China Camp Bird Walk

Join Jack and Don for a bird walk at San Rafael’s China Camp State Park. We’ll be walking on a mostly level wooded trail as we listen to spring birdsong: juncos, titmice, Bewick’s wrens, orange-crowned warblers, purple finches, warbling vireos, and more. We’ll pass between more densely wooded areas with pleasant little creeks (where we’ll look for Wilson’s warblers and creepers) and more open areas (where we’ll hope to see gnatcatchers, house wrens, and swallows). Some of these small woodland birds can be hard to see in a group, so be prepared to practice your birding by ear! We’ll also allow time to take in the wildflowers and views of San Pablo Bay as we travel leisurely along the trail.

Reserve your space by selecting your number of participants and clicking on “Confirm RSVP” above.

We plan on taking advantage of being in a group to employ a quick car shuttle for a point-to-point walk. The group will meet at 8:30 AM on Monday, April 8 (our weekday schedule makes for quieter trails with less mountain bike activity, but does mean that participants from Novato and northward should leave plenty of travel time for traffic on Highway 101) and we aim to be done by 11 AM. Our initial meeting place will be at the day use/picnic area before the campground; we will then travel in half of our cars the very short distance up the road (~.6 miles) to the Shoreline Trail entrance nearest Miwok Meadows. This short shuttle will allow us to take our time walking the approximately three miles of mostly level Shoreline Trail back to our initial location at a patient pace with lots of breaks for listening to birdsong. Additional details on the locations below:

• Meet by 8:30 at the day use/picnic area before the campground. 741 North San Pedro Rd marks the approximate location of the entrance kiosk on the road leading into the campground and our meeting location. You can pay the $5 parking fee by credit card here, or by cash/check at our meeting location. Continue inwards on this entrance road, past the kiosk, to the parking area and picnic ground a short distance up on your right: if you reach the campground you have gone too far. If you are looking at a park trail map, this is the unnamed parking area where the Powerline Fire Trail crosses the Shoreline Trail.
• We will then travel to our second location in a mini, two-minute carpool. 780 North San Pedro marks the approximate location of the roadside parking at this trailhead, signed for the Shoreline Trail leading to Miwok Meadows. (If you are running truly and unavoidably late, this is where we will be at 8:45, heading towards the Meadows.)

Please leave pets at home and bring binoculars if you have them; we’ll have a few loaner pairs available. There are portable toilets at our first meeting location, and restrooms at the nearby campground.

Wild Birds Unlimited bird walks are intended for persons in reasonably good health and physical condition. Participants must be capable of walking over uneven terrain and be adequately prepared for the prevailing outdoor conditions. By registering for this walk, I acknowledge that participation entails known and unanticipated risks, including personal injury to myself and others and property damage. Notwithstanding these risks, I wish to assume them by voluntarily participating in these activities. I hereby release Wild Birds Unlimited and its officers, employees, and affiliates from any and all liability for any injury or loss arising out of my participation in these activities.

Header photo: Dark-eyed junco by S. Hunt. They will be singing!