Class: Getting Started Birding in Santa Clara County

ATTENTION: The in-class portion of this class has been cancelled due to concerns over COVID-19. The field trip portion will continue as scheduled.

Note: This is a 2-part class. The first class will take place at McClellan Ranch Preserve in Cupertino on Thursday, March 12 from 7:00-9:00PM, and the second will take place at a local birding hotspot to be determined by season and the latest sighting reports on Saturday, March 14 from 8:00-11:00AM.

If you are curious about identifying and observing birds around your neighborhood, join us for a classroom session and nature walk to get started with birdwatching. We’ll cover birding basics - families of common birds, their habitats, how to tell them apart, and how to use binoculars. You’ll learn where to find birds in different seasons and tides. Dig into your local environment with this introductory class and get ready to fall in love. 

Instructor Mary Wisnewski started birding just over twenty years ago after taking a class just like this one. She has long been a fan of SCVAS field trips, which introduced her to many of her favorite birding destinations in California. Mary is a longtime participant in local Christmas Bird Counts, Jack Laws’ Nature Journal Club, and the SCVAS Spring Birdathon. She has completed a course in Ecology of the Sierra Nevada at West Valley College. 

This class is FREE!