Birding At Monterey Bay

Program Registration. When you arrive at Hidden Valley’s campus, come over to the main office next to the parking lot to register with the program staff, get any up-updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived. 5:00 p.m. Reception. We’ll meet our fellow participants for a wine and cheese reception in the Fireside Room and Dining Room. We’ll enjoy some California wines and/or juices and savor cheese and crackers before dinner.

In the Dining Room.

Orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. This is a Road Scholar Retreats program. Our programming at Retreat locations includes opportunities for interaction with members of the local community, locally sourced meals, and evening entertainment. Each day the program will begin with breakfast at 7:00 a.m. While we will endeavor to look for all birds mentioned in the program description and more, our instructor will make field trip decisions depending on seasonality, bird behavior, group interest, and weather, so we may visit field trips sites other than those named. We will return to campus after our field trips end for the day. Food selections will be healthily prepared with local ingredients. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Public bus service will be available across from the campus driveway. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local conditions/circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

In the Dining Room.

We will board a motor coach and ride to Point Lobos State Natural Reserve where the birding expert will lead our field trip. A walk through the Reserve at various times of the year might yield Pygmy Nuthatches, Band-tailed Pigeons and Pine Siskins, Chestnut-backed Chickadees and Brown Creepers checking for insects at mid-level, and California Quail and sparrows working the forest floor. A check of the coastal scrub could offer a chance to see its resident denizens Anna’s Hummingbird, Wrentit or White-crowned Sparrow. Along the shoreline, a glance at the rocks or just offshore may offer an opportunity to observe the resident Pelagic Cormorants, Black-Crowned Night Heron, Black Oystercatcher, and — during spring and summer migration — perhaps seabird species of alcids and shearwaters.

In the Dining Room.

A coastal biologist will join us in our theatre to introduce and explain some of the fascinating natural history of this extraordinary area. The presentation will be accompanied by a wealth of gorgeous slides. Time before dinner is free to relax and enjoy the atmosphere at Hidden Valley’s campus. You might like to take a walk in the valley to the local park and village, with its historical center, local art galleries, and wine tasting rooms.

In the Dining Room.

A talented pianist, teaching from the keyboard, will perform music of Scott Joplin and others. You may recognize some of the hit tunes from the turn into the 20th century that are still ingrained in the music world.

In the Dining Room.

We’ll begin our full-day field trip with a ride up Carmel Valley seeking resident species such as the Yellow-billed Magpie and California Thrasher, along with seasonal breeding neo-tropical migrants, perhaps Orioles, Flycatchers, Buntings, or Lazuli Buntings. Mid-morning will find us at the mouth of the Carmel River on the Pacific Ocean; the 17 mile drive in Pebble Beach; and North America’s hometown, Pacific Grove, looking for rocky shorebirds and near shore seabird species. Sighting possibilities may include sandpipers, Sanderlings, Willets, Black-Bellied Plovers, Sooty Shearwaters, Western Grebes, Pacific Loons, Brandts and Pelagic Cormorants, Western Gulls, Common Murres, Surf and White-Winged Scoters and Marbled Murrelets.

In the field, we’ll have sack lunches.

Our full-day birding field trip will continue. We’ll then return to campus with some time to freshen up and relax before dinner.

In the Dining Room.

A local winemaker or vineyardist will join us in the Dining Room for an introductory class to learn about new wines, the process that goes into producing them, and ultimately experience them through a tasting. Carmel Valley is perhaps the most distinct of the seven appellations comprising Monterey County’s diverse wineries; of these, Carmel Valley is perhaps the most distinct. Nestled in the Santa Lucia foothills, our summers yield exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and other red varietals.

In the Dining Room.

We will ride to a prime Carmel Valley birding site, Palo Corona Regional Park, where birding will continue with our expert. These parks are home to a variety of California landscapes, from the willow-covered banks of the Carmel River through the cottonwood-sycamore stand of the old flood plain, dense oak woodlands, and chaparral, where we will look for endemic species. Birding here reveals a wide diversity of in-land California endemic and native bird species. Sighting possibilities may include White-tailed Kite, Oak Titmouse, Bushtit, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Say’s Phoebe, Golden-crowned Sparrow, and Nuttall’s and Acorn Woodpeckers —to name just a few. Depending on seasonality, bird behavior, and interest of the group, we may visit alternative field trips sites in search of these and other bird species.

In the Dining Room, we’ll have sack lunches you are welcome to eat on campus or take with you if you go out.

Free Time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to your booklet or the office for Free Time opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Public bus service is available across from the campus driveway.

In the Dining Room.

At leisure. Spend more time in the company of new Road Scholar friends with informal activities such as board games, cards, or puzzles over coffee or tea in the Fireside Room.

In the Dining Room.

We will ride to Moss Landing for a nature excursion by boat (weather permitting). Playful Sea otters, Harbor seals, Sea lions, and hundreds of bird species abound as we explore one of California’s most spectacular wetlands, the Elkhorn Slough, aboard a 37' fully electric catamaran. The Elkhorn Slough is one of the premier bird watching sites in the western United States. More than 340 species visit or find permanent refuge here, including several rare and endangered species such as the Brown Pelican, Snowy Plover, and Peregrine Falcon. We will learn about this diverse ecosystem and birds with commentary by both the boat captain and our expert.

In the field, we’ll have sack lunches.

During the second half of the day, we will be birding other microhabitats around Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing, and Moonglow Dairy, one of the premier vagrant traps in Monterey County (depending on availability). We will visit a variety of habitats including oak-eucalyptus groves, Great Egret-Great Blue Heron-and-Double-crested Cormorant rookeries, mud flats, salt marshes, and freshwater ponds for ducks and shorebirds. A number of raptors frequent the Slough, including the White-tailed Kite, Red-shouldered Hawk, Merlin, Golden Eagle, Elegant Tern and a target bird for many, Tricolored Blackbird — to name a few.

In the Dining Room.

At Hidden Valley, we’ll enjoy a film highlighting Monterey's region and culture. Prepare for check-out and departure after brunch in the morning.

In the Dining Room, a light snack will be available. We will have brunch after our wrap-up session.

For our final morning of birding on the Hidden Valley campus, we’ll be on the lookout for local residents or perhaps species not seen previously. We will then have a wrap-up session with our expert as we re-cap the birds we saw, skills we learned, and answer questions.

In the Dining Room. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell meal. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!