Beginners Birding Walk at the Laguna de Santa Rosa – Guided Walk with Teresa & Miles Tuffli Calling all new birders and bird-curious folks! Are you new to birdwatching or just curious to try it out? Then join us for a beginner’s birding walk exploring the Laguna de Santa Rosa trail. We’ll slowly meander along the mostly flat trail as it winds through open oak savannah, grasslands, riparian woodlands, marshes, and a pond. We want to help and inspire bird-curious beginners to get out and appreciate the bird world. Don’t be shy if you’ve never birded before – that’s what we’re here for! We’ll start with a tutorial on using binoculars and an introductory discussion about birding. As we explore the area, stopping frequently to study the birds we encounter, we’ll discuss a variety of topics, such as: techniques for locating birds, what sorts of details to notice when observing a bird, species identification, bird vocalizations, and bird behavior and habitats. We’ll have the opportunity to observe a variety of birds, including raptors, egrets and herons, any potential waterbirds in the pond, woodpeckers, sparrows, and other songbirds. Note: Though we’ll be walking slowly, for those with mobility issues, please be aware that we will be on unpaved trails and some slight inclines. Depending on recent rainfall, the trail may be muddy. We’ll meet at the Laguna de Santa Rosa Trailhead parking lot on the Highway 12 side (NOT the Occidental Road side), located at 6303 CA-12, Santa Rosa, CA 95409. If you’re interested in learning about the ins-and-outs of birdwatching in a classroom environment before venturing into the field, please also register to join us for our corresponding “Breaking Into Birdwatching” presentation at Heron Hall scheduled for March 12, 2020. Instructor Bio: Miles and Teresa Tuffli are avid birders from Sonoma County. They especially love helping fellow nature-lovers and “bird-curious” folks take the next step of getting into the field to enjoy the bird world! They’ve led guided bird walks for the Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival, LandPaths, Marin Audubon Society, and Point Reyes National Seashore Association’s Field Institute. Miles and Teresa also enjoy volunteering their time with many local nature-based organizations. Learn more about them at their website and blog: I’m Birding Right Now. CANCELLATION POLICY: If you need to cancel, please notify us as soon as possible so that someone on the waitlist may attend. Due to administrative costs, events that cost $20 and less are non-refundable (except in case of our cancelling for heavy rain or other extenuating circumstances, in which case we will issue full refunds). Thank you for your understanding and for your interest and support of our programs!