Improve your birding skills — or get started in birdwatching with some friendly, expert help! Golden Gate Audubon offers classes for all levels of birding experience. Please register for our classes online (easy and fast). If you don’t have access to a computer, call our office at (510) 843-2222 and we will return your call as soon as possible.

CANCELLATION POLICY: As a small organization with limited office staff, it is challenging for us to handle last-minute cancellations. If you need to cancel, we will refund your registration fee if :

(1) You withdraw more than two weeks before the start of the class, AND

(2) We can fill your spot with someone from the class waiting list.

Please note that there will be a $5 cancellation fee to cover the credit card transaction costs for your sign-up and cancellation.

For information on GGAS classes at the Lake Merritt Rotary Nature Center go to https://goldengateaudubon.org/classes-rnc/

Spring 2019 Birding Classes

Birding by Ear – Late Spring FULL
April 18 through May 25

Oh my, song is in full force. From the morning chorus to the evening roosting, birds are singing,
reinforcing pair bonds, defending territories, and just keeping track of one another. It’s a
wonderful time to be in the field and improve your birdsong knowledge. Join Denise in class
and in the field. Field trip locations are listed on the instructor’s website denisewightbirds.com

• Six Thursday evening classes, April 18 to May 23; 7 to 8:30 p.m.
• Six three-hour field trips on the Saturday following each class, 8:30 – 11:30 a.m.
• Instructor: Denise Wight
• Limit to 20 participants
• $110 for GGAS members, $130 for non-members
• Location: Ed Roberts Campus, 3075 Adeline Street, directly across the street from Ashby
  BART in Berkeley. Free parking in the lot behind the center.

Click HERE to register online. Once the class is full, you may register to be on a waiting list.

Birds of the Sierra, Sessions 1 and 2 FULL

Two sessions of the popular class “Birds of the Sierra” will be offered again this year. Both will be held at and near Yuba Pass, on highway 49 between Sierra City and Sierraville, in Sierra and Plumas Counties. Classes include six half-day field trips to different habitats in Sierra Valley and its surroundings, as well as a lecture and dinner at SFSU’s Sierra Nevada Field Campus in Bassetts. An optional evening trip to hear booming Bitterns and winnowing Snipes may be arranged.

Birds we may see include many Sierra specialties: Swainson’s Hawk, Sandhill Crane, White-headed and Lewis’s Woodpecker, Williamson’s Sapsucker, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Calliope Hummingbird, Empidonax flycatchers, Cassin’s Finch, Mountain Chickadee, Mountain Bluebird, Sage Thrasher, MacGillivray’s and Hermit Warbler, Western Tanager, Green-tailed Towhee and Brewer’s and Vesper Sparrow.

 Birds of the Sierra I, taught by Rusty Scalf and Bob Lewis,
meets from 3 p.m. Thursday
June 6th to noon on Sunday June 9th.

 Birds of the Sierra II, taught by Eddie Bartley and Bob Lewis,
meets from 3 p.m.
Thursday June 13th to noon on Sunday June 16th.

Each class is limited to 25 people. The fee of $175 (or $200 for non-GGAS members) includes one dinner at SFSU campus. Room and other meals are not included in the fee. Bob Lewis will send a more detailed itinerary and information about where to look for lodging after registration. Questions? Email Bob Lewis at bob@wingbeats.org.

REGISTRATION FOR SESSION 1 IS CLOSED.
Click HERE to register online for the waitlist for Session 2.
Once a class is full, you may register to be on a waiting list.

Evolution of Birds FULL
July 9 to August 13

A science-based course for curious adult learners who have some birding experience.

This class focuses on avian evolution – including the scientists whose work has led to the modern theory of evolution, the evolutionary processes that have resulted in over 10,000 species of birds today, and the geological events that have been much of the cause of today’s avian multitude.  From dinosaurs in Pangea to mountains rising in California, we’ll cover 100 million years of the earth’s history, ending with California’s remarkable birdlife – all in six weeks.  Lectures slides will be provided ahead of time. Many of the sessions will include a lab session utilizing the Academy’s collections. There will be two field trips.

Outline:
July 9 History of Evolutionary Thought
July 16 How Birds Evolve
July 23 From Dinosaurs to Birds
July 30 South America
August 6 North America
August 13 California

Bob Lewis, Bruce Mast, and Jack Dumbacher
6 Tuesday evenings at the California Academy of Sciences, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
2 local field trips on a weekend day

$175 for GGAS or Cal Academy members, and $200 for non-members.
Class is limited to 20 participants.
Click HERE to register online. Once the class is full, you may register to be on a waiting list.