Indian Valley Bird Walk

Join Jack for this smaller-group walk at Novato’s Indian Valley Open Space Preserve. These mostly shaded trails on the north side of Big Rock Ridge provide homes for a wide variety of woodland songbirds and we’ll give our attention to the different songs to be heard on a spring morning: orange-crowned warblers, purple finches, warbling vireos, and more. More open areas host ash-throated flycatchers, blue-gray gnatcatchers, and western bluebirds, while the more densely wooded sections contain Wilson’s warblers, pacific-slope flycatchers, and a few pileated woodpeckers. Some of these small forest birds can be hard to see, so come prepared to practice your birding by ear! To learn more about the birds and habitats we’ll encounter, see our profile of Indian Valley.

Reserve your space by selecting your number of participants and clicking on “Confirm RSVP” above; this walk is limited to a small group so that everyone can see and hear each other on narrow sections of trail. We’ll meet at 8:30 AM on Sunday, April 14 and wrap up around 11:00 AM. We’ll be walking about three miles, with no more than a few hundred feet of elevation change, but note that there are some steep and rocky sections of trail. Restrooms are available at entrance.

Location: Meet at the entrance by the sports fields at Lot 6 of the College of Marin – Indian Valley Campus. To reach the Indian Valley Campus, continue to the end of Ignacio Blvd in southern Novato; proceed through the campus to Lot 6, the last lot on the right at the end of the public road.

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: Pileated woodpecker – Mick Thompson/Eastside Audubon