Dive into the wonder of winter birds along Berkeley’s shoreline. We will spend quality time observing and discussing the birds from Aquatic Park through the Berkeley Marina, so you can get a firm grasp on the sights, sounds, behaviors, and natural history of a selection of Berkeley’s feathered friends. The Zoom class will be an opportunity for everyone to get up to speed on the structure and equipment for the class and the history of the area. Then everyone will pool their knowledge and observations in field trips, with some optional homework in between to leverage people’s varied learning styles. We will get out on the water in Aquatic Park, weather permitting. Please come prepared to participate in a diverse learning community, bring a notebook and pen, and have room on your device to install free apps. Binoculars are encouraged but we can start you with a loaner pair.  All field trips will be bike accessible and carpooling will be encouraged.

 
Recording of the first session via Zoom will be available to class participants for a limited period of time.

• Zoom presentation on January 23 (1:30-4:30 p.m.)
• Five three-hour Sunday afternoon field trips on January 30; February 6, 13, 20, 27; with March 6 as rain date (1:30-4:30 p.m.) Field trip locations will be announced in class and by email.
• $120 for GGBA members and non-members

Once this class is full, you may sign up to be on a waiting list.…

This summer, somewhere in Canada, a Blackpoll Warbler will hatch, fledge, and grow to young adulthood. Come August, this half-ounce bird will fly 3,000 miles to the Maritime provinces and then out over the Atlantic Ocean to catch a northwest tail wind that will take it south to around Bermuda. A northeast trade wind will carry it back to land to complete its 80-hour journey over 2,000 miles of open ocean. Why? Join Bruce Mast for a four-week exploration of the magic and mystery of bird migration. We’ll consider why birds migrate, how they navigate, how they fuel their marathon flights, and the evolutionary forces that have shaped migration over the millennia.

Recordings of the lecture presentations will be available to class participants for a limited period of time.

• Instructor: Bruce Mast
• Four 1 ½ hour Tuesday classes via Zoom, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on September 7, 14, 21, and 28.
• $50 for GGBA members, $75 for non-members.

Note that we are also offering two sets of optional six-hour field trips — on Saturdays September 18 and October 2, OR on Sundays September 19 and October 3 — for an additional fee of $100/members or $125/non-members. Field trips run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and locations will be provided to registered participants. Each set of trips is limited to 10 people.

If you ONLY want to sign up for the Zoom classes, click here or use the “Register” button below. (Cost of $50/members or $75/non-members.)

If you wish to sign up for the class plus the optional Saturday field trips, click here. (Total cost of $150/members or $200/non-members.) The Saturday trips are now full. You may sign up to be added to a waiting list in case of cancellations. Meanwhile, we invite you to enroll in the option above that includes the Zoom classes only — you’ll still learn a lot! 

If you wish to sign up for the class plus the optional Sunday field trips, click here. (Total cost of $150/members or $200/non-members.) The Sunday trips are now full. You may sign up to be added to a waiting list in case of cancellations. Meanwhile, we invite you to enroll in the option above that includes the Zoom classes only — you’ll still learn a lot! …

This class is FULL. You may sign up to be on a waiting list in case of cancellations.

Year-round resident hawks, falcons, and eagles of the greater Bay Area and the Central Valley are joined  by a number of wintering migrants (including Ferruginous and Rough-legged Hawks). We’ll explore the rhythm of their lives and discuss identifying juveniles and adult birds, including birds in flight. We’ll travel to eastern Alameda and Contra Costa, and to Napa, Solano, and Sonoma counties. One of the nice things about raptors is that we don’t have to be on scene at daybreak to get good looks at these birds, so we can travel a bit further afield.

Red-tailed Hawk

Recordings of the lecture presentations will be available to class participants  for a limited period of time.

• Three Tuesday evening classes by Zoom on November 2, 9, 16, from 7 to 9 p.m.
• Three Saturday morning field trips on November 6, 13, 20.
• Lectures are via Zoom. Field trip times and locations will be announced in class.
• $75 for GGBA members, $100 for non-members.

Once this class is full, you can sign up to be on a waiting list.…

This class is FULL. You may sign up to be on a waiting list in case of cancellations.

Did the Covid lockdown spark or renew your interest in birding? Want to move beyond being able to tell a robin from a jay and be able to sort out the sparrows? Moved across the country and finding new birds? Or maybe you’re finally retired and have time to do what you love? Outdoors person who wants to enhance the experience? Or maybe you took a beginning birding class and want more?

Black-necked Stilt by Frank Schulenburg

This Advanced Beginning class is geared to people who meet all those descriptions and more. Participants must have and use binoculars confidently. Field trips will be to East Bay shoreline, woodland, riparian, and grassland locations. This class will help you understand the various bird families and work on tricky IDs. It will also introduce you to community science (bird counting/ monitoring) activities and current bird conservation issues.

Recordings of the lecture presentations will be available to class participants for a limited period of time. Please note that we are also offering a version of this class with Zoom lectures in the morning. Choose whichever fits your schedule! The content is the same in both classes.

• Five Wednesday evening classes by Zoom on September 22, 29, and October 6, 13, 20, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
• Five three-hour field trips to a different site every week, on Saturdays September 25 and October 2, 9, 16, 23, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.
• Lectures are via Zoom. Field trip locations will be announced in class. Field trips meet at the field trip site. Carpooling is encouraged if you are comfortable sharing a ride.
• Must have binoculars and use them competently.
• $125 for GGBA members, $150 for non-members.

Once this class is full, you may sign up to be on a waiting list.…

This class is FULL. You may sign up to be on a waiting list in case of cancellations.

Did the Covid lockdown spark or renew your interest in birding? Want to move beyond being able to tell a robin from a jay and be able to sort out the sparrows? Moved across the country and finding new birds? Or maybe you’re finally retired and have time to do what you love? Outdoors person who wants to enhance the experience? Or maybe you took a beginning birding class and want more?

White-tailed Kite by Mark Rauzon

This Advanced Beginning class is geared to people who meet all those descriptions and more. Participants must have and use binoculars confidently. Field trips will be to East Bay shoreline, woodland, riparian, and grassland locations. This class will help you understand the various bird families and work on tricky IDs. It will also introduce you to community science (bird counting/ monitoring) activities and current bird conservation issues.

Recordings of the lecture presentations will be available to class participants for a limited period of time. Please note that we are also offering a version of this class with Zoom lectures in the evening. Choose whichever fits your schedule! The content is the same in both classes.

• Five Wednesday morning classes by Zoom on September 22, 29, and October 6, 13, 20, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon.
• Five three-hour field trips to a different site every week, on Sundays September 26 and October 3, 10, 17, 24, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.
• Lectures are via Zoom. Field trip locations will be announced in class. Field trips meet at the field trip site. Carpooling is encouraged if you are comfortable sharing a ride.
• Must have binoculars and use them competently.
• $125 for GGBA members, $150 for non-members.

Once this class is full, you may sign up to be on a waiting list.…