Marin County Visitors Bureau

Marin County Visitors Bureau

Photo by Barbara Stenson

Bird Watching
in Marin County

Marin County offers some of the best bird watching on the Pacific Coast. The Point Reyes National Seashore offers some of the finest bird watching in the United States. The Park’s 70,000 acres of habitat are host to almost 490 avian species, both in the park and on adjacent waters. The park’s coastal location and unspoiled habitats attract many migrating and wintering birds. The Point Reyes area consistently reports one of the highest tallies in the county every year during the Christmas bird count.

Some of the best places to view birds in the park are: Five Brooks Pond, Estero Trail, Muddy Hollow Trail, Abbotts Lagoon, the Lighthouse rocks and cliff areas and Bear Valley. Information: www.nps.gov./pore.

Researchers at the Pt. Reyes Bird Observatory (PRBO) catch and band birds daily from April 1 to November 30. The most likely times to find birds are during the breeding season in June and July. Visitors are welcome to visit all four of PRBO’s centers in Marin. For directions visit www.prbo.org.

Key bird watching areas include:
Audubon Canyon Ranch near Stinson Beach
Visitors are able to view the Great Blue Herons and Great and Snowy egrets’ nesting colonies at the top of tall redwood trees. The Ranch is open from the third week-end in March through the second week-end in July on week-ends and holidays.
Information: 415-868-9244 or visit www.egret.org.

Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands
Just beyond the Golden Gate Bridge lies the Marin Headlands, location of one of the best places to view hawks. During the fall migration, September and October, 2,000 hawks a day pass over this area. They gather here to catch the thermal wind currents necessary to cross the waters of the Golden Gate. To reach the Headlands take Highway 101 to the end of the Golden Gate Bridge, then take the Alexander Avenue exit and follow signs for the Marin Headlands and Conzelman Rd. Continue on the road up to its high point, Battery 129. From there walk up to the hilltop for the best viewing.

Las Gallinas Ponds in San Rafael
The Las Gallinas Sanitary district has created freshwater and saltwater ponds that, along with the nearby tidal marshes, have produced an exception bird habitat. Observers have sited more than 180 species of birds, including the endangered clapper rail. From Highway 101 in San Rafael take Smith Ranch Road east to McInnis Park. Turn left on Smith Ranch Road and travel to the end.

Richardson Bay Audubon Center in Tiburon
The Audubon Center is a local environmental education facility and a habitat preserve for migratory waterfowl and other wildlife. It is a prime area bird watching area. For information call 415-388-2524 or visit www.tiburonaudubon.org.

Other areas for bird viewing include:

Angel Island State Park
Bolinas Lagoon Preserve
China Camp State Park
Corte Madera Ecological Reserve
Mt. Tamalpais State Park and Watershed
Muir Woods National Monument
Olompali State Historic Park
Samuel P. Taylor State Park
Tomales Bay State Park

Butterflies
Marin County observers have identified 76 species of butterflies in various areas throughout the county. The Pipevine Swallowtail inhabits Cascade Canyon, the Acmon Blue is found on Mt. Burdell and at Old St. Hilary’s, and the Western Pygmy-Blue can be seen at Bolinas Lagoon. Spotters have found the Anise Swallowtail and Western Tiger Swallowtail on San Pedro Ridge, and Red Admirals have been found on French Ranch.

The Marin County Open Space District’s Website identifies all 76 species. It also lists the county’s 33 open space preserves and the species of birds, butterflies, mammals and reptiles found in each preserve.

Go to: www.marinopenspace.org/os_nature.asp. Click on on Butterflies.

Every fall Monarch Butterflies west of the Rocky Mountains move to coastal California. Marin County has its share of Monarch Butterfly overwintering sites. To reach the Muir Beach site take Highway 101 to Highway 1. From Highway 1 turn at the Muir Beach Road (at the Pelican Inn). Continue past the Inn and look for steps leading up into the pine grove on the hill. It is safest to park at Muir Beach and walk to the site. Butterflies are best seen near the top of the stairs. This spot is known as Terwilliger Grove.

At Stinson Beach the Monarchs can be seen in the eucalyptus trees around the bank of Highway 1 at the north end of town. In Bolinas they can be found in trees at Park Drive and Terrace Avenue.

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