Hamilton Wetlands “Behind the Scenes” Birding

Our full array of winter shorebirds has now arrived, and there is no better local area for large numbers and diversity of plovers, sandpipers, stilts, avocets, and much more than at the restored Hamilton Wetlands in Novato. At this time of year, waterfowl and raptor numbers are also at their peak, and winter songbirds like Say’s phoebes and Lincoln’s sparrows are in place. On this special “behind the scenes” trip, we’ll travel in carpools on levees roads normally closed to public access from where we’ll get unique views of the wetlands as we approach the breach to San Pablo Bay. Our guides will be David Sexton, long-time bird monitor throughout the restoration project, and Jack from Wild Birds Unlimited, who also volunteers with the Hamilton bird monitoring. To learn more about some of the birds we’ll see, take a look at our Hamilton Wetlands profile.

Reserve your space by selecting your number of participants and clicking on “Confirm RSVP” above.  This walk is currently fully booked. Please take a look at other upcoming events with us and other local organizations.

We will be meeting at the skate park parking lot at 1200 Hamilton Parkway in Novato at 9 AM on Thursday, February 20th. From there we will gather into as few vehicles as possible before continuing into the wetlands restoration area. We will start with a  brief visit with Christina McWhorter, director of the restoration project, to learn more about the ongoing work to welcome native plants and wildlife back to the area (last restrooms available here at the nursery). We’ll spend the bulk of our time birding near our convoy of cars at a few stops along the levee, with perhaps a short walk at adjacent Pacheco Pond if we have extra time before getting back to the starting location around noon.

This field trip will potentially have a small amount of level walking, but will mostly involve slow travel by car with birding at designated stopping points. Participants should be prepared to stay for the whole duration of the walk and to carpool, as we will be required to compress into as few vehicles as possible. Please leave pets at home and bring binoculars if you have them; we’ll have a few loaner pairs available as well as a few spotting scopes to share.

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 image: A flock of “peeps” (least or western sandpipers) takes flight, photo by Don McCullough on Flickr. I love watching those big undulating flocks – Hamilton is the place to see them around here.