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California

Birding At Monterey Bay

Program No. 11812RJ

Discover birding at its best in the Monterey Bay region. Learn about local ecology and habitats from experts while seeking waterfowl, waders, shorebirds, songbirds, seabirds and more.

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Enroll with Confidence

We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. Learn more

Protecting the Environment

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more

6 days

5 nights

15 meals

5B 1BR 4L 5D

Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner

Carmel Valley, CA

Point Lobos Birding, Natural History of Monterey

Carmel Valley, CA

Full-Day Monterey Bay Birding Field Trip

Carmel Valley, CA

Endemic Birding at Regional Parks, Free Time

Carmel Valley, CA

Elkhorn Slough Birding, Boat Ride

Carmel Valley, CA

Campus Birding, Wrap-up Session, Program Concludes

Carmel Valley, CA

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At a Glance

Spend your days birding the famous Monterey Bay, one of the world’s top birding spots, and your evenings with special guests from Hidden Valley's talented faculty. This field-based program is designed for seasoned and beginning birders alike, targeting overall avian diversity and abundance throughout this world class birding destination. See local habitats and endemic species, add to or begin your “life list,” learn to recognize birds by their calls and songs and gain valuable skills for an enjoyable lifetime activity. Regional specialties may include the Yellow-billed Magpie, California Thrasher, White-tailed Kite, California Quail, Wrentit, Gold-crowned Sparrow, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Hummingbirds, Pacific Wren, Western Flycatcher, Hutton’s Vireo, Cormorants, Black Oystercatcher and Tricolored Blackbird.

Activity Level

Outdoor: No Sweat

Walking up to 3 miles each day with stops (sometimes a little more); some uneven terrain like beach sand, dirt trails, inclines, and steps. Participants should be able to embark on a boat for a 1.5 hour cruise.

Small Group

Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

Embark on a boat excursion along the Elkhorn Slough estuary, a protected habitat home to over 340 species of birds.
Spot egrets, rocky shorebirds, cormorants, passerine and seabirds at Point Lobos Nature Reserve.
Enjoy time in Carmel Valley looking for White-tailed Kites and a variety of oak woodland species.

General Notes

All Road Scholar birding programs have a maximum participant-to-instructor ratio of 14:1 in the field. We adhere to the American Birding Association’s Code of Ethics. Learn more at http://www.aba.org/about/ethics.html. Please note, while we will endeavor to look for all birds described in the program and more, seasonality, weather and birding behavior makes finding birds not guaranteed. The Retreat Difference: This unique, often basic and no-frills experience at a Road Scholar Retreat includes opportunities for early morning exercise, interaction with the local community for insight into local life, locally sourced meals, a live performance or event.

Featured Expert

All trip experts

Steve Rovell

Steve Rovell is a long-time Monterey County birder with over 30 years of experience. A member of Monterey County's 400 club, Steve has led field trips for several organizations, including Monterey Audubon, Wild Bird Haven, Santa Cruz Bird Club, and the Monterey Bay Birding Festival. Steve's other hobbies include, but are not limited to, native plant gardening, photography, and soccer. Steve is a recently retired teacher of biology and earth science at Alisal High School in Salinas.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Rick Yramategui View biography

Rick Yramategui first performed a Joplin rag at Shakey's Pizza Parlor in Los Alamitos, California while in high school in the 70s. He received a bachelor’s degree in music education from Whitworth College. He serves as pastor of Carmel Valley Community Chapel, performs with the Carmel Piano Trio, and was the pianist for a revival of George Gershwin's musical, “Oh, Kay!” He is passionate about the connection between music and spirituality.

Melinda Coffey View biography

Melinda is a professional pianist who has performed as recitalist and chamber musician in the United States, Canada, England, France and Israel. The Monterey County Herald has called Melinda “one of our region's musical blessings." She has recorded over sixty recitals for the CBC and CDs for Waterlily Records and Meridian Records as well as three solo piano CDs. Well-known to audiences on the central coast and northern California, she lives in Carmel and is Music Director of Church in the Forest, Pebble Beach.

Matthew Shea View biography

Matthew Shea’s roots in the Carmel Valley go back two generations. The son of a master gardener, Matthew grew up with an inherent understanding of the valley, its horticulture, and ecology. After graduating from Oregon State University and successfully managing 1000’s of acres of vineyards in Oregon, he returned to focus on the Estate Vineyards of Bernardus Winery in Carmel Valley. Using his background in organic, sustainable agriculture, Matt has brought a balance to the vineyard through increasing diversity, composting, and water and soil management.

Peter Meckel View biography

Peter Meckel is the founder and General Director of Hidden Valley Music Seminars. Born and raised in the Midwest, he attended university at Rockford University in Illinois, and Occidental College in California. His leadership of Hidden Valley has resulted in one of the most respected opera training centers in America and a major contributor of arts education programs for vocalists, instrumentalists, and dancers. Students from throughout the world come to study with master teachers from many of America’s most prestigious orchestras and opera companies.

Jim Covel View biography

Jim Covel recently retired as Director of Training & Interpretation for the Monterey Bay Aquarium where he trained and managed hundreds of volunteers. He has worked as a park ranger and interpreter, leading environmental education programs for the Southgate Recreation and Park District in Sacramento and the East Bay Regional Park District in the SF Bay Area. Jim has also served as a visiting lecturer at UC Davis, CSU Sacramento and CSU Monterey Bay, teaching courses from resource management to outdoor recreation and ecotourism.

Jenny Peterson View biography

Jenny Peterson is a life-long Minnesotan, with a long career in local government first in health care, then in labor relations. Jenny has graduate degrees in Public Health and Law. She has been married to her husband for over 30 years. Their greatest joy and challenge was adopting and raising their four children, all from the Philippines. Jenny has led Road Scholar programs for more than 10 years in Minnesota, California, Switzerland, and the Great Lakes. Her hobbies include bridge, walking, biking, and travel.

Steve Rovell View biography

Maxine Topper View biography

Maxine Topper grew up in a Michigan beach town, then lived in Chicago where she raised her family. Her career spans from conference planning to mental health counseling and management. She completed her master's thesis and presents on the power of humor to increase life satisfaction and manage transitions. She and her husband now live in the San Francisco area. She enjoys sharing the wonders of Northern California, and loves reading, pickleball, and bridge.

Birding At Monterey Bay

Enroll with Confidence

Protecting the Environment

At a Glance

Best of all, you’ll…

General Notes

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