970 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Olema, CA 94950, 800-410-8373 or 415-663-1288 or kelly@olemacottages.com

Olema Inn
The Olema Inn is your gateway for simple indulgences and small luxuries. Where you can dream away your cares, and escape your troubles. Once on the grounds, you’ll leave behind the rush of city life to experience the pastoral beauty and rural charm of the Nothern California coast. Lush gardens, an elegant outdoor patio and exquisite fine dining allow you to experience the best of the Olema Valley’s days and nights.
10,000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Olema, CA 94950, 415-663-9559 or info@theolemainn.com

Running Y Ranch
Running Y Ranch is a full-service Southern Oregon resort situated in the heart of the breathtaking Cascade Mountain range, just across the California border near Klamath Falls and host to Oregon’s only Arnold Palmer designed golf course. Running Y Ranch is set on 3,600 acres of wooded hills and lush meadows. Its lakeside location provides an array of activities, and is the perfect back drop for hiking,  birding or any outdoor activity. The abundance of unspoiled, protected lands has made the Klamath Basin the most important gathering point along the Pacific Flyway. It is also host to the largest gathering of wintering Bald Eagles in the continental U.S.

Blackbird Cafe
12781 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, Inverness. Gourmet coffee, tea, pastries, snacks, local art.

The Bovine Bakery
The Bovine Bakery has been a must-stop destination in Point Reyes Station for the last 20 years, and recently opened their second location in downtown Petaluma! The Bovine Bakery specializes in fresh, hand-made pastries and strong drip coffee. Nearly all of their products are organic and local. Some of their most popular items include the gooey Morning Bun, the huge Blueberry Buttermilk scone, and the savory Ham & Cheese Croissant. They also have delicious cookies, fresh fruit pies, and several lunch options (pizza, soup, quiche, etc.). The Bovine Bakery currently also has a handful of options for “alternative diets” and are striving to develop more recipes for people who eat vegan only or try to avoid wheat or sugar. In honor of the Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival, The Bovine Bakery is generously donating cookies for the Friday night desert reception AND is offering a special 20% discount at their downtown Point Reyes Station store to bird festival participants displaying their festival badge.”

Busy Bee Bakery
Located on the west side of Sir Francis Drake Blvd. in Inverness Park on the way to the many birds on Point Reyes. Freshly baked savory and sweet muffins, scones, other pastries; soup and more. Open 8 AM to 3 PM daily during the festival. Show your festival ID and get a free cup of steaming hot coffee or tea with any baked product during the festival weekend.  Busy Bee Bakery is also generously providing some of the yummy cookies at the festival’s Friday night dessert reception.

Flower Power
11275 State Route One, Point Reyes Station. Home, Garden and Gift Store in downtown Point Reyes Station.

Kowa Sporting Optics
Crystal Clear Optics
Kowa is a high-end sporting optics manufacturer with over 50 years experience producing the finest spotting scopes and binoculars on the market.  Kowa’s Prominar line of products are known world-wide for their pristine images and remarkable clarity.  Take a look through a Genesis binocular or a TSN-883 spotting scope and experience Kowa’s “Crystal Clear Optics” for yourself.

Patagonia
The wild world we love is fast disappearing. At Patagonia, they think that business can inspire solutions to the environmental crisis. This means that what they make and how they make it must cause the least harm to the environment. Patagonia evaluates raw materials, invests in innovative technologies, and rigorously polices their waste. Take a look at the Common Threads Initiative, bluesign Standard, the Footprint Chronicles and more. Patagonia also uses a portion of their sales to support grassroots groups working to make a real difference (their “Earth Tax,” to mitigate the damage they do). See Environmental Grants. And also, check out 1% for the Planet.

Perry’s Deli
Located on the west side of Sir Francis Drake Blvd. in Inverness Park on the way to the many birds on Point Reyes. Best freshly made sandwiches in West Marin and everything else you might need for a picnic lunch. Fully stocked deli. Open 7 AM to 8 PM daily. Show your festival ID and get a 15% discount on all purchases during the festival weekend.

Rodoni Construction
Quality residential construction for 30 years

Station House Café
The Station House Cafe has been serving the West Marin community and visitors to the California coast since 1974. The cafe has drawn rave reviews from Gourmet magazine, Frommer’s, Zagat, the San Francisco Chronicle and others.

Stevens Creek Software
Stevens Creek Software has developed and published a wide variety of software applications since 1988 for Macintosh, Windows, Palm and iPhone, concentrating for more than a decade on handheld applications for business and personal productivity.

Toby’s Feed Barn
Located in the heart of downtown Point Reyes Station, Toby’s is a family owned and operated general store and working feed barn that has been serving the community since 1942. It offers a unique range of goods from fresh, local organic produce to gifts, garden supplies, pet food, hay and grain. Toby’s Feed Barn is host to numerous events including author talks, concerts, weddings and fundraisers. It is also home to an art gallery, a coffee bar, a yoga studio, a community garden and a world famous farmer’s market, making Toby’s a vibrant and vital part of the Point Reyes community.

Whole Foods
Well, we seek out the finest natural and organic foods available, maintain the strictest quality standards in the industry, and have an unshakeable commitment to sustainable agriculture. Add to that the excitement and fun we bring to shopping for groceries, and you start to get a sense of what we’re all about. Oh yeah, we’re a mission-driven company too. If you are interested in learning about our business practices and what makes us tick, check out our Core Values, Quality Standards, Declaration of Interdependence, and more.

Rockjumper Birding Tours
Rockjumper’s bird tour leaders are all passionate birders and accomplished tour coordinators who take great joy in sharing their birding experiences with others. Though many of their tours are guided by full-time Rockjumper leaders, they also use some of the most accomplished regional leaders across the globe, thus ensuring that you always get the best possible guide for the tour of your choice. While Rockjumper therefore guarantees that their leaders have superb birding skills, they also understand that the tour leaders need to be personable, professional, friendly, attentive and dedicated to delivering a rewarding, educational and enjoyable birding experience!  Their scheduled tours are generally designed for the keen birder, though the pace varies from tour to tour, and are designed to maximize the birding experience without feeling rushed. Rockjumper also includes the salient highlights of every region they visit, be it the Taj Mahal and Tigers in India, Jaguars and Giant Otters in Brazil, or the Sphinx and Pyramids in Egypt. Rockjumper’s leader to guest ratio is one of the best in the bird tour industry and most of their tours have a maximum of eight participants, giving their guests a very personalized tour experience. Rockjumper’s office team is highly proficient in orchestrating the complex arrangements that efficient and organized traveling requires, and do their utmost to ensure that all your requirements and requests are met; whether before, during or after your tour with them.   Rockjumper’s conservation initiative includes activities undertaken by the Rockjumper Birding Conservation Fund. A proportion of the fees from each tour sign-up are used solely to conserve the birds that give so much fulfillment and joy.

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Saturday, April 28 | Sunday, April 29 | Monday, April 30

Download Schedule at a Glance

Spring at Bodega Bay
Friday, April 27 (7:30 am – 3:30 pm)
$70

Bodega Bay is one of the premier birding sites in the festival area. Highlights to be expected include an abundance of shorebirds, waterfowl, and migrant land birds. Late April is the best time of year to see loons and grebes in their spectacular breeding plumages. Join Lisa Hug for a full day as she scours such renowned locations such as Doran Beach, Bodega Harbor, Porto Bodega, Spud Point Marina and the Bodega Head for birds of all kinds. Learn to identify shorebirds, waterfowl, and other species. Easy walking. There is a $6 fee to park at Doran Spit.

Guide: Lisa Hug
Where to meet: Outside EAC Office, 65 Third Street, Suite 14, Point Reyes Station, at 7:30 am to carpool, or join the group in Bodega Bay at Porto Bodega parking lot at 8:30 am. Travel north on Highway 1 into the town of Bodega Bay; continue further north and turn left onto Eastshore Road, where a brown sign points toward Bodega Head. At the bottom of the hill, continue straight ahead to the large gravel parking area.
What to bring: Binoculars, scope, hiking boots, warm clothing, water, lunch
Limited to 15 participants
Target birds or species information:Peregrine falcon, snowy plover, black oystercatcher, pigeon guillemot, surfbird, red knot, many shorebirds and waterfowl
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Rush Creek and Las Gallinas Ponds
Friday, April 27 (7:30 am – 2:00 pm)
$55

This outing will start at Rush Creek, where shorebirds and other waterbirds congregate in the estuary and landbirds visit surrounding oak woodlands. We will then continue on to the Las Gallinas ponds, a favorite destination of Marin County birders. The treatment ponds host a wide variety of wading, shore, and open water birds. Surrounding vegetation is home to many chaparral and grasslands birds as well.

A Bird’s Eye View of Habitat
Friday, April 27 (8:00 am – 3:30 pm)
$65

Sometimes birders who can “read the landscape” seem to predict the future when it comes to their bird sightings. In this birding and ecology class, we will explore the many plant communities and habitat types that are condensed around the Limantour Beach area. We will study the specific components that determine bird composition, population density, and levels of bird activity at different times of year. Participants will learn to match signature local plant communities and landscape compositions with their associated guilds of birds.

While we sleuth out as many birds as possible in their preferred “habitats,” we will also take time to observe and learn about adaptations that make certain bird species especially well-suited to given plant communities and environments. The guide will share conservation related information on the limiting factors of vulnerable groups including cup-nesting songbirds, precocial young, and birds of open habitats. This class will not only make you a better birder, but a better-educated conservationist and advocate as we unravel what allows bird populations to persist and thrive. This class is meant to be especially informative for those in the fields of habitat restoration, environmental planning, and wildlife consulting.

Guides: Lorraine Parsons, Mary Anne Flett
Where to meet: Outside EAC Office, 65 Third Street, Suite 14, Point Reyes Station, at 12:30 pm to carpool to the Tomales Bay Trailhead, 1.6 miles north of Point Reyes Station on Highway One. The group will later proceed to the former dairy mesa in Point Reyes Station.
What to bring: Binoculars, hiking boots, warm clothing, water
Limited to 20 participants
Target bird or species information:White-tailed kite, northern harrier, American kestrel, salt marsh yellowthroat, other riparian species, sparrows, and other grassland and water birds, bald eagle
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Guide: Missy Wipf
Where to meet: Firehouse, 4th & B Streets, Point Reyes Station at 1 pm.
What to bring: Binoculars, hiking boots, warm clothing, water
Limited to 15 participants
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Cordell Bank: Above and Below the Surface
Friday, April 27 (2:45 – 3:45 pm)
$10

In this talk, Jen Stock, Outreach Coordinator for the Cordell Bank Marine Sanctuary, will describe the birds and other wildlife which thrive at this unique natural feature off the California coast. Upwellings feed abundant productivity at this seamount, resulting in numerous birds, marine mammals, and an amazing fish and invertebrate population. Jen will show photos and video of what researchers have found out there, just off the coast, and describe how the Sanctuary is working to preserve and enhance its wildlife.

Presenter: Jen Stock
Where to meet: Firehouse, Firehouse, 4th & B Streets, Point Reyes Station
Limited to 20 participants
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Raptor Identification
Friday, April 27 (4:00 – 5:00 pm)
$10

Sharpen your skills in identifying birds of prey. This workshop focuses on the most commonly seen diurnal raptors in Northern California. Of these raptors, some are resident and others migrate through the region heading for wintering or breeding grounds. Learn about similarities and differences among these birds and some of the behavioral traits that aid in identification.

Presenter: Ken Wilson
Where to meet: Firehouse, Firehouse, 4th & B Streets, Point Reyes Station
Limited to 20 participants
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Guide: Joe Mueller
Where to meet: Firehouse, Firehouse, 4th & B Streets, Point Reyes Station
What to bring: warm clothes, water, snack, small flashlight
Limited to 15 participants
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Join Keith for a whirlwind tour of carbon-free birding! Setting out to see as many species as he could in a year without the use of a car, motorcycle, powerboat or rocket ship, Keith captured the whole adventure on video. Follow the quest as Keith depicts 233 species with video footage taken in the woods, marshes, and beaches of West Marin. This will be a lot of fun, and a good chance to see your friends who are also attending the festival. Includes dessert and a variety of beverages.
Where to meet: Inverness Yacht Club, 12852 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Inverness
Limited to 70 participants
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Saturday, April 28 | Sunday, April 29 | Monday, April 30

 

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Inverness and Olema are approximately 10 minutes from Point Reyes Station.
Marshall is approximately 15 minutes from Point Reyes Station.
Dogtown is approximately 25 minutes from Point Reyes Station.

Dancing Coyote Beach Bed & Breakfast
You won’t forget the time you spend at Dancing Coyote Beach in Inverness.  Located on a private beach alongside Tomales Bay, a peaceful sanctuary only an hour from San Francisco.  Situated in the midst of the Point Reyes National Seashore – a home-base for kayaking, bicycling, hiking, bird-watching, whale-watching, beachcombing, wild-flower walks, great local dining and whatever adventures come your way.  The graceful curve of the Tomales Bay shoreline, the sheltering pines and cedars, and relaxing by a fire crackling in the fireplace – will call you back again and again. Features include secluded and comfortable two-story architecturally unique cottages with kitchens, fireplaces and private entrances; Perfect for a romantic holiday or a quiet vacation watching the tides or reading a book in front of a fireplace; In-room massage available; Cook in your own kitchen or choose from many nearby restaurants; Pet-friendly cottage available; Free Wi-Fi wireless internet connection for your laptop.
12794 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Inverness, CA 94937, 800-210-1692 or 415-669-7200

Motel Inverness
Featuring its own deck overlooking the Salt Marsh of Tomales Bay, Kitchenette & two bedrooms each with a Queen Bed.  On Tomales Bay at the Point Reyes National Seashore, we’re surrounded on three sides by wildlife preserves and the splendor of Tomales Bay’s salt marshes. Enjoy them from our deck and you’ll understand why Frommer’s call us “the perfect place to hole up” while exploring the Point Reyes National Seashore. Visit our gardens and you’ll find enchantment. Take a stroll down our observation walkway and you’ll know why birds flock here year round – it’s too peaceful to leave. Spend a perfect day hiking the many trails of Point Reyes, kayaking secret coves, or spotting more birds than you even imagined – and come home to a roaring fire and a waiting pool table in our redwood lodge. Relax in a stress-releasing rocker, play a game of scrabble – or share stories of our perfect day with fellow travelers. The only hard part is leaving. But that’s okay. We know you’ll be back.
12718 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Inverness, CA 94937, 866-453-3839 or 415-236-1967 or info@motelinverness.com

Olema Cottages
The Olema Cottages is a one-acre lodging farmstead located an hour north of San Francisco and an hour south of the Napa-Sonoma wine country. Nestled in the town of Olema, just 1/2 mile from the Point Reyes National Seashore park entrance, we are the ideal spot for convenient access to all the area’s best beaching, hiking, cycling, kayaking, whale watching, birding, dining, and gallery browsing.
9970 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Olema, CA 94950, 800-410-8373 or 415-663-1288 or kelly@olemacottages.com

Olema Inn
The Olema Inn is your gateway for simple indulgences and small luxuries. Where you can dream away your cares, and escape your troubles. Once on the grounds, you’ll leave behind the rush of city life to experience the pastoral beauty and rural charm of the Nothern California coast. Lush gardens, an elegant outdoor patio and exquisite fine dining allow you to experience the best of the Olema Valley’s days and nights.
10,000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Olema, CA 94950, 415-663-9559 or info@theolemainn.com

Sarah Allen has studied marine birds and mammals of California for some 30 years and has been affiliated with both PRBO Conservation Science and Point Reyes National Seashore. She has authored scientific papers on harbor seals and other topics and is currently working on climate issues for the Western Region of the National Park Service. Her new “Field Guide to the Marine Mammals of the Pacific Coast” was released by UC Press in January.

Christopher Anderl, PhD.(ABD), has hiked and guided extensively on Mt. Tam for the past 20 years, written three books of nature poetry, and produced an instructional DVD filmed high on Bolinas Ridge.  His graduate work was in psychology, philosophy, and literature, with a comparison of  poetry in ancient China and the modern West.  His passion is connecting people with their own energies of body-mind-spirit and the natural world.  Learn more at:  www.TaiChiNature.us

Sharon Barnett is well known as one of Marin’s most dynamic interpretive naturalists. She gets children and adults excited about nature. Sharon teaches science at Marin Country Day School and in the hiking instructor for The College of Marin. Sharon is the 2011 Terwilliger Environmental Award winner for excellence in environmental education.  www.Marinnature.com

Tom Baty has been bumping around Tomales Bay for the last 50 years.  Occasionally he is willing to share his experiences with others.  He has a seaworthy 26 foot boat.

Sharon Beals is a photographer living in San Francisco. Always a concerned naturalist, her education about conservation issues affecting birds increased a hundred fold after reading Scott Weidensaul’s Pulitzer nominated Living on the Wind, Across the Hemisphere’s with Migrating Birds. But expressing all that she has learned about the threats to survival of so many avian species through her art, and to a wider audience than the environmental community, eluded her until she conceived the idea of letting nests speak for their builders. No trees were scaled for this project; just the ladders for the tall cabinets in The California Academy of Sciences, the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, and the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology.

Kathy Biggs Kathy’s love of dragonflies led her to become the author of California’s first dragonfly guide, published in 2000, Common Dragonflies of California. It sold out at over 14,000 copies and the new revision and complete update of this guide is just now available – published May 2009. She is also the author of a Southwest dragonfly guide, Common Dragonflies of the Southwest. Her guides are pocket-sized and designed for the beginner. They feature large photos and succinct text, only describing the field marks needed for making identifications. They are conveniently sized for field work.

Len Blumin is a retired physician and avid birder. In the course of digiscoping over the past six years, he has taken more 30,000 images of birds. Preview some of his favorite images at www.flickriver.com/photos/lenblumin.

Ellen Blustein began birding at age 7 while observing a flicker pulling ants from the debris in the sidewalk cracks of her backyard in Massachusetts. She has been associated with the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory, Audubon Canyon Ranch, Marin County Open Space, Point Reyes Bird Observatory and Redwood Region Ornithological Society.

Kathi Borgmann recently completed her Ph.D. at the University of Arizona where she studied the effects of seasonal changes in plant growth (phenology), food availability, predator behavior, and temperature on the ability of forest songbirds to successfully raise their offspring. Kathi also studied the response of birds and mammals to habitat restoration in montane meadows and riparian areas around Lake Tahoe, CA. She helped develop restoration strategies and monitored the response of wildlife to restoration for the past five years.  

Rich Cimino is the owner and guide of Yellowbilled Tours based in Northern California.  He has a strong interest in habitat conservation and sustainable ecotourism. Rich has participated as a volunteer at the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory and in breeding bird surveys and has facilitated Adult Education Beginning Birding for the Livermore school district. He is the Christmas Bird Count compiler for Eastern Alameda County. As conservation leader for the Ohlone Audubon Society Rich is working to protect and restore important bird habitat areas in eastern Alameda County. He currently has a keen interest in e-birds and photography.

Josiah Clark grew up steeped in the natural history of the Bay Area, where he has been birding for more than 20 years. Defining moments of birding experiences include: observation and mist-netting on Southeast Farallon Island; extensive travel, study, and tour-leading in Latin America; and a 24-hour birding and bicycling marathon in Marin County during which he spotted 158 species. Josiah owns Habitat Potential, an ecological consulting firm dedicated to interpreting, preserving, and creating habitat for wildlife in human settings. He recently started a nursery, growing plants for habitat installations.

Peter Colasanti graduated from the University of Massachusetts in 1974 with a degree in zoology and almost immediately came west to “see more birds.” Since then he’s made his home in the North Bay, taking long birding trips to the Neotropics in the good years, and most of them are good years. Peter leads surveys at Tolay Regional Park and Tolay Creek Ranch for Sonoma County agencies. He also leads field trips and monitors bird populations at Shollenberger Park for the Petaluma Wetlands Alliance.

Terry Colborn has been active in the birding community for more than 35 years. He grew up in New Jersey, where the sights of Blue Jays and Cardinals feeding in his snow-covered backyard grabbed his attention as a young boy, and migrated to California in the late ’60s. Terry has traveled and birded extensively throughout North America. He regularly leads annual field trips for several Audubon chapters and other groups, as well as both domestic and international birding tours through TLC Birding. Terry lives in Davis and serves on the board of the Yolo Basin Foundation, the outreach and educational arm of the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, one of his favorite local birding patches.

Emiko Condeso is a biologist and GIS specialist for Audubon Canyon Ranch. At the Cypress Grove Research Center, she manages ACR’s long-term biological monitoring projects and collaborates with staff and partners in conservation research. Her own research interests include understanding how spatial patterns, particularly in human-altered landscapes, influence biological communities. Her graduate work focused on Sudden Oak Death and examined the role of the spatial pattern of host woodland on disease dynamics.

Rigdon Currie is a long-time birder who has led a local birding group for five years. He took up video photography in 2000 as a way to keep a record of his many international birding trips. He has created 25 videos of these foreign excursions which illuminate his goal of seeing a representative of every bird family in the world.

Dave DeSantefounded The Institute for Bird Populations, located in Point Reyes Station, in 1988, and currently serves as its President. Prior to that, Dave served as Director of Terrestrial Research at PRBO (1978–1988) and as Assistant Professor of Biology at Reed College (1975–1978), and at Stanford University (1974–1975). He received his Ph.D. from Stanford in 1973, and was awarded the Chandler Robbins Award by the American Birding Association in 2010.

Joe DiDonato owns Wildlife Consulting and Photography, an East Bay biological services firm.  He formerly worked as a naturalist for the East Bay Regional Park District.  He specializes in raptor biology, and is a very experienced birder.

Wendy Dreskin teaches nature education to pre-school and elementary-age students, including the Junior Bird Watcher Program for Marin Audubon and the Junior Botanist program for Wildcare. She also provides nature education through the College of Marin Community Education program and leads Point Reyes National Seashore Association Field Seminars on butterflies, tidepools, and wildflowers. In 2003, she was awarded the Terwilliger Environmental Award for her work inspiring both children and adults.

Dan Dugan started his career as a theatrical lighting designer, and then switched to sound. The first person to be credited as “Sound Designer” and inventor of the automatic microphone mixer, Dan manufactures his inventions, which currently are used on television talk shows and news panels. Dan has been a technical advisor to the Nature Sounds Society for twenty years and is a board member. He has recorded soundscapes in New Zealand and in many national parks and monuments, including Muir Woods, Yosemite, Pinnacles, Joshua Tree, Lassen, Yellowstone, Olympic, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Sequoia-Kings Canyon, Lava Beds, and Haleakala. He and his wife Sharon Perry recorded the dawn chorus in Cathedral Grove of Muir Woods every month for a year.

Daniel Edelstein, a consulting biologist, has led birding tours for more than 25 years and presented public birding presentations in more than 20 states. Daniel has several blogs and websites about northern California birds on the WorldWideWeb and is currently conducting songbird and raptor surveys for two projects.  Daniel’s website may be viewed at www.warblerwatch.com and two different blogs he writes can be enjoyed at warblerwatch.blogspot.com (focused on wood-warblers) and danielsmerrittclasses.blogspot.com (focused on adult birding classes he teaches at Merritt College in Oakland, CA)

Jules Evens, naturalist and writer, has been living and birding in the Point Reyes area for more than three decades. He is the founder and Principal of Avocet Research Associates and a long-time research associate with PRBO Conservation Science and Audubon Canyon Ranch. His primary research focuses on tidal wetlands and avian population trends. He is the author of The Natural History of the Point Reyes Peninsula and An Introduction to California Birdlife (both published by University of California Press), as well as various scientific papers and natural history articles.

Gary Fellers is a Research Wildlife Biologist for the United States Geological Survey, specializing in bat biology.He was awarded the Meritorious Service Award from the USGS. Gary formerly worked for the National Park Service, and is also an expert on Red Legged Frog biology.

Allen Fish has been the director of the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory since 1985. He leads its Hawkwatch Program and oversees hawk-nesting studies in the Presidio and Berkeley. A northern California native, he is particularly interested in bird population responses to urban development, climate change, and other human pressures. He has taught an upper-division Raptor Biology class at UC Davis since 2003, the same year he was awarded the Maurice Braun Award by the Hawk Migration Association of North America for his contributions to hawk migration study and conservation.

 MaryAnne Flett is a native northern Californian who has been birding and working as a biological consultant for more than 30 years. She lives in West Marin and works on bird-related aspects of habitat restoration projects in the Point Reyes National Seashore and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. She conducts surveys for California clapper and black rails in tidal marshes around the San Francisco Bay and Estuary and has conducted research on willow flycatchers and other meadow birds in the Sierra Nevada. She has traveled throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Central America, and the Caribbean to look at birds and plants. It makes her incredibly happy to hear the dawn chorus.

Andrea Freeman has been working as a naturalist and environmental educator for the past 17 years. She has extensive experience teaching in the outdoors and comprehensive knowledge of the natural sciences, coastal ecology, and marine biology. She has a Master’s Degree in Natural History and Environmental Studies and is an enthusiastic interpreter of the marvels of the natural world. She’s also a poet and storyteller and plays the Celtic harp.

Harry Fuller is a trip leader for Partnership for International Birding and works as trip host for Neblina Forest Tours. He leads numerous birding trips along the Pacific Coast and teaches classes for Point Reyes Field Seminars.

Keith Hansen had a childhood interest in birds that developed into a lifelong passion. He is a wildlife illustrator specializing in birds, and leads birding tours to Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, and the Yucatan. Keith is currently illustrating a field guide to the birds of the Sierra Nevada to be published by the Yosemite Association, and works from his gallery in Bolinas.

John Harris is a professor of biology at Mills College in Oakland, California, where he has taught ecology, natural history, and vertebrate zoology since 1986. He earned his Ph.D. in Ecology at UC Davis in 1983 and his B.S. in Biology at Stanford in 1976. His research has included studies of desert rodents at Mono Lake, Willow Flycatchers at the Nature Conservancy’s Kern River Preserve, San Joaquin antelope squirrels and Mojave ground squirrels. John has worked on small mammals in the Sierra Nevada, San Joaquin Valley, and Mojave Desert of California. He is the author of Mammals of the Mono Lake-Tioga Pass Region.

Roger Harris is a Certified Wildlife Biologist and author of the California Department of Fish and Game’s wildlife management plan for the Corte Madera Marsh. He works as an environmental consultant for LSA where he is a principal and specializes in wetlands, endangered species, and native habitat restoration. He conducted a long-term study of the Forster’s tern colony at the neighboring Corte Madera Shorebird Marsh. Roger leads nature trips for the Oceanic Society and other conservation groups.

Burr Heneman is the former Executive Director of the Point Reyes Bird Observatory. He also has a long-time interest in native plants and taught native plant classes through UC Extension. Burr has been involved in marine issues at state, national and international levels for 40 years. He also designed the Packard Foundation’s new global seabird conservation program.Burr’s past marine conservation emphases have included fisheries management reform in California and elsewhere, and oil-spill prevention and response, including the 1989 Exxon Valdez and 1991 Gulf War oil spills. He was a consultant to the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission on California marine mammal conflicts with gill net fisheries and on plastics in the ocean when that issue was first identified in the mid-1980s.Although a policy person, Burr takes time out for field work whenever he can. He has participated in PRBO’s Farallon Islands seabird and white shark research off and on since 1971, and has also done marine debris research in Mexico, Shetland, and the Lesser Antilles, and shark research in Belize. His most recent Galapagos visit was in February, 2011, where he is helping two colleagues with a Galapagos penguin research and conservation project.

David Herlocker is the Marin County Parks Interpretive Naturalist. He has been guiding nature walks in Marin County on a full-time basis for 13 years and leads 2–3 walks each week for MCOSD. Dave can teach you about birds, insects, trees, snakes, salamanders, and birds. You name it, and David knows something about it.

Melissa Hero has been teaching high school biology at Carlmont High School for 10 years. She has won numerous awards for her use of technology in the classroom. She is a volunteer Hawk Watcher with Golden Gate Raptor Observatory and serves on the Board of Directors for Sequoia Audubon Society. She avidly uses iPhone birding apps such as Sibley Birds, National Geographic’s Handheld Birds, BirdsEye, birdJam, and Birdwatcher’s Diary. She teaches her students the importance of citizen science, and her classes participate in Cornell University’s Bird Sleuth program as well as Carolina’s Owl Pellet database.

Ceci Herrmann is a bureaucrat and occasional writer and editor who studied and practiced writing pedagogy in the course of earning an M.A. in English many years ago. She’ll contribute humor, gumption, and stimulating ideas for writing while walking.

Alan Hopkins has been leading field trips in the Bay Area for more than 30 years. Alan was one of the founders of the San Francisco Christmas Bird Count, and he has lead the Home Ranch area of the Point Reyes Count for more than 20 years. As president of Golden Gate Audubon Society he started the Save the Quail Campaign in San Francisco. An avid photographer, Alan’s photographs have been published in many books and journals.

Lisa Hug is a freelance naturalist and contract biologist. An experienced birder in the North Bay, her haunts include Bolinas Lagoon, Point Reyes National Seashore, and Bodega Bay. She teaches bird identification classes for the community education program at the College of Marin. She is also an energetic co-leader for Shearwater Journeys Pelagic Tours. She loves to share her knowledge of and enthusiasm for the natural world with others.

Megan Isadore is a naturalist and writer who lives, writes, walks and kayaks in Marin and wherever else she gets the chance. Her most recent writing practice has been a watershed-based weekly column, offered during the winter “salmon” season. Megan has been a science writer for most of her life, with occasional forays into fiction, essays and the arcane practice of writing letters on paper.

Deborah Jamison is a longtime birder. She is an active member of Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, serves on the chapter’s Environmental Action Committee and works on local conservation issues. Debi leads birdathon teams and participates in Christmas Bird Counts.

Alvaro Jaramillo was born in Chile but began birding in Toronto, where he lived as a youth. He studied ecology and evolution in Canada, earning a master’s degree studying co-evolution in Argentine cowbirds. Research forays and backpacking trips introduced Alvaro to the riches of the Neotropics, where he has traveled extensively. His recent Birds of Chile is now the standard field guide for that country. His New World Blackbirds: The Icterids deals with the biology and identification of this fascinating group of birds. He has also contributed both popular and scientific articles in various publications and wrote the icterid chapter for The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Most recently Al finished co-editing a Spanish translation of A Neotropical Companion for Birder’s Exchange. With no book projects on tap, he has more time to spend with his wife Katja, raising their son, Pablo, and daughter, Bianca, in the cozy coastal town of Half Moon Bay, California. Ecologically, Half Moon Bay is very much like Chile but the people speak English! Al is a birder who is also keenly interested in all aspects of the natural world and in understanding the biology and behavior of the birds we seek on trips. He enjoys teaching and incorporating gee whiz facts from his great internal database of bird info into the day’s birding. Al’s great enjoyment of humor is also part of the package, so if you want to have great fun birding the Americas…you know where to find him.

John Kelly is the Director of Conservation Science for Audubon Canyon Ranch. He develops scientific programs and conservation activities for ACR’s system of wildlife sanctuaries in Marin and Sonoma counties and for associated systems such as Tomales Bay. John’s scientific interests focus on habitat relationships, foraging, and energetics of coastal and estuarine birds, and on the breeding biology of herons and egrets in the San Francisco Bay area. He also works on local and regional conservation issues and serves on the Tomales Bay Watershed Council.

John (Jack) Muir Laws is a naturalist, educator, author, and artist who delights in exploring the natural world and sharing this love with others. His books include: the Laws Guide to the Sierra Nevada, a pocket guide to over 1,700 species found there; and Sierra Birds: A Hiker’s Guide. He is trained as a wildlife biologist and is an associate of the California Academy of Sciences. In 2009, John received the Terwilliger Environmental Award for outstanding service in Environmental Education.

Ron LeValley is a professional nature and wildlife photographer with 40 years experience and an enthusiasm for sharing his knowledge with others. He owned an ecotourism business and is also the founder and Senior Biologist at Mad River Biologists, a biological consulting firm in Eureka, California. Ron serves as Treasurer of the Pacific Seabird Group and is Associate Editor of “Western Birds, the Quarterly Journal of Western Field Ornithologists.”

Susan Cochrane Levitsky served as Manager of the California Natural Diversity Data Base at the California Department of Fish and Game, and is a recognized expert on California native plants. She provided guidance for California’s Wild Gardens, a beautiful coffee table book about California’s unique flora.

Carolyn Longstreth is president of the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin (EAC). She is an avid birder and the creator of the CD, Birding By Ear at Point Reyes. She taught classes on birdsong at an Audubon Center in Connecticut, and more recently at last year’s Point Reyes Birding and Nature Festival.

John Longstreth has been photographing birds and other wildlife for over 25 years. He rarely passes up an opportunity to bird outside the U.S. and in fact, has dropped his camera on every continent except Antarctica.

Sarah Millus is Audubon Canyon Ranch’s Helen Pratt Field Biologist. Sarah monitors and tracks the progress of heron and egret nesting colonies throughout the northern San Francisco Bay Area. Her graduate work focused on Xantus’s Murrelet, a small seabird that nests on the Channel Islands.

Joseph Morlan has taught Ornithology at San Francisco City College for over 30 years and has been a member of the California Bird Records Committee for over 20 years. He is co-author of Birds of San Francisco and the Bay Area and Birds of Northern Californiaand is “Featured Photo” editor for “Western Birds.”In 2010 Joseph was awarded the American Birding Association’s “Ludlow Griscom Award” for outstanding contributions in regional ornithology.

Ian Morrison is an avid birder from Sonoma County who has been exploring the environs of Northern California for the past 40 years. He holds an MFA from San Francisco State University and is a retired high school teacher. Besides birding, Ian enjoys, kayaking, hiking, and camping and is an amateur astronomer.

Joe Mueller has taught biology at College of Marin for 20 years, and was instrumental in developing the Natural History Program there. In his work as a local naturalist, he leads field courses on ornithology, marine biology, ecology, and mammalogy for Point Reyes Field Seminars and other natural history groups. Joe was the recipient of the 2008 Terwilliger Environmental Education Award.

Craig Nikitas is a retired architect and urban planner. He has banded birds of prey for almost two decades with the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory and volunteers as a docent on Hawk Hill. He has worked with captive and injured birds at the San Francisco Zoo, the Randall Museum, and currently at WildCare.

Terry Nordbye has lived in West Marin for 40 years. He is an avid birder and has collected census data for PRBO, Audubon Canyon Ranch, and the Christmas Bird Count. Besides West Marin, Terry has birded in Costa Rica, Texas, Cape May, Minnesota, and spots between.

Gary Page is Wetlands Ecology Division Director for PRBO Conservation Science. Gary came to PRBO in 1971 from his native Canada, where he had studied shorebirds as part of his job as warden of Long Point Bird Observatory. Gary’s work has included an ecological study, focused on shorebirds, of Bolinas Lagoon; a long-term study of the geographic distribution, status, life history, and population ecology of the Snowy Plover in central California; waterbird surveys of Point Reyes wetlands; the assessment of the effects of several major oil spills on marine bird populations; a large study of the distribution and abundance of shorebirds in wetlands west of the Rocky Mountains; and, currently, with other researchers at PRBO, an intensive study of bird use of San Francisco Bay wetlands.

Steve Patt, active member of the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society and owner of Steven Creek Software, which has been developing and publishing software for Macintosh, Windows, PalmOS, and now iOS, for 24 years.  Steve puts on the Stevens Creek 50K trail race, now in its 10th year (August 14, 2011), as a fundraiser for the chapter, leads birdathon teams and participates in Christmas Bird Counts.

Ed Pandolfino spent more than 20 years working in the medical device industry until his growing obsession with birds helped inspire him to retire early. Since then he has devoted his time to birding and bird-related research and conservation work. Ed is Vice-president of Western Field Ornithologists and is on the board of Sierra Foothills Audubon Society. He serves as a Regional Editor for Northern California for the publication North American Birds and is on the editorial committee of the Central Valley Bird Club Bulletin. Ed is currently working on a book on the birds of the Sierra Nevada with Ted Beedy and Keith Hansen.

John Parodi works for PRBO Conservation Science as STRAW Restoration Manager. John spent most of his childhood either working in his family’s almond orchard in California’s Central Valley or exploring the rivers and wetlands of the Valley and the Sierra Nevada Mountains just east from home.  These experiences led him to a life-long fascination with the critical role agriculture plays in ecosystem health and the quality of life here in California and beyond.  As Restoration Manager, he has provided leadership and science expertise to STRAW’s habitat restoration projects with students, teachers and community members on public and private landscapes.  John received a B.S. in Fermentation Science from the University of California, Davis in 1996 and a California Single Subject Teaching Credential with CLAD emphasis in Biology from Dominican College in 2000.

Lorraine Parsons is a Vegetation/Wetlands Ecologist for Point Reyes National Seashore, and was the Project Manager for the Giacomini Wetlands Restoration Project. She has been with the park since 2001. Prior to that, Lorraine worked for local county agencies and consulting firms managing wetland and riparian mitigation/restoration projects and conducting monitoring of wetland and riparian systems.

Richard Pavek specializes in photographing birds in flight.He gives private instruction in photographing birds in flight, publishes a monthly photo-essay blog on birds: www.RichardsBirdBlog.com, and writes a weekly column on bird life for the Whistlestop Express (since 2007).Richard emails a weekly exceptional bird photo to a list of approximately 900, and has, since 2005, led an international web forum on birds.He is writing Avianautics, How Birds Fly(at the publishers awaiting their decision).

Claire Peaslee is a naturalist, writer, editor, theatre artist, public speaker, and regular guest on “West Coast Live” radio program. Inspired by the living Earth, she leads custom nature tours from Point Reyes and performs and teaches improvisation.Find more info at www.clairepeaslee.net

Sharon Perry has worked as an environmental educator, and is the Chair of the Nature Sounds Society, which is dedicated to the preservation, appreciation and creative use of natural sounds. Her current projects include preparing for the NSS Field Recording Workshop, June 24-26, 2011, at Yuba Pass in the Sierras.

Darren Peterie is the co-founder, along with Tom Rusert, of SonomaBirding.com, a conservation organization founded in 2004 and based in Sonoma, CA. (see below for complete description of SonomaBirding.com)

Dr. Chris Pincetich works with SPAWN, the Salmon Protection and Watershed Network, a local non-profit whose work over the last decade to safeguard coho has received national recognition. “Dr. Chris” leads coho salmon educational programs and assists with habitat restoration and population monitoring. His passion for promoting coho salmon, watershed science, and ocean conservation has been shared through training and speaking engagements ranging from international scientific conferences to elementary school classrooms. Chris earned a doctorate in Environmental Toxicology from UC Davis studying the impacts of pesticides to developing young salmon and currently teaches about coho salmon biology, ecology, and conservation of watershed processes with SPAWN.

Melissa Pitkin is the Education and Outreach Director for PRBO Conservation Science, where she has worked since 1997. Melissa has been a field biologist on the Farallons and also develops and implements projects that focus on translating the science of bird and ecosystem conservation to a wide variety of audiences, including adults and youths. She holds an M.S. in Environmental Science from Southern Oregon University.

Jerry A. Powell is an entomologist at UC Berkeley and Director Emeritus of the Essig Museum of Entomology.  Dr. Powell co-authored the treatise, Moths of Western North America, and conducted a research project on moths and butterflies at the Muddy Hollow area of Point Reyes in the aftermath of the 1995 Mt. Vision fire. Among his many current projects is the creation of comprehensive inventories of all butterfly and moth species (including those undescribed) at several localities in California, including Santa Cruz Island, Walnut Creek, and Big Creek, Monterey County.   As a means of comparison to neotropical lepidoptera, he is collaborating on a National Science Foundation project sampling the biodiversity of selected insect species at the La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica. Dr. Powell is highly regarded as a patient and inspiring teacher.

Bob Power is the Executive Director for Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society and leads or co-leads birding trips annually to Mono Lake, Tule Lake, Yuba Pass, and southeastern Arizona. Bob has been the instructor for Birding Topics and Techniques at Palo Alto Adult School for the past six years and is a day-leader for the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory’s HawkWatch program.

Peter Pyle has lived and birded in the area for 30 years and spent 24 years as a biologist on the Farallon Islands. As an expert on molt, Pyle is perhaps most renowned as the author of the two-volume Identification Guide to North American Birds, an essential reference for the advanced birder and bird banders. He currently works for the Institute for Bird Populations in Point Reyes Station.

Ashley Ratcliffe has been teaching Grass Taxonomy classes in Marin for the last seven years.The class uses the Marin Flora and The Jepson Manual keys to identify grasses in the field and in the lab.

Laurette Rogers works as STRAW Program (Students and Teachers Restoring A Watershed) Manager at PRBO Conservation Science. For the past 18 years, she has collaborated to facilitate the program for K-12 students and teachers.  In 1992, she was teaching fourth grade at Brookside School in San Anselmo, CA, when her students began the Shrimp Project, a project designed to help save an endangered species through restoration and public outreach. The Shrimp Project eventually turned into the STRAW Project.  Laurette and STRAW joined PRBO in 2011.  Laurette has her MA in Education from Dominican University and is the author of The California Freshwater Shrimp Project:  An Example of Environmental Project-Based Learning

Marilyn Rose is co-owner of Out of this World and DiscountBinoculars.com, the largest optics seller in Northern California.  Since 1988, Marilyn and co-workers have helped customers choose just the right binocular or spotting scope from their home base in Mendocino.

Tom Rusert is the co-founder, along with Darren Peterie, of SonomaBirding.com, a conservation organization founded in 2004 and based in Sonoma, CA. Tom was recently presented the 2011 Ludlow Griscom Award, the most prestigious ornithological recognition in the country, for his many Outstanding Contributions to Regional Ornithology and his efforts to promote birding for kids and families throughout the United States and Canada. (see below for complete description of SonomaBirding.com) \

Barbara Salzman, a former social worker, has been a firmly committed wetland conservationist for more than 35 years, primarily working with Marin Audubon Society. Barbara also currently serves on the boards of the San Francisco Estuary Institute, the San Francisco Bay Joint Venture, Friends of the San Francisco Estuary, and the San Francisco Estuary Partnership and Advisory Committees.

Dave Shuford has been a senior scientist in the Wetlands Ecology Division at PRBO since 1975. Primary interests include the status, distribution, trends, and conservation of birds in California and the West. Major research projects have focused on: shorebird distribution and abundance throughout the Pacific Flyway; colonial breeding waterbirds in California; reconnaissance surveys at the Salton Sea and Klamath Basin; and long-term trends and reproductive success of California Gulls at Mono Lake relative to concerns over water diversions.

Dan Singer has been studying birds since childhood. His interest and expertise in difficult identification issues and the status and distribution of birds in California, North America, and much of the the rest of the world, led to many years as a regional editor for the journal North American Birds. He has served as a member of the California Bird Records Committee since the 1990s. Dan spends an inordinate amount of time watching gulls, but would rather be at sea looking for petrels. He can often be found leading pelagic trips along the central California coast. For the past several years Dan has been a regional editor for eBird in California. His latest mission is to make you an eBirder.

Doreen Smith is a local botanist who has 19 years experience as a volunteer monitoring rare California native plants at the Pt. Reyes National Seashore. Doreen serves on the Marin Chapter of the California Native Plant Society and is the chapter’s rare plant coordinator.

SonomaBirding.com is a conservation organization founded in 2004 by Tom Rusert and Darren Peterie and based in Sonoma, CA. It sustains the two annual Sonoma Valley Audubon Christmas Bird Counts for adults and kids, bird camps, seasonal bird lists, a nature lecture series, classes, and other bird-and nature-related educational collaborations for all ages. For more information call 707-939-8007 or visit sonomabirding.com

Rich Stallcup has been studying birds around Point Reyes for over 30 years. He is a founder of and current naturalist at PRBO Conservation Science, a Field Associate of the California Academy of Science, and a Research Associate at Audubon Canyon Ranch on its Scientific Advisory Panel. Rich has authored numerous publications, including: Field List of Birds at Point Reyes National Seashore, Ocean Birds of the Nearshore Pacific and the Nature Company’s Birding. In June 2002, Rich was presented with the Ludlow Griscom Award for Outstanding Contributions to American Ornithology, the nation’s highest award in the field.

Lynne Stenzel started as an intern at PRBO Conservation Science in 1971. Her mission was to identify the invertebrate prey of shorebirds, as well as their digested parts in shorebird pellets and droppings from Bolinas Lagoon. Since those early days, Lynne’s work has included ongoing participation in the Wetlands research program; serving as the Observatory’s volunteer librarian in the 70s; managing and analyzing the Beached Bird Project data from 1977 to 1988; and analyzing the data from studies of Clapper Rails, Black Rails, and Double-crested Cormorants on San Francisco Bay. From the beginning, Lynne’s primary interest has been estuarine and shorebird research, particularly the population ecology and life history of Snowy Plovers in the west, monitoring shorebird populations, and restoration of wetland habitat for birds and other wildlife.

Maury Stern is a retired Pediatrician who has birded for 30 years.He has been President of Mt. Diablo Audubon Society and was Program Chairman for many years.Maury leads trips for them and the Walnut Creek Open Space Foundation, and has been co-compiler of the Contra Costa Christmas Counts the past 20 years.

Jenny Stock is the outreach coordinator for Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary and regularly leads trips to the area. She coordinates all education and outreach activities for the sanctuary, which includes developing teacher and student materials, hosting education workshops, and creating outreach opportunities, publications, exhibits, signage, and website content. Jenny is the local “ocean DJ” as the host for her monthly radio show called “Ocean Currents” on community radio for West Marin, KWMR-FM.

Kevin Stockmann is a naturalist, a marine biologist and co-founder of Marin Nature Adventures. He designs and leads birdwatching and wildlife viewing tours throughout Marin County. Kevin also works offshore for NOAA Fisheries as a commercial fishery observer.

Khara Strum is an ecologist who leads PRBO’s efforts in the Migratory Bird Conservation Partnership project, monitoring waterbird use of rice fields in the Sacramento Valley. After a stint with PRBO in 2003 on San Clemente Island, she returns now with a master’s degree in biology from Kansas State University. In her new post, Khara is working on creating habitat for migratory birds in human-altered landscapes.

Meryl Sundove is an environmental educator currently with STRAW (Students and Teachers Restoring a Watershed) at PRBO and formerly with the Richardson Bay Audubon Center, where she had worked for 22 years. Meryl teaches the popular bird song class for Marin Aububon Society and has a special aptitude for introducing people to the wonders of the natural world, especially birds. Meryl has led nature trips around the world for the National Audubon Society.

Richard Vacha has been studying tracking since he was a Cub Scout, and attended Tom Brown’s Tracking School and Jon Young’s Integral Awareness Series.From these experiences, the Marin Tracking Club was born and has been meeting every month since its founding three years ago. Richard writes a monthly column on tracking for the West Marin Citizen, and lectures on the subject and leads tracking walks for Point Reyes Field Seminars and for private groups.

Jim White is an avid birder. He graduated as a chemical engineer from Iowa State University in 1962, and has worked in the field of general contracting. He also enjoys hiking, camping, biking, and skiing.

Ken Wilson, a native New Zealander, is the owner of Talon Tours, a birding and nature guiding company. Since 1995, Ken has been designing and leading trips to numerous locations in Central and South America, Asia, and Australia. He has a passion for photographing birds and other animals whenever the opportunity presents itself. Ken also is active in birding and conservation activities in Sonoma County and has participated in the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory Hawk Watch Census for the past 12 years.

Will Wilson has years of experience birding in Point Reyes National Seashore, and co-leads a local birding group with Rigdon Currie.

David Wimpfheimer is a biologist and naturalist who calls Point Reyes home. For 25 years, his seasoned focus and wide expertise have enriched nature excursions in Marin and other parts of the Bay Area. He has guided programs for Point Reyes Field Seminars, Elderhostel, Oceanic Society, California Academy of Sciences, Wild Wings, Marin Agricultural Land Trust, and other groups throughout California, Alaska, Baja, Scotland, and many other locations.

Missy Wipf is PRBO’s Conservation Educator. She has worked as a field biologist in the organization’s Terrestrial Ecology Division, managed the Palomarin Field Station, worked in Membership and Development, and for the last 5 years has worked in the Education and Outreach Division. Missy provides bird science education opportunities to diverse communities in the Bay Area and leads monthly public bird walks for the organization.

Bill Yeates describes himself as an opportunistic but patient birder, who is always up for an excuse to walk to Chimney Rock. He an attorney specializing in land use, California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), California Endangered Species Act (CESA), and election law and is the former President of the Monterey Peninsula Audubon Society.

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