PLEASE NOTE: Because of Covid-19, we require advance registration and are limiting the size of trips. Some trips require masks; but you are always welcome to wear a mask, even if it’s not required.
Field Trips
Golden Gate Audubon offers more than 150 field trips annually for birders of all levels. Our trips explore local areas from Golden Gate Park to the East Bay shoreline and hills, as well as such wildlife-rich destinations as California’s Central Valley and the Sierra Nevada.
Local trips are generally free except for any park entrance fees. Advance registration is required. For most trips, registration will open two weeks before the trip date and close a few days before the trip. We are currently limiting the size of most trips to allow for social distancing; no drop-ins, please.
See the calendar below (which you can also view as a list) for information on upcoming trips. Once registration opens for a trip, you will find a sign-up link on its information page.
We also sponsor trips to other parts of the U.S. and to international destinations, including Latin America, Africa, and Australia. See our Travel with GGAS page for upcoming travel opportunities.at
Calendar of Events
S Sun
M Mon
T Tue
W Wed
T Thu
F Fri
S Sat
0 events,
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1 event,
Salesforce Park
Salesforce Park
Please join us in Salesforce Park. We will take a leisurely birdwalk through the park and encounter common and not so common year round residents and migrant birds throughout the year. This trip is especially good for beginners as we often have very close views of the birds and can really closely study their distinguishing ... Read more
0 events,
1 event,
Tilden Nature Area, Tilden Regional Park (Berkeley)
Tilden Nature Area, Tilden Regional Park (Berkeley)
Meet at the parking lot in front of the entrance to the Environmental Education Center/Little Farm for a gentle walk on a wide trail, down to Jewel Lake and back again. Water and restrooms at the start and midway. A few benches at the remodeled pond and at the Lake. Leader: Alan Kaplan LNKPLN67@gmail.com, landline ... Read more
1 event,
Hayward Shoreline Bike and Bird (Hayward)
Hayward Shoreline Bike and Bird (Hayward)
It’s still early for ducks, but come look for young Stilts, Avocets and maybe Snowy Plovers, returning shorebirds in alternate (breeding) plumage, raptors and a few passerines on this shoreline ride. We will ride north from Hayward Regional Shoreline Center to San Lorenzo Creek or farther, depending on how much we see, for at ... Read more
3 events,
San Francisco Botanical Garden
San Francisco Botanical Garden
Slowly stroll around the S.F. Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park, exploring the many birds that thrive amidst several micro-habitats with more than 8,000 kinds of plants. This trip is oriented towards helping beginning birders develop their skills, and recurs on the first Sunday of each month. Entry to the Garden is free before 9 ... Read more
Lafayette Community Center (Lafayette)
Lafayette Community Center (Lafayette)
This trail features a variety of mature trees and grassy hillsides alongside a stretch of riparian habitat. Raptors, nuthatches, and woodpeckers are sighted regularly, along with a variety of sparrows. This is a dirt trail, wide in most areas, mostly level although there are some elevation changes. There are no areas to sit along this ... Read more
Albany Mudflats, McLaughlin Shoreline State Park (Albany Bulb)
Albany Mudflats, McLaughlin Shoreline State Park (Albany Bulb)
Migration is a fantastic time to see exciting shorebirds around the Bay. So it's time once again to resume our monthly visits to the Albany shoreline. Returning birders, newcomers and all levels of experience welcome! For a sense of how this walk goes, here's a recent blog: https://goldengateaudubon.org/blog-posts/albany-mudflats-mclaughlin-eastshore-state-park-albany-bulb/ We'll meet 45 minutes after (a low) ... Read more
0 events,
1 event,
Blake Garden (Kensington)
Blake Garden (Kensington)
We are nearing the end of summer, when most breeding birds have finished their efforts at Blake Garden and their young have dispersed to find their own territories. Come join us to seek out a wide variety of resident species throughout the garden on our monthly walk. We may find a few early fall migrants, ... Read more
0 events,
0 events,
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0 events,
1 event,
Middle Harbor Shoreline (Oakland)
Middle Harbor Shoreline (Oakland)
Join us for a walk along the Oakland shoreline focusing on early arriving shorebirds and hoping for up to four species of terns. We will begin about an hour after low tide. Walking is mostly on paved paths with a short section of sand. Scopes are very beneficial at this location and appreciated. Leader: Megan ... Read more
0 events,
0 events,
0 events,
1 event,
Evening Bat Walk Lake Chabot Marina (Castro Valley)
Evening Bat Walk Lake Chabot Marina (Castro Valley)
Susan will lead us out and back on a 3-mile round trip walk to watch and hear (she’ll bring her “bat detector”) the bats foraging over the lake. Lake Chabot hosts several species of bats, both residents and migrants. Come out and join the fun. The trail is paved with some moderate up-and-down. Bring appropriate ... Read more
0 events,
3 events,
Mount Sutro Open Space Preserve (San Francisco)
Mount Sutro Open Space Preserve (San Francisco)
Meet at the Aldea Community Center, 155 Johnstone Dr at 8:00 AM. We’ll walk about two miles, with significant climbing on mostly well-graded trails, but there are rocky spots and exposed roots. We’ll look and listen for birds. Just past mid Aug, we should see summer and resident birds—mostly done breeding or with nearly mature ... Read more
Valle Vista EBMUD Watershed (Moraga)
Valle Vista EBMUD Watershed (Moraga)
Birding in the Moraga area on level trails and fire roads owned by East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD). This area features a variety of habitats: chaparral and scrub, grassland, pine-oak woodland, marsh, and the top of the reservoir. Likely birds include raptors, sparrows, California Thrasher, nuthatches, wrens, and the shy Wood Ducks. We will ... Read more
Abbott’s Lagoon Pt Reyes National Seashore (Marin)
Abbott’s Lagoon Pt Reyes National Seashore (Marin)
We will bird the coastal scrub, lagoons, and ocean. We hope to find migrant shorebirds and resident Snowy Plovers. Abbott's Lagoon has historically been good for Baird's Sandpiper and we may get lucky. Meet at 9 am at the Abbott's Lagoon parking lot (bathrooms but no water). Bring scope, liquids, lunch. Plan on walking 4 ... Read more
2 events,
Fort Mason (SF)
Fort Mason (SF)
Meet in front of the Community Garden to explore several different habitats in this compact part of GGNRA. The focus will be looking for early migrants. The garden and the battery could have Orioles, Warblers, Tanagers and Flycatchers. We'll also scan Aquatic Park for shorebirds and water birds. Restroom in meadow, ample parking if there ... Read more
Aquatic Park (Berkeley)
Aquatic Park (Berkeley)
All shapes and sizes are welcome though LGBTQ+ and BIPOC folks are especially invited to this participatory field trip. We all benefit when anyone shares their observations, knowledge and enthusiasm! We should expect to see water and land birds by sight and ear. Binoculars help, so let Rachel know in advance if you’d like a ... Read more
0 events,
0 events,
2 events,
Hilltop Lake Park (Richmond)
Hilltop Lake Park (Richmond)
Join me for an easy, flat stroll (about a mile) around Hilltop Lake in Richmond to look for seasonal (e.g. Hooded Orioles) and resident passerines, woodpeckers, raptors and more. Freshwater pond surrounded by willows, cattails, and native and ornamental trees and shrubs.The trail is paved and there are cement block benches in 2 places. We’ve ... Read more
Lake Merritt and Lakeside Park (Oakland)
Lake Merritt and Lakeside Park (Oakland)
August is the quietest month at Lake Merritt, but there's always something interesting to see here - and the low variety makes this an ideal trip for new birders. Having a relatively few kinds of relatively large birds relatively close makes it much easier to turn observation into memory. So come make new friends to ... Read more
0 events,
0 events,
1 event,
Elsie Roemer and Crab Cove (Alameda)
Elsie Roemer and Crab Cove (Alameda)
The millions of shorebirds that winter on San Francisco Bay make it a state and global Important Bird Area. It is part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network and is also designated as a Wetland of International Importance under UNESCO’s Ramsar Convention. We’ll start at the viewing platform at Elsie Roemer Bird Sanctuary. After ... Read more
2 events,
Miller-Knox Shoreline Park (Richmond)
Miller-Knox Shoreline Park (Richmond)
Miller/Knox is truly one of the gems of the East Bay parks, and fall migration is the most exciting time to explore it. Miller/Knox is one of very few parks in the East Bay where there are wooded hills immediately along the Bay, and the result is a wide variety of terrestrial habitats which serve ... Read more
Elsie Roemer and Crab Cove (Alameda)
Elsie Roemer and Crab Cove (Alameda)
The millions of shorebirds that winter on San Francisco Bay make it a state and global Important Bird Area. It is part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network and is also designated as a Wetland of International Importance under UNESCO’s Ramsar Convention. We’ll start at the viewing platform at Elsie Roemer Bird Sanctuary. After ... Read more
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About our Field Trips
Our trips welcome birders of all skill levels, especially beginning birders. We encourage experienced birders to help the newcomers in the group. And beginners: Don’t be shy! We warmly invite you to identify yourself at the start of the walk so the leaders and more experienced birders can help you.
Cancellations: Heavy rain almost always cancels trips. Other cancellations may be posted on the GGAS-Chat discussion group, described below. If you’re uncertain about whether a trip has been cancelled, please contact the trip leader.
We invite your feedback on any aspect of our trips (leadership, venues, schedules). Send an email to Field Trip Coordinators Steve Lombardi at hotrock175@gmail.com or Christina Tarr at christina.tarr@gmail.com. For questions about individual trips, contact the leaders. If you cannot reach a leader, contact our office at 510.843.2222 or email hotrock175@gmail.com.
Summaries of field trips from 2004-2020 are available online in our Trip Report Archives. For more recent trip sightings, see eBird.
GGAS chat group
Join our online chat group to get updates about field trips and share general birding/conservation discussions. Membership is free: visit groups.io/g/GGAS-Chat and click on the “subscribe” link
Pelagic trips, including the Farallones
We are not affiliated with these birding-by-boat trips but list them for your convenience. Please contact them directly for details, cost, and reservations.
Alvaro’s Adventures
Web: alvarosadventures.com
Email: alvaro@alvarosadventures.com
Alvaro Jaramillo leads outstanding trips and brings experienced sea-birders along as spotters. His trips leave from a variety of harbors, including Monterey (with the submarine canyon in Monterey Bay). The Farallon Islands trips leave from Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay.
Oceanic Society
Web: oceanicsociety.org
They offer whale watching trips that include the Farallones. For these, look at the biographical sketches of the guides and ask which trips have guides who are enthusiastic about birds as well as marine mammals. These trips leave from Sausalito and San Francisco. Follow the links for whale watching and then Farallones. Web site has phone numbers.
Grebe Courtship
Web: eyesofthewild.com
Email: faithrig@gmail.com
Watch the courtship rituals of the Western and Clarke’s Grebe from a comfortable 10-seat boat on Clear Lake. The best time to witness the grebe courtship displays is in late spring and early summer.
Seeking New Field Trip Leaders
If you’re a birder with favorite spots you’d like to share, consider joining our cadre of volunteer field trip leaders. It might sound a little scary (“Who, me? I can’t lead a field trip!”) but it’s really fun and quite easy.
We can provide training walks and mentors, help you write trip descriptions, and find background resources on the birding spots you love. You don’t need to be able to identify every bird: You’ll be successful by organizing an enjoyable walk at an interesting location.
If you’re interested (even if you’re maybe a little interested, but also a little nervous) contact Maureen Lahiff, Adult Education Committee chair, at 510.484.6529, MLahiff@aol.com or Field Trip Coordinator, Steve Lombardi at hotrock175@gmail.com.
Upcoming Field Trips
Calendar of Events
S Sun
M Mon
T Tue
W Wed
T Thu
F Fri
S Sat
0 events,
0 events,
0 events,
1 event,
Salesforce Park
Salesforce Park
Please join us in Salesforce Park. We will take a leisurely birdwalk through the park and encounter common and not so common year round residents and migrant birds throughout the year. This trip is especially good for beginners as we often have very close views of the birds and can really closely study their distinguishing ... Read more
0 events,
1 event,
Tilden Nature Area, Tilden Regional Park (Berkeley)
Tilden Nature Area, Tilden Regional Park (Berkeley)
Meet at the parking lot in front of the entrance to the Environmental Education Center/Little Farm for a gentle walk on a wide trail, down to Jewel Lake and back again. Water and restrooms at the start and midway. A few benches at the remodeled pond and at the Lake. Leader: Alan Kaplan LNKPLN67@gmail.com, landline ... Read more
1 event,
Hayward Shoreline Bike and Bird (Hayward)
Hayward Shoreline Bike and Bird (Hayward)
It’s still early for ducks, but come look for young Stilts, Avocets and maybe Snowy Plovers, returning shorebirds in alternate (breeding) plumage, raptors and a few passerines on this shoreline ride. We will ride north from Hayward Regional Shoreline Center to San Lorenzo Creek or farther, depending on how much we see, for at ... Read more
3 events,
San Francisco Botanical Garden
San Francisco Botanical Garden
Slowly stroll around the S.F. Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park, exploring the many birds that thrive amidst several micro-habitats with more than 8,000 kinds of plants. This trip is oriented towards helping beginning birders develop their skills, and recurs on the first Sunday of each month. Entry to the Garden is free before 9 ... Read more
Lafayette Community Center (Lafayette)
Lafayette Community Center (Lafayette)
This trail features a variety of mature trees and grassy hillsides alongside a stretch of riparian habitat. Raptors, nuthatches, and woodpeckers are sighted regularly, along with a variety of sparrows. This is a dirt trail, wide in most areas, mostly level although there are some elevation changes. There are no areas to sit along this ... Read more
Albany Mudflats, McLaughlin Shoreline State Park (Albany Bulb)
Albany Mudflats, McLaughlin Shoreline State Park (Albany Bulb)
Migration is a fantastic time to see exciting shorebirds around the Bay. So it's time once again to resume our monthly visits to the Albany shoreline. Returning birders, newcomers and all levels of experience welcome! For a sense of how this walk goes, here's a recent blog: https://goldengateaudubon.org/blog-posts/albany-mudflats-mclaughlin-eastshore-state-park-albany-bulb/ We'll meet 45 minutes after (a low) ... Read more
0 events,
1 event,
Blake Garden (Kensington)
Blake Garden (Kensington)
We are nearing the end of summer, when most breeding birds have finished their efforts at Blake Garden and their young have dispersed to find their own territories. Come join us to seek out a wide variety of resident species throughout the garden on our monthly walk. We may find a few early fall migrants, ... Read more
0 events,
0 events,
0 events,
0 events,
1 event,
Middle Harbor Shoreline (Oakland)
Middle Harbor Shoreline (Oakland)
Join us for a walk along the Oakland shoreline focusing on early arriving shorebirds and hoping for up to four species of terns. We will begin about an hour after low tide. Walking is mostly on paved paths with a short section of sand. Scopes are very beneficial at this location and appreciated. Leader: Megan ... Read more
0 events,
0 events,
0 events,
1 event,
Evening Bat Walk Lake Chabot Marina (Castro Valley)
Evening Bat Walk Lake Chabot Marina (Castro Valley)
Susan will lead us out and back on a 3-mile round trip walk to watch and hear (she’ll bring her “bat detector”) the bats foraging over the lake. Lake Chabot hosts several species of bats, both residents and migrants. Come out and join the fun. The trail is paved with some moderate up-and-down. Bring appropriate ... Read more
0 events,
3 events,
Mount Sutro Open Space Preserve (San Francisco)
Mount Sutro Open Space Preserve (San Francisco)
Meet at the Aldea Community Center, 155 Johnstone Dr at 8:00 AM. We’ll walk about two miles, with significant climbing on mostly well-graded trails, but there are rocky spots and exposed roots. We’ll look and listen for birds. Just past mid Aug, we should see summer and resident birds—mostly done breeding or with nearly mature ... Read more
Valle Vista EBMUD Watershed (Moraga)
Valle Vista EBMUD Watershed (Moraga)
Birding in the Moraga area on level trails and fire roads owned by East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD). This area features a variety of habitats: chaparral and scrub, grassland, pine-oak woodland, marsh, and the top of the reservoir. Likely birds include raptors, sparrows, California Thrasher, nuthatches, wrens, and the shy Wood Ducks. We will ... Read more
Abbott’s Lagoon Pt Reyes National Seashore (Marin)
Abbott’s Lagoon Pt Reyes National Seashore (Marin)
We will bird the coastal scrub, lagoons, and ocean. We hope to find migrant shorebirds and resident Snowy Plovers. Abbott's Lagoon has historically been good for Baird's Sandpiper and we may get lucky. Meet at 9 am at the Abbott's Lagoon parking lot (bathrooms but no water). Bring scope, liquids, lunch. Plan on walking 4 ... Read more
2 events,
Fort Mason (SF)
Fort Mason (SF)
Meet in front of the Community Garden to explore several different habitats in this compact part of GGNRA. The focus will be looking for early migrants. The garden and the battery could have Orioles, Warblers, Tanagers and Flycatchers. We'll also scan Aquatic Park for shorebirds and water birds. Restroom in meadow, ample parking if there ... Read more
Aquatic Park (Berkeley)
Aquatic Park (Berkeley)
All shapes and sizes are welcome though LGBTQ+ and BIPOC folks are especially invited to this participatory field trip. We all benefit when anyone shares their observations, knowledge and enthusiasm! We should expect to see water and land birds by sight and ear. Binoculars help, so let Rachel know in advance if you’d like a ... Read more
0 events,
0 events,
2 events,
Hilltop Lake Park (Richmond)
Hilltop Lake Park (Richmond)
Join me for an easy, flat stroll (about a mile) around Hilltop Lake in Richmond to look for seasonal (e.g. Hooded Orioles) and resident passerines, woodpeckers, raptors and more. Freshwater pond surrounded by willows, cattails, and native and ornamental trees and shrubs.The trail is paved and there are cement block benches in 2 places. We’ve ... Read more
Lake Merritt and Lakeside Park (Oakland)
Lake Merritt and Lakeside Park (Oakland)
August is the quietest month at Lake Merritt, but there's always something interesting to see here - and the low variety makes this an ideal trip for new birders. Having a relatively few kinds of relatively large birds relatively close makes it much easier to turn observation into memory. So come make new friends to ... Read more
0 events,
0 events,
1 event,
Elsie Roemer and Crab Cove (Alameda)
Elsie Roemer and Crab Cove (Alameda)
The millions of shorebirds that winter on San Francisco Bay make it a state and global Important Bird Area. It is part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network and is also designated as a Wetland of International Importance under UNESCO’s Ramsar Convention. We’ll start at the viewing platform at Elsie Roemer Bird Sanctuary. After ... Read more
2 events,
Miller-Knox Shoreline Park (Richmond)
Miller-Knox Shoreline Park (Richmond)
Miller/Knox is truly one of the gems of the East Bay parks, and fall migration is the most exciting time to explore it. Miller/Knox is one of very few parks in the East Bay where there are wooded hills immediately along the Bay, and the result is a wide variety of terrestrial habitats which serve ... Read more
Elsie Roemer and Crab Cove (Alameda)
Elsie Roemer and Crab Cove (Alameda)
The millions of shorebirds that winter on San Francisco Bay make it a state and global Important Bird Area. It is part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network and is also designated as a Wetland of International Importance under UNESCO’s Ramsar Convention. We’ll start at the viewing platform at Elsie Roemer Bird Sanctuary. After ... Read more
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Birding Ethics Statement
Golden Gate Audubon Society adheres to the Code of Birding Ethics of the American Birding Association and to the National Audubon Society’s Guide to Ethical Bird Photography.
Please follow these codes whether you are birding by yourself or attending a GGAS or other birding event.
The golden rule of birding: When in doubt, first consider the welfare of the bird.
Thanks for being a responsible birder!