Introduction to South County Raptor Watching – MAS Members Only

Description: Take a Saturday drive amid the grasslands and raptors east of King City with three veteran hawk watchers from the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory. Be introduced to some of the most special of our south county birds including eagles, hawks and falcons, and maybe even an owl. Non-raptor specialties include Mountain Bluebird, Yellow-billed Magpie and Loggerhead Shrike. Sparsely traveled roads and open country make this a great way to spend a Saturday. This relaxed-paced trip is intended for those curious about the birds of this special area, some of which visit only during the winter months. See this eBird trip report from December 2021, which reflects the pace, timing and duration of this trip: https://ebird.org/tripreport/23685 

Meet for carpools: 10:00 am at the King City Starbucks parking lot, here: https://goo.gl/maps/4MzTqeiZhaZatBBE8 . From there we’ll organize into carpools and drive east towards Highway 25 and the Peach Tree Valley.  Carpooling is critical because some pull outs are small, and it may be necessary to pull over quickly as exciting birds are seen from the cars. Because of this, the trip will be limited to 12 participants.

Trip Logistics: This is a car-birding trip. We’ll stop at several pull outs and bird from the pullouts. The exact route for the trip may depend on recently seen birds, but will generally include Peach Tree Valley. We’ll return to King City by mid-afternoon. Hard rain will cancel the trip, at the discretion of the trip leaders. 

Rain Date: If hard rain cancels the trip we’ll try again a week later on January 18.

Special Considerations: 

Participants must be comfortable carpooling in groups of four. 

There are no gas stations, restaurants or stores after leaving King City. Please plan accordingly by bringing everything you’ll need during the trip including water, food, and sunscreen. January can be chilly. Dress in layers to be ready for a large range of temperatures. 

There are no restrooms anywhere along the route. If Nature calls before returning to King City, be ready to answer the call in the wild.

Facilities: None whatsoever. Bring what you need to ensure your own health, safety and comfort throughout the trip.

Trip Leaders: Jane Rudebusch, Mary Kenney, and Andy Bradshaw, all veteran hawk-watchers with the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory. 

Questions: For specific questions or to cancel your reservation, please contact the trip leader at mary.kenney@me.com.