Date: 10/30/26 5:26 pm From: Liz West via SJBirds <elizwest...> Subject: [SJBirds] Bird Walk at UOP
SJ Birders:
Beginner Bird Walk at UoP
October 31 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 am
Leader: Henry Koertzen
Please join leader Henry Koertzen for this fun beginner event. We will stroll around the campus identifying the birds we find.
Bring your questions regarding bird identification by sight or sound, binoculars, free phone apps, etc.,
Remember your binoculars or borrow our extras.
We will meet at the fountain which is located just north of the library
Date: 10/30/26 1:33 pm From: David Yee via SJBirds <birdmanyee...> Subject: [SJBirds] The 30th Central Valley Birding Symposium (CVBS) is next month
Dear Local Birders and SJ Audubon Members:
The CVBS will be celebrating its 30th anniversary next month, Nov 19-22 at the Stockton Hilton. The CVBS serves as the annual meeting of the Central Valley Bird Club (CVBC), also in its 30th year. The website with the schedule and registration information is https://cvbs.regfox.com/26.
Thirty years is a long time ago, and many of you might not know that the CVBS was the brainchild of several San Joaquin Audubon members, and SJA was the driving force behind the early years of its development. The vision was to establish an event that could hopefully unify the various Audubon Chapters and conservation organizations within the Central Valley. California Audubon was being established that very year (1997) and was very involved in the initial meetings. And so was the city of Stockton.
Today the CVBS/CVBC is its own entity, but the vision remains the same; highlighting the avian wonders of the Central Valley and partnering with local conservation organizations. And while the initial thought was to move the event up and down the Valley, Stockton and San Joaquin County for now has been its home base. If you have never attended, or it's been a while, take advantage of a local event that has many attending from out of the area annually white staying at the Hilton. There are half-day and one day options.
To celebrate our 30th, our two keynote speakers have their roots in the Central Valley, but from very different stages of their lives. Nationally acclaimed bird illustrator and author, Keith Hansen, will share a lively program with lots of striking visuals of his life-long fascination with all things avian starting from his early years in Fresno to his current life in Marin County, the location of his amazing art gallery. Our second keynote will be Mackenzie Hollender, a highschool senior from Sacramento, who is just starting her career in bird study and conservation. Mackenzie was awarded 2026 American Birding Association Young Birder of the Year for her field sketching abilities and her conservation work in Sacramento. Her program will highlight how her love for birds inspired her to protect 8,000 acres of open space in the Natomas area of Sacramento. Mackenzie is obviously mature beyond her years, with a vibrant and engaging personality. Her future is bright.
I would like to highlight two additional programs. The Bird ID Panel on Friday afternoon is an amazing teaching time when it comes to learning about bird identification. A panel of top birders will be presented with bird photos whose identification is already known by the presenter. The photos will be of birds difficult to ID, or they will reveal only a portion of the bird, as is often the case in real life. We then get to hear the thought processes used by the panel to ID the bird. It's so instructive. The other program is the Specimen Workshop on Saturday afternoon. Andy Engilis, who is the curator at the UC Davis Museum of Natural History will bring a select group of specimens for us to study and appreciate. He and his staff will place specimens of bird groups and families side by side that are notoriously difficult to separate, and they will then go over what to look for when you have them in your hands!! This is a rare and unique opportunity, as most museums never allow their precious collections to be open to the public in this fashion.
Finally, there are always wonderful artists and vendors on display. And visiting them is free at the Stockton Hilton on Nov 20-21. In particular, there will be Out of this World Optics from Mendocino present. They will have a full complement of binoculars, spotting scopes and tripods of all brands at every price range on hand at discounted prices.
Hope to see you in November! If you have any questions, please contact me, or be in touch with Katie in registration (contact info on the website).
Happy Fall Birding, David Yee Stockton CVBS Chair 209-329-5490 <(209)%20329-5490>
Date: 10/16/26 8:01 am From: Liz West via groups.io <elizwest...> Subject: [SJBirds] This Weekend's Field trips
SJ Birders:
Woodbridge Wilderness Survey
October 17 @ 8:00 am - 10:30 am
Join leader Cavan Allen and co-leader Karan Odom for our monthly census of this small riparian area on the banks of the Mokelumne River.
Woodbridge Wilderness Area, 301 E. River Meadows Dr.,Woodbridge
Monthly Census @ Fish Hatchery
October 18 @ 8:00 am - 10:30 am
FREE
Join leader Kasey Foley for our monthly census of this lovely riparian area on the Mokelumne River below Camanche Dam. Meet the leaders in the fish hatchery parking lot below the dam at 8:00 AM.
Date: 10/7/26 4:18 pm From: Liz West via groups.io <elizwest...> Subject: [SJBirds] This Weekends Field Trips
SJ Birders:
Hawk Hill Hawk Talk/Hawk Watch
Guide: Ralph Baker, <sharks_hockey_maniac...> <mailto:<sharks_hockey_maniac...> (please RSVP to Ralph via email, or other means if you have his contact info)
Date: October 10, 2026
Meeting site: Hawk Hill Parking (37.82755372940478, -122.49897148266713)
Marin Headlands, Sausalito, CA 94965
Time: 9:00am
The Golden Gate Raptor Observatory holds its seasonal hawkwatch and a weekend Hawk Talk on Saturday, October 10, 2026 at Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands.
Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands is the premier destination in the Pacific Flyway for viewing migratory birds of prey.
Overview and Highlights
Best Time to Visit: Fall migration peaks from September through November, when over 20,000 raptors of up to 19 different species fly past.
• Activity: Annual autumn migration Hawkwatch and community science counting.
• Hawk Talk Time: Begins at 12:00 PM (Noon) featuring a program by a Golden Gate Raptor Observatory volunteer.
• Location: Hawk Hill, Marin Headlands, CA (overlooking the Golden Gate strait).
• Cost: Free admission and open to the public.
We will participate in the Hawk Watch and listen to the talk. Last year on a similar trip with Donna Marciano we saw 15 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS in two hours! After the Hawk Talk we will have lunch and decide where to go next, depending upon what is being reported.
This will be an all-day trip, so dress in layers, as the weather can be unpredictable, and wear comfortable shoes, as we will do a considerable amount of walking/standing (a camp chair would come in handy. if you have one). 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 are interested, Ralph plans to stop at Picante, 340 Bellam Blvd, San Rafael, CA, on the way home (time permitting) for dinner. Picante has the BEST fish tacos Ralph has ever had.
Cosumnes River Walk
October 10 @ 6:45 am - 11:00 am
FREE
Join leader Jim Rowoth for the monthly River Walk bird count through the varied habitats of the CRP. Meet Jim at the visitor center on Franklin Blvd.
