Credit: North Dakota Game and Fish Department

As the largest estuary along the Pacific Flyway, the San Francisco Bay offers an abundance of habitats for migrating birds as they make their springtime journey north. On this month’s birding hike, we will be on the lookout for the first spring migrants, such as the Caspian tern. This impressive tern, the world’s largest, typically shows up at China Camp around mid-March. The San Francisco Bay Area serves as an important stopover as the birds make their migration from wintering grounds in Mexico to breeding locations in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska.

Naturalist Jerry Coe will show us how to identify birds by shape, flight patterns, calls, and habitat. In addition, he’ll offer tips on how to effectively use binoculars and bird guides. Jerry has over eight years of intensive training in ornithological field identification. He spent 15 years as a volunteer in Nevada’s Great Basin National Park, using bird activities to assess the health of habitats. Jerry has also guided outdoor expeditions all over the world.