GOOD PUBLIC BIRDING AREAS

WITHIN 30 MINUTES OF THE SONOMA PLAZA

The Sonoma Valley and surrounds offers a great variety of safe and easily accessed...unique birding habitats year round. There is something here for all levels of birders. Enjoy the spring and fall migration on the Western Flyway in Wine Country. Come Celebrate Sonoma's Good Nature!

  Here is a helpful bird check list with info on 195 species.

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• Sonoma Baylands & Port Sonoma - 5 mile trail, 475 acres ( 270 Sears Point Rd, Rt. 37 at Petaluma River Bridge).  Great birding area with SF Bay tidal influence. Check out the Petaluma River under the bridge. Parking. Kiosks on Baylands trail. Tide Chart

•Rush Creek Marsh & Preserve - 500-plus-acre preserve with 3.8 miles of trails on the Sonoma-Marin County line. The Petaluma River Marsh. This preserve has hundreds of shorebirds and waterfowl congregate each fall and winter. Exit off Hwy 101 at Atherton Ave exit. Easy access to Pinheiro Fire Road & Bihia Trail from off road parking. Tide Chart   Species List.

• Tolay Lake Regional Park - .5 mile gravel - clay road loop that goes to the east ridge up into the wooded hills. 1,737-acre grasslands, ridges, a freshwater wetlands. Check out Tolay Lake, look for nesting birds and migrant fallout. Lakeville Hwy 116 @ Cannon Lane. Access Info, call: (707-565-2041)

• Ellis Creek Water Recycle Facility -3 miles of trails with connector to Shollenberger Park.  100 acres of brackish tidal wetlands connected to petaluma River at high tide. Newly opened. Tide Chart.

• Shollenberger Park - Alman Marsh - 2 mile circle trail. 1 mile trail into Alman Marsh. 165 acres. Parking.Tital influence from Petaluma River. Good year-round birding. Helpful kiosks with bird list.Tide Chart

• San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge - 8.15 mile trail, 240 acres. Parking. (Tolay Creek- Lower Tubbs Island Trail) Large numbers of shorebird and waterfowl wintering and during migrations beginning in late July/August. Tide Chart   Bird check list.

• Vista Point Overlook (SPNWR -no link) 1500 acres, (Rt. 37 East, 2.2 miles from 37/121 Intersection @ Sears Point) Large numbers of shorebird and waterfowl wintering and during migrations. Tide Chart

• Viansa Wetlands Overlook - 90 acre seasonal wetlands overlook. ( 25200 Arnold Drive, daily 10 a.m. - 5 PM). Hawks, shorebirds, american white pelican variety of ducks. Scope is most helpful.

• Napa-Sonoma Marsh 396 acres - 2.5 mile trail at Hudeman Slough Wetlands Walk (From State Hwy. 12/121 take Ramal Road south, 5.0 miles, large hay barn & parking). Kiosk. Tide Chart . Also managed hunting area. Bird List.

• Sonoma Historic Plaza - 8 acre arboretum with approx. 60 species of mature trees with lots of urban birds. Request a Tree & Bird Self Guide Tour Map at Sonoma Visitor's Bureau on the Plaza. (707-996-1090) Surprising mix of birds from the green heron to the nesting western bluebirds and black phoebe. Sorry about the farm ducks.

• Bartholomew Memorial Park - 30 acres. 5 miles of trails. Kiosk. Diverse habitats in this hiden gem including, streams, pond, oak covered mountain slopes, redwood groves. Year round birding.

• Sonoma State Historic Park (General Vallejo's home) -50 acres, grasslands,  mixed woodlands, ridges, parking. Hawks, woodpeckers, songbirds. (Spain & 3rd St. West)

Up Valley Areas

• Sonoma Valley Regional Park - (Suttonfield Reservoir) 3 mile loop hike, 162 acre preserve w/oak woodlands. Variety of hawks, waterfowl, woodpeckers. Parking (13630 Sonoma Highway)

• Jack London State Park - Glen Ellen- Eldridge -2 mile Lake Trail Loop. Sonoma Mountain trail-8.25 mile round trip. Fern Lake is a hidden jewel for wood ducks, grebes, double-crested cormorants...owls and lots more. Asbury Creek Trail is also above Sonoma Development Center. Old-growth redwood, Mays Clearing, the old orchard.  (2400 London Ranch Road, Glen Ellen)

Sugarloaf Ridge State Park - Kenwood -21 miles of trails. 2,700 acre park range from 600 feet at the entrance to 2,729 feet. Meadow Trail is a favorite of birders. Chaparral-covered ridges, oak/fir forest land along the open meadows, and redwood forest in the canyon of Sonoma Creek. Several owl species.

Hood Mountain Regional Park  - Kenwood - 1750 acre wilderness.  Mixed oak woodlands, chaparral, riparian zones. (Hwy 12, 1.3 miles up Pythian Creek Road.)

Ledson Marsh-Lawndale Trail - Approx 5 mile trail.Take Lawndale Trail through many unique forest and meadow habitats up to the marsh loop. Seasonal wetlands. Hwy 12N, left on Lawndale Rd.

Spring Lake - 2.5 mile trail. 5585 Newanga Ave, 95409. Off Hwy. 12. Wonderful place to bird year round. Environmental Discover Center.

Birding is the fastest growing wildlife-related activity in the U.S.

Even conservative estimates put the current number of U.S. birders at 50 million according to National Geographic.

 Organized bird hikes offered to the public by local birding organizations -

Madrone Audubon Chapter

Petaluma Wetlands Alliance