PLEASE NOTE: Due to the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on public gatherings, all GGAS field trips have been cancelled until further notice. We will post any further updates as soon as we are alerted of them. You can also check GGAS Chat for the latest updates as well.
Fields Trips & Info
Golden Gate Audubon offers more than 100 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.
We also sponsor trips to other parts of the U.S. and to international destinations, including Latin America, Africa, and Australia. Field trips are led by experienced birders who are passionate in sharing their knowledge of birds and their habitats. See our Travel with GGAS page for upcoming travel opportunities.
Local trips are free, except for any park entrance fees. Advance reservations may be necessary. It is advisable to confirm with the trip leader that a trip will take place as planned, especially if inclement weather is expected. Reports of recent and past field trips are on these pages.
Join us on one of our upcoming field trips! Nearly all are free and beginners are always welcome.
Cancellations: Heavy rain almost always cancels trips. Other cancellations may be posted on the GGAS-Chat discussion group: Sign up for free at groups.io/g/GGAS-Chat. If you’re uncertain about whether a trip has been cancelled, please contact the trip leader.
Our field trips welcome birders of all skill levels, especially beginning birders. We encourage experienced birders to help the new birders in the group. And beginners: Don’t be shy. We encourage you to identify yourselves at the start of the walks so that the leaders and more experienced birders can help.
You can also find our walks on Meetup at https://www.meetup.com/Golden-Gate-Audubon-Society/
New GGAS chat group
We’ve started a new chat group where we can post updates to field trips and conduct general birding/conservation discussions. Click here to go to the site. Membership is free.
https://groups.io/g/GGAS-Chat
Pelagic trips, including the Farallons
We’re listing these links to opportunities for seabirding, for your convenience.
Please contact them directly for more information, cost and reservations.
Alvaro Jaramillo leads outstanding trips and bring experienced sea-birders along as spotters. Trips leave from a variety of ports, including Monterey (with the submarine canyon in Monterey Bay).
Alvaro’s Adventures
Alvaro Jaramillo alvarosadventures.com
email: alvaro@alvarosadventures.com
These Farallon trips leave from Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay.
Whalewatching trips that include the Farallones:
For these, look at the biographical sketches of the guides and then call and ask which trips have guides who are enthusiastic about birds as well as marine mammals. These trips leave from Sausalito and San Francisco.
Oceanic Society
www.oceanicsociety.org
follow the links for Whalewatching and then Farallones
Contact link has phone numbers.
Grebe Courtship
If you are interested in seeing the courtship rituals of the Western and Clarke’s Grebe consider booking with Faith Rigolosi who takes groups out on her comfortable 10-seat boat on Clear Lake. Faith has been a supporter of our Birdathon for many years. The best time to witness the grebe courtship displays is in late spring, early summer. For more info, see Faith’s website here. Contact Faith at faithrig@gmail.com.
GGAS Is Looking For New Field Trip Leaders!
If you’re a birder and have favorite spots that you would like to share, please 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’re planning some training walks. We’ll help you write trip descriptions and find background resources on the places you love to go birding.
And you don’t need to be able to identify every bird. You’ll be successful by organizing an enjoyable walk at an interesting location. Need a coach? If you’d like a mentor, we’ll match you up with an experienced field trip leader.
If you’re interested (even if you’re maybe a little interested, but also a little nervous) contact Maureen Lahiff, adult education committee chair, 510.484.6529, MLahiff@aol.com or our field trip coordinator, Steve Lombardi, hotrock175@gmail.com.
Upcoming Field Trips
Our free field trips are just one of the many ways that Golden Gate Audubon connects people with our local birds. For over 100 years we have been providing critical environmental education, conservation and habitat restoration (currently at 8 Bay Area sites). Our work is supported solely through the commitment of local members, volunteers, and donors. We receive no portion of National Audubon dues. If you are not currently a member, please consider joining now. You can be part of our vital community for as little as $35. It’s quick and easy to sign up on our membership page.
We hope you enjoy our field trips. We invite you to comment about any part of our trips (leadership, venues, schedules). Send an email to ggas@goldengateaudubon.org
For questions about individual field trips, contact the leaders. If you cannot reach a leader, contact 510-843-2222 or email volunteer@goldengateaudubon.org.
We encourage people to share rides to field trips! See the bottom of this page for information about our friendly, easy-to-use GGAS carpool group.
GGAS Birding Ethics Statement
The 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 adhere to 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. Here are links to both birding ethics codes:
https://www.aba.org/aba-code-of-birding-ethics/
https://www.audubon.org/photography/ethics
Thanks for being a responsible birder!
We have also started a new chat group where we can post updates to trips and conduct general birding/conservation discussions. Click here to go to the site. Membership is free.