Point Reyes National Seashore Trip

Guide – Ralph Baker

Point Reyes National Seashore, located in Marin County, offers some of the finest birding in the United States. The park’s coastal location and its wealth of unspoiled habitats, estuaries, grasslands, coastal scrub, and forest attract many migrating and wintering birds.

The Point Reyes peninsula projects some 10 miles seaward from the “mainland” and acts as a sort of funnel. Many land birds travel south along the coast during fall migration and when they reach the end of the peninsula, they see open water ahead of them and tend to stop and rest before heading “out to sea”. Many vagrants (birds that may have made errors in navigation and thus are unexpected in this area) pass through during September and October and the number of birds seen on or over the water from the fish docks can be astonishing. According to eBird, over 73% of the naturally occurring bird species in California have been reported in Marin County! We’ll see how many we can find.

The precise locations we will bird will depend upon what is being reported in the days leading up to the trip. This will be an all-day trip, 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. For those who wish to do so, we will stop and have dinner on the way back.