Mount Sutro Bird Walk (San Francisco)

Trip Leader: Pat Greene, cell (415) 481-5469, pjgreene@sonic.net. and Chris Tarr, ctarr@goldengatebirds.org
Date: Saturday, May 18
Description: Meet at the Aldea Community Center, 155 Johnstone Dr at 8:30 AM. The UCSF Mount Sutro Open Space Preserve is a 61-acre remnant of more than 2000 acres of eucalyptus trees planted by Adolf Sutro in the late 1800s. UCSF has instituted a long term management plan for the OSP with the initial phase focused on removing dead and dying trees to improve fire safety. Some tree replacement planting is evident, and the Sutro Stewards (https://www.sutrostewards.org/) are maintaining the native plantings at the summit meadow and utilizing openings along trails for further conservation planting. The Stewards have initiated an ambitious native plant conversion project in the Woodland Creek watershed in collaboration with the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department.

We’ll walk about two miles on hilly trails that are mostly well graded but have some rocky spots and exposed roots (sutrostewards.org/trail-map). We’ll listen and look for birds. By mid May, migration is winding down, and bird activity is mainly year round and summer residents. Song Sparrows, Wilson's Warblers and, hopefully, Pacific Wrens will be vocally defending territories, along with a few other breeding birds. 

Rain, heavy fog, or strong wind cancels. Pat Greene, pjgreene@sonic.net will send updates.
Trip Size: 8 participants max
Directions: Park on Clarendon or Delbrook as close to the Johnstone intersection as possible, then hike a short, steep uphill distance on Johnstone Dr. to the UCSF Aldea Center on your left (across from the intersection of Medical Center Way on the right). Allow ~10 min to park and walk (listening for the birds as you walk) to the meeting place. UCSF can be reached by public transit: N Judah light rail, and 43, 6 and 66 buses. The Aldea Center is a significant uphill climb from the transit stops. There is a restroom at Aldea, but it may not be open at the start of the walk.
Google Map
Registration will open at 1 pm on Tuesday, April 16 and it will close at 11pm on Thursday, May 16.