2019 Teams
Stevens Creek Ultrabirders with Steve Patt on Sunday, April 14 from 6:30AM-6:30PM OPEN REGISTER HERE
Birding Level: Intermediate
Join a long-distance green team birding the length of Stevens Creek from its headwaters at Monte Bello Open Space Preserve to the San Francisco Bay. The first 18 miles are on foot (leisurely jogging involved); the last 18 by bike. Expect 80 to 100 species.
Wandering Warblers with Eve Meier on Wednesday, April 17 from 8:30AM-3:00PM OPEN REGISTER HERE
Birding Level: Intermediate
Join this new team as we give it our all! We'll begin by exploring the variety of habitats around Charleston Slough and then explore other areas in the county as time permits. Plan on about 5-8 miles of easy walking. You do not have to stay for the whole day.
Junco Junkie with Lauren Mitchell on Wednesday, April 17 CLOSED TEAM
Birding Level: Intermediate
This is my first year doing Birdathon. I'll be starting around my house, then spending the morning in Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve. I'll spend a couple hours birding Vasona County Park, and then I'll finish the day at the Baylands Nature Preserve in Palo Alto. My goal is 40 species.
Persistent Picidaes with Lisa Myers on Saturday, April 20 from 8:00AM-1:00PM OPEN REGISTER HERE
Birding Level: Beginner
This team begins at McClellan Ranch Preserve and explores the surrounding area. Led by Lisa Myers of the Los Gatos Birdwatcher.
Varied Twitchers with Mike Rogers on Saturday, April 27 OPEN REGISTER HERE
Birding Level: Advanced
This is a high intensity day with one of the Bay Area's premier birders, Mike Rogers. Start your day early with owling and continue until sunset. This team has a history of seeing a huge number of species (160+) so join this team today and become part of the legend!
Sharpies with Bill Pelletier on Saturday, May 4 OPEN REGISTER HERE
Birding Level: Advanced
This is a full day of intense birding with a fun and gregarious birding team, the Sharpies. We typically start early at Ed Levin and Marsh Road, and work our way across the bay to a west-side hot spot before heading down to Morgan Hill to finish off the day with South County birds, including owls. (Limited to 20 participants)
Rock Wrens with Bob Hirt CLOSED TEAM
Birding Level: Advanced
We start at Page Mill and 1-280 listening for owls, carpool and end up there at day's end after a full SC Valley loop route. We hope for 140 species for the day and to be one of the top fundraising teams again. We are always looking for energetic and generous birding team members.
Almaden Eagles with Ann Verdi CLOSED TEAM
Birding Level: Advanced
This team embarks on a full-day coverage of the southernmost portion of Santa Clara County - Almaden Valley and surrounding areas, and extending to portions South San Jose, Calero & Chesbro Reservoirs, and Coyote Valley, for a close inspection of our backyard birding locales.
24-hour Photography Teams
Plover Exposure with Steven Tracey CLOSED TEAM
Birding Level: Advanced
We are a 24-hour photography team that travels across the county from west to east hills and from bay to Gilroy searching for photogenic birds. We move fast and typically photograph between 110 and 120 birds with our best ever mark set at 126.
4-hour Teams
Sitting Ducks with Chuq von Rospach on Saturday, April 6 from 8:00AM-12:00PM OPEN REGISTER HERE
Birding Level: Beginner
Come join us in a big sit in Shoreline Park for a morning of birds, talk, and teaching as we watch the birds in this beautiful location. Big sits are stationary watches so they are the perfect way to get started. We will have good views of the lake, slough, and salt ponds and so we should have a great variety of birds to discover. Please note that you do not have to attend all 4 hours of the event to take part - stopping by for just an hour or two is fine.
Cupertino Creek Cruisers with Deborah Jamison on Saturday, April 13 from 7:30-11:30AM OPEN REGISTER HERE
Birding Level: Beginner-Advanced
Take a leisurely one-mile stroll along Stevens Creek from McClellan Road to Stevens Creek Blvd. as we conduct the Creek Cruiser's 15th annual spring bird survey. After the first four Birdathon hours, you are encouraged to continue on for about 1 ½ hours more to complete the entire corridor survey. Along the way you’ll learn about the Blackberry Farm and Stocklmeir orchard creek restoration projects and the current projects. By the time we wander around and bird the west side of the creek, we will walk about 4 miles. We will attempt to see or hear 50 species.
Laughing Gulls with Chuq von Rospach on Sunday, April 14 from 9:00AM-1:00PM OPEN REGISTER HERE
Birding Level: Beginner
Join us in a big sit amidst the Palo Alto Baylands as we keep a weather eye out for the waterfowl, shorebirds, and wetland songbirds that call the South Bay home! Big sits are stationary watches, so they're a perfect way to get started birding. Please note that you do not have to attend all 4 hours of the event to take part - stopping by for just an hour or two is fine.
Wandering Kestrels with Barry Langdon-Lassagne on Sunday, April 14 from 8:00AM-12:00PM OPEN REGISTER HERE
Birding Level: Beginner-Advanced
We will start in the forests (most likely Stevens Creek Canyon) and move down to the baylands (Charleston Slough area) in an attempt to get as many species as possible within 4 hours. Expect some hiking in the hills, but nothing strenuous. Our goals are to find birds, enjoy nature, and have fun together. Any level of birder, beginner to expert, is welcome to join!
Wrong Terns with Diane Hart on Wednesday, April 24 OPEN REGISTER HERE
Birding Level: Intermediate
The Wrong Terns welcome SCVAS Education Committee members, Wetlands Discovery Program docents, and anyone interested in SCVAS’s education activities. Please contact Diane Hart if interested at dianehart@mac.com. This year we will be birding Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve from 8 to noon and then enjoy a pot luck picnic lunch at the Preserve’s Sun Station. Our pace will be mellow as we move through several habitats in search of raptors, woodpeckers, waterfowl, and songbirds.
Rock "Sitting" Pigeons with Bob Hirt on Saturday, April 27 from 9:00AM-1:00PM OPEN REGISTER HERE
Birding Level: Beginner
This team will be led by long-time SCVAS Board Member and expert birder, Bob Hirt, around the Mountain View Shoreline Lake and near environs. This is a great opportunity to take a closer look at a habitat that supports a healthy diversity of flighted wildlife despite and occasionally because of the interferences of human development.
Merry Museum Birdspotters with Diane Hart and Sally Fenton on Saturday, April 27 from 1:00-4:00PM OPEN REGISTER HERE
Birding Level: Beginner
Have you ever birdwatched in an art museum? If not, you'd be surprised at how often birds turn up in artworks as pets, food, gods, totems, talismans, and, of course, eye candy. The Merry Museum Birdspotters will bird the Canto Art Center at Stanford University for an hour or two in small teams. Then we'll gather in the museum café to compile our final bird count. No birding experience is needed to join our hunt for avian art and artifacts. Just bring your eagle eye.
Shrikes of Joy with Chuq von Rospach on Sunday, April 28 from 1:00-5:00PM OPEN REGISTER HERE
Birding Level: Beginner
Join us in a big sit in the new Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve for an afternoon of birds, talk, and teaching as we watch the birds in this beautiful location. Big sits are stationary watches so they are perfect for beginners and accessible to everyone. If you are new to birding or group outings, a big sit is the perfect way to get started. Coyote Valley OSP is a new area that is showing great promise for a wide variety of birds, so you have a chance to help us discover the possibilities of this location. Please note that you do not have to attend all 4 hours of the event to take part - stopping by for just an hour or two is fine.
Sharp Pupils with Mary Wisnewski on Sunday, April 28 from 7:00-11:00AM CLOSED TEAM
Birding Level: Intermediate
This team is made up of passionate students of the Biology department at West Valley College, taking part in a 5-mile radius challenge to fill in the gaps between hotspots and reduce their carbon footprint while finding birds. They will be visiting Lexington Reservior, Oka Ponds, Sanborn, as well as birding their own campus in this 4-hour team.