Surviving the Urban Jungle, A Talk on Human/Wildlife Conflict - Presented by Michele Dodge
2024-09-10 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Central United Methodist Church, 3700 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, California
As people continue to expand their territory, wild animals find themselves more and more impacted by people. This can result in difficult situations for the wild animals who don’t know how to navigate an increasingly urbanized landscape. Presented by a wildlife field rescuer with real life photos and stories about helping our wild neighbors. Sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes disturbing, sometimes funny, and sometimes heartwarming, we will hear about rescues of everything from squirrels to owls, from foxes to eagles, and discuss some of the dangers we unintentionally create in suburban America. Come learn about the urban jungle, and how we can become better friends to our wild neighbors.
Michele Dodge is a wildlife photographer and wildlife rescuer that lives in Granite Bay, California. She was an animal crazy kid that grew up to be an animal crazy adult, and has been involved with animals her entire life. She volunteers for several licensed wildlife rescue organizations, working their emergency call phone lines and helping people with complex or dangerous rescues. She also does workshops and trainings on wildlife, photography, and rescue for many organizations including rescue groups, community colleges, wildlife festivals, and conservation groups.

Staten Island Field Trip
2024-09-29 08:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Staten Island, 24734, N Staten Island Road, Thornton, CA, 95242, United States
Meet leaders Cavan and Amy at the grain silos at the start (North End) of Staten Island Road. We will be birding from the cars mostly along the road, stopping at points to get out. The road may still be in use by large trucks and farm equipments, so we need to be careful. A porta-potty might be available at the beginning of the road. Trip should finish before lunch, but bring snacks, water and binoculars. A spotting scope will come in handy if you have one. Some fields will be flooded, and we should have a variety of shorebirds, Dunlin, Least/West Sandpipers, Dowitchers, many duck species and perhaps a few early Sandhill Cranes.
Direction:
Turn onto N Staten Island Road from W Walnut Grove Road. After 1000 feet there will be a gravel parking area on the left.

Beyond the Amazon: The Pantanal of Brazil – Presented by Nancy E. Muleady-Mecham, Ph.D.
2024-10-08 19:30 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Central United Methodist Church, 3700 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, California
A look at the largest wetland on the planet, its natural history and ecology.
Doc Nancy is an Adjunct Professor of biology at Northern Arizona University and Columbia College, Sonora as well as a Visiting Lecturer for the University of Virginia Semester At Sea Program where she taught biology around the world. Doc Nancy was selected by the United States as a Fulbright Scholar and traveled to the Russian Federation to teach at Gorno-Altaisk State University in southwest Siberia and to conduct research in remote protected areas. As a retired National Park Ranger Naturalist and in Protection, she worked in numerous national Parks throughout the U.S.
When not working on her research on Giant Sequoias she loves to backpack. She leads High Sierra backcountry seminars on horseback for Rock Creek Pack Station. She has completed solo hikes of the John Muir and High Sierra Trails through the Sierra Nevada, hiked through the Alps on The Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt, and is a Pacific Crest Trail section hiker.
She is the author of several books, and lives in the Sierra Nevada with her family. She teaches Biology for Community Education through Columbia College, including the California Nature Series and Adventures on Planet Earth series via Zoom in the Fall.
Doc Nancy has been appointed by the Secretary of the Interior of the United States to the Central California Resource Advisory Council for the Bureau of Land management for a second three-year position in 2023. She also serves as a RAC Member for the US Forest Service.

Dos Rios SP Field Trip
2024-10-12 08:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Dos Rios State Park, 3559 Shiloh Rd, Modesto, CA, 95358, United States
Leader: Lynette Buckman
We will join the scheduled Bird Discovery Walk at the State Park.

Per the SP website: This walking tour is not recommended for children under 6 or those with health or walking limitations. The walking tour is not ADA-accessible. No strollers or pets are allowed on the walking tour. Please bring good walking shoes, sunscreen, snack and water.
For those who’d like to carpool meet at Stockton Bagel Street Cafe (4755 Quail Lakes Dr STE E-G, Stockton, CA 95207) parking at 6:45am.

Directions: 3559 Shiloh Road, Modesto, CA 95358

Coming from Maze Blvd. (132)
Turn south onto Hart Rd. Go for 2.0 mi.
Turn right onto Paradise Rd. Go for 0.5 mi.
Turn left onto Shiloh Rd. Go for 0.8 mi.
Cross over the River and the park entrance will be on your right. White fence along the road with signs and a large black gate. Continue down to the end of the road and turn Right.

Hawk Hill Raptor Migration Trip
2024-10-19 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Hawk Hill, Hawk Hill California, San Francisco, CA, United States
If you want to see Raptor migration, then join San Joaquin Audubon for a day trip to Hawk Hill in Marin County. Fall is a great time to see a wide variety of Raptors migrating south over the Marin headlands. Chances are we will see Broad wing, Redtails, Cooper’s hawks, & Sharp shinned hawks, peregrine falcons, Merlin and more!
On Saturday, October 19th, 2024, join Pat Paternostro and SJ Audubon for this special trip. We will meet at Starbucks off Hwy 12 and I5 (Lodi) to leave for SF. You can meet us to carpool @ 8:00 am or if you prefer to meet us on the Hill, we should be there about 10:15-10:30 am.
Dress in layers, it may be cold & windy, it could also be sunny or foggy, bring a hat, sunglasses, windbreaker, gloves and Chapstick. There are no food vendors on the hill, so bring your lunch/snacks and drinks, hot or cold. Bathroom facilities are available on the hill.
If you have any questions, you can contact Pat @ 209-663-1896

Directions: Starbucks – 14820 Star St, Lodi, CA 95242
Starbucks off Hwy 12

Birds across the end Cretaceous mass extinction
2024-11-12 07:30 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Central United Methodist Church, 3700 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, California
Presenter: Chris Torres, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Department of Biological Science, UOP
Sixty six (66) million years ago, an asteroid hit Earth and killed more than 75% of all life on the planet. That turned out to be a really good day for birds, who went on to become the world’s most diverse group of terrestrial vertebrates. In this talk, we will explore some surprising new stories that some incredibly old birds are telling us about why birds alone among known dinosaurs survived that mass extinction event, why the earliest divergence among living birds is marked by a 100-fold difference in species diversity, and how we might predict which species are most likely to be “extinction-proof” in the future.
Chris Torres is an avian paleontologist and evolutionary morphologist. His research focuses on questions about extinction and survivorship dynamics, the evolution of beak function, and the evolution of “loss” (like the loss of flight, the loss of sensory systems, or the loss of niche space). Bird groups he works on include early pre-modern birds, the so-called ratites (and their flying relatives), rails, and flamingos (his favorites). He is an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of the Pacific.

Zookeepers Don't Just Clean Exhibits
2025-02-11 19:30 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Central United Methodist Church, 3700 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, California
Come join us to learn more about the Mickie Grove Zoo on Tuesday, February 11 @ 7:30pm.

Micke Grove Zoo is a five-acre zoo with amphibians, mammals, birds, reptiles and invertebrates.The zoo that exists today is very different from the zoo that first opened its gates in 1957. Today, the collection of Micke Grove Zoo emphasizes uniqueness and quality over size and quantity with a concentration on the welfare of the animal ambassadors that live here. Ms. Madeline Chester, Education and Interpretative Specialist will discuss “Zookeepers don’t just clean exhibits,” and yes there is Plenty to do! Let’s start with the education program for elementary school children & being the primary caregiver for these animals, fundraising and special events for the zoo, while also working on the Species Survival Plan program, providing care to the non releasable wildlife that call the zoo home and providing training for the zoo’s volunteer program. Madeline will discuss her job at the zoo and how full filling the work is.

Trip to White Slough WTP (Lodi Sweage Ponds)
2025-02-12 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | White Slough WTP
We will bird for 1-2 hours (depending on the birding) walking on mostly level ground for 1 to 1 1/2 miles. Possible birds at the White Slough WTP (a.k.a Lodi Sewage Ponds) include Northern Shovler, Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead. Ruddy Duck, Greater Yellowlegs, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Least Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Bonaparte’s Gull, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Forester’s Tern. And, if we are lucky, we may see Short-billed Gull, Peregrine Falcon, American White Pelican, Western Sandpiper, Black-bellied Plover and who knows what else!
We have received permission to take up to 8 people for birding at this location. You will need to sign at the location and provide mandatory waiver form that Kasey will provide upon receiving your RSVP. RSVP is required
Please RSVP to Kasey Foley at kaseyfoley@sbcglobal.net and mention “White Slough WTP” in the subject line.
Meting Location:
Starbucks at 14820 Star St, Lodi to ride share. There is limited parcking at the birding location. There is no public restroom at the location, but may be nearby Flag City.

Beginner Birding at the Ripon Sewage Ponds and River Trail
2025-02-22 08:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Ripon, 1260 S Jack Tone Rd, Ripon, CA, United States
Join leader Henry Koertzen for a beginner birding walk for folks if all ages. We will start at the gravel parking lot located at the south end of Jack Tone Road. We’ll be walking the smooth dirt/paved path, accessible by stroller or wheelchair.

First we will look for water and shore birds on the ponds, and then we will follow the path along the Stanislaus River. If we still have time and energy we will drive over to Oak Grove Park.

Note: there are bathroom facilities on site.

Pace Preserve Field Trip
2025-03-08 08:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Pace Preserve
Pace Preserve field trip, Saturday, March 8. Meet leader Dave Fries at the gate on the levee at the west end of March Lane at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday morning, March 8. We will carpool from there and park on the levee near the entrance to the Preserve. We will walk the periphery of the Preserve, which will take 2-3 hours. Bring water for yourself. There are no restrooms or toilets at the site. Hiking boots and long pants are recommended. All persons will be required to sign a liability waiver before participating in the field trip. Contact Dave at dfries.audubon@gmail.com if you have questions.

Stockton Butterfly Count - Talk by Kathy Schik
2025-03-11 19:30 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Central United Methodist Church, 3700 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, California
Speaker: Dr. Kathy Schick
In 1975 the Stockton Butterfly Count was launched under the coordination of county staff. San Joaquin County was one of the first counts in this nationwide event. Years later, the count was paused due to budget cuts until local Audubon members revived it in 1986, thanks to Dr. Kathy Schick.

Please join us on Tuesday, March 11, @ 7:30 to listen to Dr. Kathy Schick talk about the upcoming count and to learn about our local butterflies. Dr. Schick conducts the annual butterfly count in June and visits many local parks/ wildlife habitats to count areas butterflies. This program will familiarize you with the areas local butterflies.

The nationwide count is no longer hosted by the Xerces Society but now hosted by the North American Butterfly Association, and this local event is one of the few butterfly counts still being held to this day. In addition to leading the Annual San Joaquin Audubon Society Butterfly Count, Dr. Schick has her PhD in Entomology, her specialty being tiny, stingless parasitoid wasps. She is a Research Associate at U.C.Berkeley’s Essig Museum and the California Academy of Sciences at San Francisco Golden Gate Park.

Beef Raised on Bird-Friendly Land
2025-04-08 19:30 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Central United Methodist Church, 3700 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, California
Speakera: 3 Calhoun Sisters
Please join us for a visit from the 3 Calhoun Sisters, cattle ranchers located in Livermore, Ca. They have been farming in the Livermore area for over 100 years. The 3 Calhoun Sisters have recently been certified by Audubon Conservation Ranching for Beef Raised on Bird-Friendly Land.
The ranch has set in place many conservation measures to assist in promoting wildlife some of them are;

The installation of bluebird boxes to increase the bluebird populations, bluebirds are one of the most desired birds as they eat destructive pests such as snails, grasshoppers, termites, moths, and mosquitos.
Owl boxes were also installed by Our friends at the NRCS/RCD to use the circle of life method of ridding the garden of the gophers instead of using rodenticides or traps.
All of the watering troughs on our ranch have ramps that allow wildlife that may become trapped in a trough an easy way out.
Oak Tree restoration Project started in 2020 to replant and restore some of the older mature trees that were falling over.

The Pollinator Program started a few years ago after finding native milkweed on the property, the sisters worked with local conservation districts to plant more milkweed and other pollinator plants.
Go from consumer to conservationist when you purchase beef and bison raised on Audubon Certified bird-friendly land! You can help Audubon protect birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Come listen The 3 Calhoun Sisters tell us their success stories on their ranch to help conserve all types of wildlife.

CARNEGIE STATE VEHICULAR RECREATION AREA (KILN CANYON)
2025-04-09 08:30 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Kiln Canyon, Carnegie State Vehicle Recreation Area, 18600 Corral Hollow Road, Tracy, CA, United States
Leader: Kasey Foley
Please join us on our annual Kiln Canyon Trip at Carnegie State Vehicle Recreation Area,18600 West Corral Hollow Rd, Tracy. We will meet at the ranger station at 8:30 AM and will be accompanied by a Park Ranger, as birders are only allowed in Kiln Canyon when accompanied by Park staff. We will look for area specialties like Rufous-crowned sparrow, Roadrunner, Golden and Bald eagles, Bullock’s orioles, maybe Cassin’s kingbird, California thrashers, hopefully some Rufous, Costa’s, and Calliope hummingbirds (we can always hope!), native plants, butterflies, oh yeah, and rattlesnakes!

The trip will last until about 12-1:00 PM. Bring LOTS of water, sun protection (hat, sunscreen, etc), boots, snacks, and of course, binoculars. Bring a sack lunch if you want to join us for lunch under the canopy after the hike. Bathrooms available near the ranger station and at the bottom of the canyon.

The trip is approximately 3 miles long round trip with steep trails and some slippery, rocky soil in areas. You may want to bring hiking poles. Be aware this is an active motorcycle trail that we will be walking on.

You can email me to RSVP at kaseyfoley@sbcglobal.net.

Tracy Earth Day
2025-04-26 09:00 - 15:00 UTC | CA
Tracy Earth Day is on 26th April (Saturday), 2023 at 9th Street and Central Avenue, Tracy. Please visit the web site of the event for more info. San Joaquin Audubon will be there. Please make sure to visit our booth!.

Stockton Earth Day Festival
2025-04-27 10:00 - 16:00 UTC | Stockton Victory Park, 1001 N Pershing Ave, Stockton, CA, 95203, United States
Please join the 2023 Stockton Earth Day Festival (The Seeds of Change) on April 27th (10-00 AM to 4:00 PM) at Stockton Victory Park. Admission is Free. Find more information about the event at https://www.earthdaystockton.com/festival-schedule.html
San Joaquin Audubon will have a table there selling T-shirts. Make sure to visit us!.

Connolly Ranch Field Trip
2025-05-04 08:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Connolly Ranch
Meet trip leader Dave Fries at Gate 2 (17676 Corral Hollow Road) of the Connolly Ranch at 8:00 a.m. The gate is on Corral Hollow Rd, just before the entrance to the OHV PARK. The Connolly’s have asked that we keep the numbers of cars to a minimum, so those coming from the Stockton area will meet at the old Toot Sweets parking area (4755 Quail Lakes Dr, Stockton, CA 95207) at 7:15 a.m. to form car pools. It’s extremely important to be at the gate on time, as once we enter, the gate will be closed and locked behind us. Expect to bird all morning then have a self provided picnic before leaving around 1:00 p.m. Wear boots as hiking in the hilly terrain can be difficult and rattlesnakes are abundant in this area.

Contact Dave Fries at dfries.audubon@gmail.com with any questions.

Pinnacles National Park Condor Trip
2025-05-11 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Pinnacles National Park, CA, 95043, United States
We will bird around the store and campgrounds, the areas along Bear Gulch and along the Sycamore Trail (where we found a horned lizard last year).

We will specifically be looking for California Condor (last year we saw several, including six in view at one time). Other species we may encounter include Golden Eagle, Wild Turkey, Greater Roadrunner, swifts, hummers, Steller’s Jay, Violet-green Swallow, Cayon Wren, Wrentit, BG Gnatcatcher, California Thrasher, Phainopepla, and who knows what migrants we might see.
Bring lunch, as this will be an all-day trip, comfortable shoes, as we will be doing a considerable amount of walking and a bit of hiking up the High Peaks Trail, water and whatever else you need for a full day of birding.
NOTE: There is a $30 per vehicle entrance fee.
Meeting time:
8:00am at McDonald’s, 13032 CA-33, Santa Nella, CA or
9:00am at Paicenes Reservoir 36.722429698009684, -121.27896651564524
Please RSVP to Ralph at sharks_hockey_maniac@yahoo.com if you plan to attend.

Medford Island Fieldtrip
2025-05-14 08:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Medford Island
Meet at the dock at the end of Eight Mile Rd at 8:00 a.m. for boat transport to the Island. Peter Ottesen will host us. The levee road at Potato Slough is closed, so you will need to tell the security guard that you are going to Medford Island. Access to the Clubhouse facility will be available. Plan to bird by walking parts of the Island all morning. Bring your own food for lunch at the clubhouse around 1:00 p.m., and transport off the Island shortly there after. We’ll especially be looking for signs of nesting Yellow-breasted Chats, as well as other late migrants.

Contact Dave Fries at dfries.audubon@gmail.com with any questions.

Annual General Membership Meeting and Picnic
2025-05-24 10:30 - 12:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Mokelumne River Fish Hatchery Day Use Area, 25800 N Mcintire Rd, Clements, CA, United States
Join us for our General Membership Meeting and Picnic, this year we will be having elections taking place for a new president and secretary. We will have our monthly bird survey at 8:00 am and the elections and picnic to follow at about 10:30am. We will plan to utilize the picnic tables near the restrooms, but if you have a chair you might want to bring it along. You can either bring your own food or if you would like to bring something to share. Everyone is welcome to attend. We will meet at the parking lot closest to the dam to begin the day and will end the day at this location. Hope to see you there!

Big Trees State Park, Calaveras County
2025-05-25 08:45 - 15:00 UTC | BIG TREES STATE PARK, CALAVERAS COUNTY, 1170 CA-4, Arnold, CA, 95223, United States
We will bird the North Grove Trail, the meadow, and Dardanelles Overlook. Species we may encounter include Mountain Quail, Band-tailed Pigeon, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Hairy, White-headed and Pileated Woodpecker, flycatchers, vireos, mountain and Chestnut-backed Chickadee, nuthatches, Brown Creeper, Canyon and Pacific Wren, GC Kinglet, Townsend’s Solitaire, warblers, sparrows, Western Tanager and Black-headed Grosbeak.

Bring lunch, as this will be an all-day trip, comfortable shoes, as we will be doing a considerable amount of walking, water and whatever else you need for a full day of birding.
Meeting Time: 7:30am at the Circle K, 4469 Escalon-Bellota Rd, Farmington, CA or
8:40am at the North Grove Visitor Center parking lot.
Please RSVP to Ralph at sharks_hockey_maniac@yahoo.com if you plan to attend.

McDonald Island Fieldtrip
2025-05-31 08:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | McDonald Island – Tiki Lagoon Resort & Marina, 12988 W Mcdonald Rd, Stockton, CA, 95206, United States
Meet at the bridge to McDonald Island at 8:00am. The bridge is next to the Tiki Lagoon Marina. We must cross the private bridge to the Island as a group, so don’t be late. Birding will be a mix of driving and walking different habitat areas. The Island is usually a hot spot for Blue Grosbeaks, Tanagers and nesting Yellow Warblers, but expect the species count to reach the 70s. There’s usually a pot-a-pot somewhere along the route. Bring your on food and drink as we normally eat lunch somewhere along the levee drive. Expect to leave sometime around 2:00 p.m., but you can exit the Island earlier if necessary.

Contact Dave Fries at dfries.audubon@gmail.com with any questions.

Indian Grinding Rocks SP Field Trip
2025-06-13 08:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Indian Grinding Rocks, 14881 Pine Grove-Volcano Road, Pine Grove, CA, 95665, United States
Join leader Donna Marciano for a day of birding at this beautiful State Park. We should see many species including Turkey Vultures, Scrub and Steller’s Jays, California Quail, Acorn and Hairy Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers, Hermit Thrushes, Wild Turkeys, and Black capped Chickadee. With the warmer weather upon us, many of the bright colors of the Western Tanager, Bullock’s Oriole, Calliope and Anna’s Hummingbirds can be seen in the nearby woods around the meadow. A bird list is available at the museum. Trip goes until 12 or 1 PM, so bring water, hat, sunscreen and a lunch for the small picnic area. There will be some light to moderate walking. Restrooms available, there is a park entrance fee of $8.00/car. Meet at 8am in the State Park parking lot. If you would like to carpool, meet at the Payless Market in Lockford at 7am.
Directions: 14881 Pine Grove Volcano Rd, Pine Grove, CA 95665

San Joaquin County Summer Butterfly Count
2025-06-14 08:30 - 15:30 UTC | CA
Join us for our annual summer butterfly count (San Joaquin Audubon field trip) on Saturday, June 14, 2025, @ 8:30. It will be a full warm summer day, and in recent years we work hard to find more than ten butterfly species within the count area. But this is a very special year, the 50th year since this count was first started.

We will start out at Shumway Oak Grove Park off of Eight Mile Road, at 8:30am, there is a parking charge per vehicle, then we divide up into two groups, covering the entire Miwok Trail, the closest to natural areas at that park. After that our group visits three more sites: county and city parks, along with state open areas. We encourage all to bring nets, and we try to share our nets. We especially encourage children, who often find our best butterflies. You will need to bring lunch and wear hats, sunscreen and comfortable shoes. We will provide a complementary color, life sized butterfly field guide for each participant. Sponsors of the count are, San Joaquin Audubon Society, University of California Cooperative Extension & the North American Butterfly Association. Questions,
Please RSPV with leader Kathy Schick (209-612-5130 or kschick2@gmail.com) by Thursday June 12th so she can bring enough nets and free parking passes for all. Questions are welcome.

Black Hole Field Trip
2025-06-18 07:30 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | CA
Meet leader Dave Fries at the entrance driveway to the Black Hole on West Woodbridge Rd at 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, June 18. We will drive in to the clubhouse parking area as a group. Plan to walk for several hours on flat farm roads. Restrooms are available in the clubhouse area. Bring food and water for yourself. We will end the field trip by noon. Contact Dave at dfries.audubon@gmail.com if you have additional questions.

Silver Lake Field Trip
2025-07-13 06:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Silver Lake, Amador County
Meet field trip leader, Kasey Foley, in the parking lot of Young’s Payless Market, 18980 N Highway 88, Lockeford, CA at 6:00 AM to carpool or meet at the Plasse Resort, 30001 Plasse Rd, Pioneer, CA (38.64096, -120.1260) parking area at Silver Lake at 8:30 AM. Parking at the Plasse Resort is $10/vehicle. We will probably stop at Peddler Hill to look for Green-tailed towhee and other area specialties. Possible birds to see on this trip are Hairy woodpecker, Steller’s jay, Western Wood Pewee, Warbling vireo, Golden-crowned kinglet, Red-breasted nuthatch, Mountain chickadee, Western tanager, Bald eagle, Osprey and if we’re lucky maybe some Hermit warblers.

This will be an all day trip so bring lunch or snacks, plenty of water, sun protection, insect repellent, sturdy boots and hiking sticks, if you use them. Be prepared for changing weather conditions.
RSVP to kaseyfoley@sbcglobal.net using “Silver Lake” in the subject line (or I may never find your email).
Hope to see you there!

Waldo Holt Preserve Field Trip
2025-07-19 07:30 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Waldo Holt Preserve, Galt, CA, United States
Meet leader Dave Fries at the entry gate at 7:30 a.m. For those who haven’t been to the Preserve, it is located on Lower Sacramento Rd, on the left, about 200 yards north of where Liberty Rd tees in to Lower Sac. The plantings for the mitigation have grown considerably making good habitat for Western Bluebirds and other species. We will be walking on dirt roads with maybe a couple of pokes into the riparian area. Bring water and any food you might want for yourself. The is a port-a-pot on the site. Plan to leave the site around 11:00 a.m. Contact Dave at dfries.audubon@gmail.com if you have questions about the trip.

Birding Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area
2025-07-26 07:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Cliffs Regional Recreation Area, 2500 Stanley Boulevard, Pleasanton, 94566, United States
Join leader Henry Koertzen for a birding walk through the riparian habitat with several ponds. The levee walk gives great views over the ponds and the lake (once a gravel pit). There are restrooms at the lake. Extra binoculars will be available.

Directions: We will enter the park from the south at 8am. There is an entrance and free street parking on Park Access Road.
A carpool will leave from the Tracy Applebee’s (3060 Naglee Rd, Tracy, CA 95304) at 6:45 am.

Beginner Birding at the Oak Grove Park in Ripon
2025-08-23 07:00 - 10:00 UTC | Ripon Sewage Ponds (East) & Oak Grove park., 1250 S Stockton Ave, Ripon, CA, 95366, United States
Join leader Henry Koertzen for a beginner birding walk for folks if all ages through this beautiful oak grove on the bank of the Stanislaus River. ALL LEVELS OF BIRDERS ARE WELCOME, particulalrly newbies who are interested in learning more about birds and birding. Everyone has to start somewhere! Bring your own optics if you have them, but there will be a few loaners available.

Note: there are no bathroom facilities on site.

Directions: We will meet at the park’s gravel parking lot. The entrance is at the south end of S Stockton Ave, on the outside of the curve where it turns to become Doak Blvd. The entrance road is on the outside of the chain link fence. (1250 S Stockton Ave, Ripon, CA 95366)

How the Proposed Delta Conveyance Project Would Affect Birds and Birding in the Delta
2025-09-09 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Central United Methodist Church, 3700 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, California
Dave will give an overview of the Delta Tunnel Project and discuss the projects potential impacts on bird habitat. Locations of proposed mitigation sites will be detailed and evaluated.

Bodega Bay Field Trip
2025-09-10 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Bodega Bay, 537 Smith Brothers Rd, Bodega Bay, 94923, United States
Nestled along the rugged California coastline, Bodega Bay is a haven for nature enthusiasts, especially birders. With its diverse habitats, including sandy beaches, rocky shorelines, estuaries, and coastal cliffs, Bodega Bay offers a rich environment for many bird species. Bodega Bay is a critical stopover point for many migratory birds along the Pacific flyway. During the spring and fall, thousands of birds make their way through the region, taking advantage of its resources before continuing their journey. (Above information borrowed from bodegabay.com)

There are many location options for birding that we will explore based upon what is being seen in the area but we will surely stop at Bodega Bay north shore (including rail ponds), Campbell Cove and Hole in the Head (bathroom available), Bodega Head, and the shore all along that route. We may enter Doran Beach or other areas that require a fee so be prepared.

This midweek trip will be an all-dayer, so dress in layers, as the weather can be unpredictable, and wear comfortable shoes, as we may do a considerable amount of walking. Also bring water, lunch/snacks, a scope (if you have one) and don’t forget your binoculars. Mosquitoes are not usually a problem and there are restrooms available.

Please RSVP to kaseyfoley@sbcglobal.net use Bodega Bay in subject line of email.

Directions: Meet at the US Post Office parking lot, 537 Smith Brothers Rd, Bodega Bay, CA 94923, at 9:00 AM. If you want to ride share meet at the Flag City Starbucks, 14820 Star St, Lodi, Ca 95242, at 6:00 AM.
