This virtual 65-mile round trip will explore all of Mines Road plus connecting portions of San Antonio Valley and Del Puerto Canyon Roads. They all run through the East Bay’s Diablo Range in an area virtually devoid of humans, but not of birds. Our virtual tour will take place in early spring, when summer residents are returning and nesting activity is heating up. Highlights will include:

Study of area specialties, like Phainopepla, Lewis’s Woodpecker, Lawrence’s Goldfinch, and Greater Roadrunner (a bird that’s elusive in person, but easily seen virtually).

 A drive around Lake Del Valle searching for Bald Eagle, breeding Western Grebes, and several species of nesting swallows.

Views and sounds of the expected chaparral and scrub species, like California Thrasher, Western Kingbird, and Rufous-crowned Sparrow.

We’ll include discussion of the various eBird hotspots along our route, plus tips for visiting the area in person. It will be a 3-county hat trick!

Steve Lombardi, Field Trip Coordinator for Golden Gate Bird Alliance, has led springtime Birdathon field trips to Mines Road for years.

This event will take place online via Zoom and last approximately 60-75 minutes. Registrants will be sent a link and password to access the Zoom. The session will be recorded, and registrants will have access to the recording on the web for two weeks after the event, regardless of whether they attend the live presentation.

Registration will close at 3 p.m. on April 5.

Registrants: If you didn’t receive or misplace the Zoom link, email birdathon@goldengatebirdalliance.org or call Ilana at (510) 301-5573.