This past weekend I co-led a bird walk for the Ohlone Audubon Society. We visited my favorite park: Redwood Regional Park, now named Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park.

Over 30 birders attended, which made me nervous about making sure we used the full three hours and keeping participants engaged. My fears were calmed after we spent a full 30 minutes just birding in the parking lot.

I saw more Varied Thrushes on this trip alone than I probably have in my entire birding experience! It helps to have several dozen extra sets of eyes. The top moment of the trip was when a Pacific Wren sang its little heart out for at five minutes or more while we all watched. I rarely see these mouse-like creatures, so it was a joy to sit and watch one for such an extended period of time. It was also a “lifer” for many participants, which made it all the more special.

Joining a bird walk with locals is a great way to learn more about birds, get to know an area, and meet people with a similar interest. You can look for local Audubon groups that sponsor trips or do a search on Facebook for other birding groups. If there is none, start your own! I’ve joined several Facebook birding groups that are out of state so that I can study the pictures and learn their local birds. If I’m planning to travel to that location, reviewing the discussions can yield insider tips on hot spots.

This weekend marked the one-year anniversary of my participation in Ohlone Audubon Society trips (I wrote about my first trip here). I’ve also been participating in the Fremont Birding Circle field trips for several years. I’ve met some wonderful people, and despite being an introvert, I always look forward to these bird group gatherings.