Let’s Go Birding

SATURDAY BIRD WALKS

These walks start on location at 8:30 am and finish around 10:00 am. Please call 408-358-9453 to reserve your space for the current month’s walk (i.e. Nov sign-ups open on Nov 1st). Limited to 20 participants. Details will be provided upon confirmation. Locations are selected depending on seasons, bird activity, parking, and easily accessible trails. Everyone drives themselves. The Saturday Bird Walks are free.   

• Oct 8 – Santa Clara Valley Water District Headquarters

• Oct 22 – (No Saturday walk)  Devil’s Slide–see details below

• Nov 12 – Los Gatos Creek County Park

• Nov 19 – (No Saturday walk)  Raptor Fest–see details below

• Dec 1 – (No Saturday walk)  Woodpecker Workshop–see details below

Saturday walks will resume in January 2023

A Morning On Devil’s Slide –Sat. Oct 22, 2022

• 9 am–2 pm • Meet at the Los Gatos Birdwatcher • $45 per person   

During the fall migration, many species of birds will migrate south following the coast. This birding adventure will have us walking the Devil Slide Trail located just south of San Francisco. Devil’s Slide Trail is a 1.3-mile-long trail built on what was once a treacherous stretch of Highway 1 and the site of frequent landslides, accidents, and closures. When the Tom Lantos Tunnel opened in 2013, the San Mateo County Parks Department began converting this segment of the old highway to this public multi-use, non-motorized trail. Opened in 2014, the trail offers spectacular ocean views and unparalleled west coast opportunities for viewing birds and marine mammals. The Devil’s Slide Trail is a section of the California Coastal Trail, which will extend 1,200 miles from Oregon to Mexico. We’ll be looking for migrants flying above along with species that live on the cliffs and in the ocean waters below. To enjoy this Let’s Go Birding tour you must be able to walk for several hours on a slight incline with limited public seating. Limited to 15 people. Carpooling recommended. Call the store to reserve your space 408-358-9453

 

Raptor Fest –Sat. Nov 19, 2022

• 9:30 am–2 pm • Pre-registration is required • Visit https://parks.sccgov.org for event details.  

Join POST and Santa Clara County Parks for an educational experience like no other: Raptor Fest! This incredible event will highlight very important species of raptors, who play an integral role in the health of our ecosystems! The Los Gatos Birdwatcher will also be there to talk to the community about birding and raptors. This free educational event will feature presentations and a chance to visit local wildlife and conservation groups who work to protect vital species in the Bay Area. The event will be hosted at Rancho San Vicente. This is a unique opportunity to see and learn about birds of prey and the importance of conservation in our communities. Presentations will include Master Falconer Kenny Elvin of Full Circle Falconry and will also include a display of rescued Raptors by the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center (WERC).

Woodpecker Workshop –Sat. Dec 3, 2022

• 10:00 am–12:00 pm • $35 per person  

The class will take place entirely outside in the field with Lisa Myers. As we concentrate on the woodpecker family, we’ll review interesting facts about this group of birds and the many species that are found throughout the greater Bay Area. We’ll spend the morning walking throughout Vasona County Park where we’ll be on the lookout for several different species of woodpeckers including Northern Flicker, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Hairy, Nuttall’s, Acorn, and Downy Woodpeckers. Call the store to register 408-358-9453

 

BIRD ID WORKSHOPS will resume in 2023

These free workshops are open to all levels and help customers learn how to identify four different species of birds per season. We’ll review each species’ behaviors, food and habitat preferences plus species vocalizations. Workshops will take place at the Los Gatos Birdwatcher outside in our back parking lot, so please bring your own chair and field guide. Limited to 30 people. Call the store to save your spot. 408-358-9453.

Bird ID Workshop–Tuesday, July 19 • 5:30–6:30 pm at the store  

The species we are featuring in July are located just outside the Bay Area: White-headed Woodpecker • Black-backed Woodpecker • Williamson’s Sapsucker • Lewis’s Woodpecker

Bird ID Workshop–Tuesday, August 23 • 5:30–6:30 pm at the store

These species we feature in August are more difficult to find: Purple Martin • White-throated Swift • Black Swift • Bank Swallow

Bird ID Workshop–Tuesday, September 20 • 5:30–6:30 pm at the store

September featured species: Great Blue Heron • Sandhill Crane • American Bittern • Black Skimmer

TOURS:

SOUTH TEXAS • January 2022 

It was awesome. South Texas is a birder’s paradise at any time of the year for enjoying the array of resident birds. In addition to the abundance of wintering shorebirds and waterfowl, we also experienced wintering Whooping Cranes.

MEET YOUR TOUR GUIDE:

Lisa Myers, a South Bay Area California native, has been watching and studying birds since childhood. She channeled her love of birding into Let’s Go Birding–designing fun, friendly tours, and classes for folks eager to learn about birds.