Discover the Birds of Blue Heron Lake

Join us for a nice early morning walk around Blue Heron Lake in Golden Gate Park, where we will have a chance to learn how to identify some amazing birds. This walk is for experienced and beginning birders alike.

Walk Leader: Clayton Anderson

Clayton has worked with Golden Gate Bird Alliance since 2015. He is an environmental educator and professional artist who became a naturalist and birder as a child. He has worked with a number of environmental education organizations, including California State Parks and Recreation, East Bay Regional Park District and The Oakland Museum. Currently he is the Youth Program Manager for GGBA, and teaching Ornithology at Merritt College.

Details: Clayton will lead a lively early morning walk around Blue Heron Lake, where we will have a chance to learn how to identify birds such as: American Widgeon, Mallard and Pied-billed grebe. This is also the home of a colony of breeding Great Blue Herons!

We may also be able to identify some birds like Western gull, California gull, Great Egret, Double-crested Cormorant, Ring-neck duck, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Townsend's warbler, Fox sparrow, Stellar Jay, Oak Titmouse and Hooded Merganser. And that's just to name a few!

This walk is for experienced and beginning birders alike. We'll be moving at a leisurely pace, so no one will be left behind. And the walk is mostly paved and level, with minimal and gentle elevation gain. Much of the walk will be accessible for wheelchairs or strollers.

Preparation: If you have them please bring your binoculars. Clayton will have a few extra pairs. Other things include: Good walking shoes, Sun hat, a 2nd layer, daypack, water.

Meeting Location: Meet at the eastern tip of Blue Heron Lake where this map pin indicates: https://maps.app.goo.gl/YLpZHxtNZXGLTKFD7

Transportation and Parking: The Muni 44 and 28, among other routes, drop off within a 20 minute walk of the meeting location.

Ample parking is generally available along Blue Heron Lake Drive. We suggest you leave extra time to park and walk - Blue Heron Lake Drive is one-way so you might need to do the loop twice!

Weather:

Heavy rain will cancel. We will send out an announcement the morning of the walk if we decide to cancel.

Cost:

This walk is FREE to attend (with RSVPs kindly requested).

Donations (in cash) can be made to Nature in the City on the day of the event. Special bonus! Everyone who donates $10 and above will receive a copy of the Nature in the City Map.

Or donate to Nature in the City using our secure online form, and we’ll send you monthly emails with a full events listing, local nature information, and access to more fun perks.

Meeting location shown above with the red map pin

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