Field Trip: Skaggs Island

Date: Friday February 08, 2013

Time: 9:00 AM

Come see the raptors of Skaggs Island. This is one of the NSAS-sponsored events for the 2013 San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival. Click here for our full schedule of NSAS Flyway Festival Activities. (NSAS Event)

Details:

Leader: Murray Berner
Trip to end at approximately 12:30 pm.

Description: The Skaggs Island field trips are offered multiple times throughout the 3 day Festival (Feb. 8, 9 & 10) The trips will concentrate on diurnal raptors. The former naval station, now part of the San Pablo Bay NWR, is entirely grassland and low brush. It is winter home to Ferruginous Hawk, Prairie Falcon, and Short-eared Owl. The most common birds of prey are White-tailed Kite, Red-tailed Hawk and Northern Harrier. Rough-legged Hawk is around this year, and we should see a couple. Merlin and Peregrine Falcon are seen on every trip. Golden Eagle is regular. We take a couple of short walks on levees and around the former base housing site (now cleared of structures) for songbirds. Burrowing Owl is possible but is more difficult these days. A roosting Barn Owl will be seen. The start of the tour is atop the bridge at the south island gate. If it is overcast at the start of the morning trip, or the end of the afternoon trip, chances for a daylight Short-eared Owl increase. The late Saturday trip is designed in part specifically to see this owl. This is mostly an auto tour. The fewer vehicles in the auto caravan, the better. Everyone must either carpool from the Flyway Festival grounds at Mare Island, or, once inside the Skaggs Island gate, further carpooling will be required.

Directions: Meet us at 9:00 AM at the Field Trip departure area outside the main Flyway Festival Expo building 223, 500 Connolly Street on Mare Island.

A reminder from the Field Trip Coordinator: Car-poolers will share driving expenses (recommended $.30/mi to be split by the number of riders).

submitted on February 01, 2013, at 08:23 PM PST

Dialing in © 2009 Frank Toller NSAS Viewing Station at SF Bay Flyway Festival © 2008 Dave McMullen Lunch break on Friday Bird Walk © 2010 Dave McMullen * Murray at Coast.jpg Δ

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