West County Hawkwatch Raptor Research Group

West County Hawkwatch 2020/2021 Event dates are listed below, More dates coming soon. We are a North Bay Area, (Ca.) group bringing attention to North American Birds of Prey and the threats they face. We provide Identification and Education Programs, Hikes, Tours and ID Workshops. We also monitor encroachment of wind turbines into the North Bay, we do Nest Site protection, Raptor Migration counts, Studies and Documentation. Donations received fund youth Educational and Book Programs.

Monday, October 23, 2023

10.25.23, 7 pm Raptor ID and migration zoom.....

Wednesday night raptor zoom....

https://sonomalandtrust.zoom.us/webinar/register/1816953168255/WN_iXd8G-IhRTiPRxi4GPs5NQ#/registration

Friday, October 20, 2023

Jenner Headlands raptor migration hike this Sunday still have spots open

10.22.23

Jenner Headlands Preserve, meet at JVC 9:45

Fall Migration Guided Raptor Hike
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fall-migration-guided-raptor-hike-registration-699891954677?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=wsa&aff=ebdsshwebmobile

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

West Coast Hawkwatch public FB page link (like, subscribe, learn)

West Coast Hawkwatch public FB page, go, like, see hawks ..... thanks

https://www.facebook.com/groups/westcoasthawkwatch/?ref=share_group_link

10.7.23, 1pm to 3pm - Raptor Walk Sears Point Wetlands

Bay Day Raptor Walk at San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge 1pm 10-7-23

Come out and find some hawks and birds with me and explore the Sears Point wetlands, Dickson & Baylands units along San Pablo Bay National wildlife refuge…

This Saturday 1pm, right off Highway 37 on Reclamation Road. Nice leisurely, slow paced walk, incredible views, fun people, great birds..

Fall migration is on, keep your naturalist vibe strong…… 🙏🍁🦅🦉🍂🙏

Click link below to register.... thanks!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bay-day-raptor-walk-at-san-pablo-bay-national-wildlife-refuge-1pm-10-7-23-tickets-716203633347?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=wsa&aff=ebdsshwebmobile

Saturday, September 30, 2023

Lynch Canyon 8.1.2023 - 10am to 1:30pm

Bird of Prey season is back!

Join Larry Broderick for the 2023 - 2024 season at Lynch Canyon and Rush Ranch!

Each year from fall through late winter, raptor expert Larry Broderick of West County Hawkwatch leads weekend hikes and workshops so people can learn about the birds of prey that call the Solano Land Trust properties their home.

During this viewing season, bring your binoculars and join a group to see the magnificent bids that rely on our protected agricultural open spaces for habitat. Birders of all levels of experience are welcome.

Dedicated to Ken Poerner

By request, Larry Broderick would like to dedicate this year’s Bird of Prey season in honor of our dear friend Ken Poerner, whose tireless dedication to conservation touched every aspect of Solano Land Trust’s work. Ken passed in early June of this year after a ten-year battle with cancer. It was Ken who first introduced the Solano Land Trust to Larry, and Larry’s expertise and passion have been an invaluable asset to the land trust and the community we serve for many years.

Upcoming Hike Dates:

Registration for hikes are required. Please click the links of the dates below to register.

The hike fee is $10 per person.

Parking at Lynch Canyon is $6.00 during the off season (October – March)

Oct 1st 10am - 2pm Lynch Canyon

Nov 4th 10am - 2 pm Lynch Canyon

Dec 2nd 10am - 2pm Lynch Canyon

For a complete schedule of West County Hawkwatch events, visit the group’s website at: westcountyhawkwatch.com or its Facebook page. Or you can email Larry directly at northcoastraptor@gmail.com

*Photo credit: Pamela Hawken (Pamelarosehawkenphotography.com)

For more information: contact di@solanolandtrust.org or call 707-420-1041

#westcountyhawkwatch

#westcoasthawkwatch

Friday, February 3, 2023

Tragic ending for a mega-rare marsh harrier

Tragic ending for a mega-rare marsh harrier: A Boeing 737 on approach to the Newark airport killed a Western Marsh Harrier, only the second ever on the North American mainland.

Saturday, December 17, 2022

Sears Point Wetlands Tour - 1.14.2023 - Madrone Audubon / Wetlands restoration education and Birds of Prey Tour

January 14, Saturday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Sears Point Wetlands aka Baylands/Dickson Ranch (Directions below)
Leader: Larry Broderick
Education walk and Birds of Prey tour. At the stoplight and intersection of SR 37 and Lakeville Highway/ Reclamation Road, turn onto Reclamation Road, go approximately 1/4 mile south to the parking lot on your left. We’ll meet at Sears Point Trail head on Reclamation Road at 10:00 a.m. Follow signs from the parking lot to the Trail head. We’ll walk and tour the area until 10am to 1 p.m., depending on what we see. We’ll walk Dickson trail, Elliot trail and possibly the Baylands trail. We’ll discuss the wetlands restoration project and the importance of wetlands as we look for raptors, other birds and wildlife. Focus on Raptor Identification and beginning, novice birding.

Questions: (707) 791-0335 or email northcoastraptor@gmail.com to sign up and for more info.

Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Estero Americano (SLT) Property, Estero Americano Sonoma Land Trust section 9.25.2022

Sonoma Land Trust, Raptor Hike, 9.25.2022 Estero Americano.

Heavily fogged out day, overcast, cool, Day

A few Red-tailed Hawks, A Kestrel or two, and distant Harriers, from 10am to roughly noon, then we a had a Sharp-shined hawk down by the water as things started clearing, 12:30 A coyote, King Fisher, Snowy and Great Egrets, Great-blue Heron... not seeing a lot of hawks!

Then we headed back about 1pm, as we stared the hiking back up the service road and the sky's cleared up a bit, just enough to see a close Harrier, a Red-tailed Hawk and a Kestrel.... Then off on the eastern flank of the coastal hill, we noticed a Coopers Hawk tussling with a Harrier and the Kestrel flew over to strafe them both, suddenly another Harrier appeared, a Peregrine showed up an adult Red-tailed Hawk flew over us, A juvenile Red-tailed hawk appeared on the coastal hill, as all this was going on the fog started getting thick again... and then obscured and almost colorless, a interesting buteo appeared. photos below at very bottom of this post (juvenile Swainson Hawk) we studied its form and were 90% sure of the SWHA ID, photos later would confirm ..

below some of the raptors we saw....

Photographs Alan Wilson and Greg Lavaty.

Northern Harriers

Examples of two of the accipiter's we saw on the day.

Sharp-shinned Hawk left, Coopers Hawk right

(internet photos used here for example, education and non-profit use only)

American Kestrels, we saw a half dozen through out the day

(random internet photos of American Kestrels)

Above photos of read-tailed hawks, Adult, juvenile, adult, juvenile.

Notice the brick red tail of adults and the fine barred tail of the juveniles

Red-tailed Hawk ID help

Peregrine Falcon, juvenile 1st photo above and silhouette 2nd photo

and .... here is the actual Swainson Hawk we saw, a bit out of season.

These are foggy photos of the Swainson's Hawk we saw, buteo form, light leading edge of wing, dark trailing edge of wing, correct tail barring.

Lynch Canyon Raptor Hike Oct 22nd Saturday 10am to 1:30pm

https://solanolandtrust.org/events/birds-of-prey

Bird of Prey season is back!

Join Larry Broderick for the 2022 - 2023 season at Lynch Canyon and Rush Ranch!

Dedicated to Ken Poerner

Upcoming Hike Dates:

Registration for hikes are required. Please click the links of the dates below to register.

The hike fee is $10 per person.

Parking at Lynch Canyon is $8.00 during peak season (April – September) and $6.00 during the off season (October – March)

Saturday, October 1st. - Lynch Canyon

Saturday, October 22nd. - Lynch Canyon

Sunday, November 27th. - Lynch Canyon