Accessible Birding at Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park (Oakland)

Leaders: Judy Smith judithsmith313@gmail.com, 510.914.0870 and Maureen Lahiff, MLahiff@aol.com, 510.484.6529

Date: Friday, April 10 -- 12:30 to 3:00 pm

Description: This trip is for those who identify as having a temporary or permanent disability and their companions.  Birders of all experience levels are welcome.

To register, please email Judy Smith at judithsmith313@gmail.com  

Our afternoon’s adventure: You are welcome to bring your lunch and join us for a picnic at 12:30 pm. We will start focusing on the birds around 1:15 pm.  We will bird Canyon Meadow, a triangular shaped area with a perimeter of about .25 miles. We will travel on mostly level paths, all at least 5 feet wide, with some gentle (less than 5 percent grade) slopes. The paths are paved or hard-packed. From Canyon Meadow, we’ll head north along the Stream Trail, which is wide and paved and gently graded.

The park, habitat and the birds: This park features a variety of habitats: second and third growth Redwoods, mixed conifer and deciduous woods, a riparian corridor along Redwood Creek, meadows, chaparral and scrub. Canyon Meadow has them all! Many of the resident birds will be actively courting and building nests, and birds coming here for the breeding season will be arriving.  We have a good chance to hear and see resident American Robins, Western Bluebirds and California Quail, and to hear if not see resident Wrentits. Acorn Woodpeckers, corvids (Common Ravens, American Crows, Steller’s and California Scrub Jays), and Spotted Towhees will be noisy and active.  Wilson’s and Orange-crowned warblers will be back. Pacific Wrens should be singing. We’ll talk about distinctive bird sounds as we hear them. 

Please bring sun protection, drinking water and snacks.  There is no cell phone service or internet access in Redwood Canyon, so please contact Judy or Maureen with questions and plan your drive beforehand.

Accessibility: There are 4 van- accessible parking spaces for blue placards and there are 5 spaces at the end of the rows that have an open, diagonal-striped paved area alongside. There are flush toilets near our site, including one stall that has a 40 inch wide doorway with a sliding door, enough space to maneuver a wheelchair, and grab bars.

Like to use GGBA loaner binoculars? Please contact Maureen (email, phone call, or text message) by Tuesday, April 7.

Directions: We’ll meet at the back end of the Canyon Meadow area.  

Google map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/1KvGFtKCuY1aQcba7

Registration opens on Tuesday, March 17, at 1 pm and closes on Thursday, April 9, at 11 pm.