Dates 2016 - 2017 Outings, hikes, walks, talks and presentations... West County Hawkwatch

Dates 2016 - 2017 Outings, hikes, walks, talks and presentations...

Fall - Winter

September 11th, Solano Land Trust (Sunday) 10am to 2pm

Birds of Prey Migration and Identification at Lynch Canyon Open Space. Solano Land Trust website: www.solanolandtrust.org under "events calendar"

September 25th, Sonoma Land Trust (Sunday) 10am to 2pm

Birds of Prey Migration and Identification Estero Americano Coastal Preserve. Sonoma Land Trust Website: www.sonomalandtrust.org under the "out on the lands" calendar.

October 2nd, Sonoma Land Trust (Sunday) 10am to 4pm
Birds of Prey Migration and Identification Pole Mountain. Sonoma Land Trust Website: www.sonomalandtrust.org under the "out on the lands" calendar.

October 9th, The Wildlands Conservancy (Sunday) 10am to 2pm
Birds of Prey Migration and Identification Estero Americano Coastal Preserve. The Wildlands Conservancy website: www.wildlandsconservancy.org located on the Jenner Headlands Preserve page under Jenner Headlands Guided Hike and Preserve link (yes its Estero Preserve but listed under Jenner)

October 16th, Sonoma Land Trust (Sunday) 10am to 4pm
Birds of Prey Migration and Identification Pole Mountain. Sonoma Land Trust Website: www.sonomalandtrust.org under the "out on the lands" calendar.

October 23rd, Sonoma Land Trust (Sunday) 10am to 2pm
Birds of Prey Migration and Identification Estero Americano Coastal Preserve. Sonoma Land Trust Website: www.sonomalandtrust.org under the "out on the lands" calendar.

November 5th, Sonoma Land Trust (Saturday) 9am to noon
PowerPoint/Hike (Shore birds and Hawks) Sears Point Wetlands. Raptors and Shorebirds — They Love the Bay, Too! 9—10am Hundreds of thousands of birds migrate through and live by the bay. Learn which birds are likely to be seen and discover how to spot them in the sky, on the water and on the landscape. Presentation, 9am to 10am PowerPoint, 10:30am to noon, walk the Dickson and Baylands units. Sonoma Land Trust Website: www.sonomalandtrust.org under the "out on the lands" calendar.

November 6th, Solano Land Trust (Sunday) 10am to 2pm
Over-wintering distribution Raptor Hike at Rockville Trails Preserve. Solano Land Trust website: www.solanolandtrust.org under events calendar

November 8th REI Events (Tuesday Night) 7pm to 8:30pm
PowerPoint Birds of Prey Identification and Natural History. West County HawkWatch presents "Local Hawks in the region, Migration, Resident and Over-wintering, Identification and Natural history" a beginning and novice talk and presentation. Details on how to identify what you see when you are looking at hawks. Some history on the past, present and future of our Birds of Prey. Opportunities to go out and see these birds on upcoming scheduled hikes, walks and counts. Plus some handouts of Hawk Identification process paperwork. REI 2715 Santa Rosa Ave Santa Rosa, CA 95407 (707) 540-9025

November 12th, Solano Land Trust (Saturday) 10am to 2pm
Over-wintering distribution Raptor Hike at Lynch Canyon Open Space (donor hike VIP). Solano Land Trust website: www.solanolandtrust.org under events calendar.

November 13th, The Wildlands Conservancy (Saturday) 10am to 2pm
Over-wintering distribution Raptor Hike Estero Americano Coast Preserve. The Wildlands Conservancy website: www.wildlandsconservancy.org located on the Jenner Headlands Preserve page under Jenner Headlands Guided Hike and Preserve link (yes its Estero Preserve but listed under Jenner)

November 19th Tolay Lake Madrone 9am to 1pm, This is offered by Madrone Audubon and an exclusive tour into the Tolay Lake region looking for over-wintering Birds of Prey with our local Audubon membership and guests....

November 19th (Saturday) Cub Scout Pack 25 West County Hawkwatch Nature Outing. Bird, Hawk, Nature hike at Spring Lake Park 2pm to 4pm, Meet at the Environmental Center at Spring Lake Park, looking for birding and naturalists to help lead. Call or email Larry 707-791-0335 or northcoastraptor@gmail.com (I need help! please consider helping me lead the next generation of birders!)

November 20th (Sunday) 10am to 4pm Sonoma Land Trust, Pole Mountain, Bird hike and Raptor quest (reschedule from a earlier rain cancellation)... Sonoma Land Trust Website: www.sonomalandtrust.org under the "out on the lands" calendar.

December 3rd (Saturday) 9:30 to 11am Sonoma Land Trust, Baylands / Dickson units bird hike, (Reclamation Road off of highway 37) Park at Reclamation road parking lot, no registration necessary.

December 18th, Solano Land Trust (Sunday) 10am to 2pm Over-wintering distribution Raptor Hike at Lynch Canyon Open Space. Solano Land Trust website: www.solanolandtrust.org under events calendar.

January 16th Madrone Audubon PowerPoint Birds of Prey Identification and Natural History West County HawkWatch presents "Local Hawks in the region, Migration, Resident and Over-wintering identification and Natural history" a beginning and novice talk and PowerPoint presentation. Details on how to identify what you see when you are looking at hawks. Some history on the past, present and future of our Birds of Prey. Opportunities to go out and see these birds on upcoming scheduled hikes, walks and counts. Plus some handouts of Hawk Identification process paperwork.

January 21st, Solano Land Trust (Saturday) 1pm to 5pm PowerPoint and Hike, Birds of Prey Identification and Natural History at Rush Ranch - starting at 1pm. West County HawkWatch presents "Local Hawks in the region, Migration, Resident and Over-wintering identification and Natural history" a beginning and novice talk and PowerPoint presentation. Details on how to identify what you see when you are looking at hawks. Some history on the past, present and future of our Birds of Prey. Opportunities to go out and see these birds on upcoming scheduled hikes, walks and counts. Plus some handouts of Hawk Identification process paperwork. Solano Land Trust website: www.solanolandtrust.org under events calendar.

Jan 26th Sonoma Land Trust (Thursday night) 7pm to 8:30pm Birds of Prey Identification and Natural History PowerPoint Presentation at SLT main building. Sonoma Land Trust Website: www.sonomalandtrust.org under the "out on the lands" calendar.

(TBD) January 29th Skaggs Island or Tolay Creek Over-wintering Birds of Prey hike (Sonoma Land Trust Pending)

February 10th, 11th and 12th is Bay Area Flyway Festival and on:
February 11th we are planning a Sears Point Property tour with Sonoma Land Trust
(TBD) February 12th Solano Land Trust tour at Lynch Canyon

February 16th through the 19th Winter Wings Festival @ Lower Klamath Basin Region. Larry is not planning on going but we may have some West County HawkWatch folks in the Region to help you if you are there

February 23rd, 24th, 25th and 26th West County Hawkwatch to the Lower Klamath Basin Wildlife Refuge complex, including but not limited to the Butte Valley, Lower Klamath and Tule Lake. WCHW member, guest and VIP tour 2017. Exclusive and Extensive tours with our own group.

(TBD) March 5th Skaggs Island, Tolay Creek or Cougar Mountain with Sonoma Land Trust

(TBD) 2017 TBA Laguna Foundation PowerPoint and Hike Birds of Prey Identification and Natural History

2016 dates Outings, Programs and Hikes (West County Hawkwatch tours and workshops)

February 10th, 2016 (Wednesday) Redwood Regional Ornithological Society, Local Raptor updates and ID Workshop, 7pm to 8:30pm, First United Methodist Church, Santa Rosa.

February 13th, 2016 (Saturday) Sonoma Land Trust, Tolay Creek Over-Wintering Birds of Prey Walk/hike, 10am to 1pm

Feb 19th, 20th, 21st Lower Klamath Basin ( 19th Butte, 20th Big Day Lower K, 21st last day, open agenda)

February 27th, 2016 (Saturday) Sonoma Land Trust, Skaggs Island Hawk Identification and Natural History Walk, 10am to 1pm

February 28th, 2016 (Sunday) Solano Land Trust, Over-Wintering Birds of Prey Lynch Canyon 10pm to 2pm Hike

March 6th, 2016 (Sunday) Solano Land Trust, Lynch Canyon Season Close Raptor hike, 10pm to 2pm Hike

March 12th, 2016 (Saturday) Sonoma Land Trust, Sears Point uplands Birds of Prey Hike/walk 10am to 1pm

March 19th, 2016 (Saturday) Solano Land Trust, Rush Ranch Open Space 2015-2016 Birds of Prey Season Close PowerPoint and hike, 1pm to 5pm

Bald Eagles and large food source. via the Bald Eagle lady: Pam Aus!

Great age study for many different Bald Eagle plumage variations...

A Juvenile Eagle Visits Again _ Pam Aus from Unalaska and her Eagles

Great color here, head looks 3 going on 4? what do you guys and gals think?

Tricky ID at best. Where are all the spotters? any clue on Identification here?

IMG_3455, originally uploaded by ymotherwell.
This is wild crazy light.  _ _ Y. Motherwell WCHW 2014

Tricky ID.

Straights Drain Lower Klamath NWR. Here we have 8 Bald Eagles along with a motley crew of gulls and ravens

IMG_9655 crop oh yeah baby, originally uploaded by norcal_birdman.


top notch experience.
been there 20 times in last 25 years, never fails always cool stuff to see. seen 100s of Bald Eagles on each trip, excellent views of Rough-legged Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks, Northern Harriers, Prairie Falcons, Golden Eagles, Ferruginous Hawks, Merlin. Kestrel. Rare sightings of Red-shouldered Hawks, Peregrine, White-tailed kite, Coopers Hawk. The Lower K, along with Butte Valley just south off the HWY 97, is a great case study in aging Bald Eagles, with so many present it is easy to learn all the color phases and patterns because of the sheer numbers of sightings. also other wildlife and wide open spaces and total separation from city life. One of the best places on earth, for me.
Written by West County Hawk Watch.  18-Mar-2014