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Backyard Birds for Beginners at McClellan Ranch Preserve (Cupertino)

Learn birding basics and your backyard birds on this beginners' bird walk, meet some new people, and experience the joys of birding! This event will start outside the SCVBA Nature Shop in Cupertino, where we will focus on the birds that visit our feeders. These are the same backyard birds that you may see in your garden. With the help of our volunteers, you’ll learn how to use binoculars to observe the birds that come to the feeders, how to use Merlin, (a free bird identification app for both android and iPhones) that is helpful for new birders, and learn birding basics. We’ll then take a short stroll together along the Stevens Creek Trail, looking for and identifying birds in varied habitats. Afterwards, we’ll email you a list of the bird species observed and a guide to additional birding resources.

Trip Difficulty: less than 1 mile, paved trails, little or no elevation gain

Leaders: John Tsortos (408) 348-6805

Beginner Friendly, Loaner Binoculars Available, 1 mile or shorter

Meet: Outside the SCVBA Nature Shop

Directions: From I-280 in Cupertino, exit Foothill Expy. Travel south onto Foothill Blvd for 1.3 miles. Turn left onto McClellan Rd and continue for 0.5 miles. Turn left into the overflow parking lot (Latitude/Longitude: 37.313534, -122.064897). The nature shop is located across the creek at the preserve entrance (address: 22221 McClellan Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014, Latitude/Longitude: 37.313072, -122.063695).

Facilities: ADA accessible bathroom, drinking water

Parking Type and Fees: ADA compliant spots, Please use overflow lot.

Banner Photo: Brown-headed Cowbird by Teresa Cheng

Questions? Email general questions to fieldtrips@scvbirdalliance.org or contact the trip leader for questions regarding the event.