Join us for a walk through the Las Gallinas Wildlife Ponds in San Rafael to see how many different bird species we can identify throughout a variety of habitats! Afterwards, optionally join us a few miles further north to check out Novato’s Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop.

The Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District is one of the densest birding hotspots in Marin County. The area is home not only to the eponymous wastewater treatment ponds (don’t worry, it doesn’t smell!), but also a patchwork of tidal mudflats, salt marsh, and agricultural fields that form a diverse habitat for local and migratory birds. We are likely to see a wide variety of waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors, and songbirds, and, if we’re lucky, we might also spot a river otter and jackrabbit or two.

The easy 2-mile trail around the ponds is flat but exposed with limited shade, so be sure to wear sunscreen and consider bringing a hat/sunglasses.

We will meet at the picnic table under the gazebo just across the bridge from the parking lot at 9am. The parking lot is located at 300 Smith Ranch Road, San Rafael, CA 94903. See Eventbrite for detailed directions.

After our walk, we will caravan to check out Novato’s Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop at 104 Vintage Way, Novato, CA 94945, in the Vintage Oaks Shopping Center. WBU is a locally-owned shop dedicated to the appreciation of birds and nature in the Novato community. (No purchase necessary at all - our bird walk hosts are just excited to check the shop out and want to invite interested folks along!)

Birders and nature enthusiasts of all levels are welcome! The group will be led by amateur birders and we will do our best to help identify our local avian friends. Please bring water, sunscreen, and binoculars if you have them. If you are new to birding, a great app to download beforehand is the Merlin Bird ID app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.