Birding at Monterey Bay

California

Birding At Monterey Bay

Birding

Natural History

Small Group

Best Value

Wishlist Start

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.

Rating (5)

Outdoor: No Sweat

Program No. 11812RJ

Length

6 days

Starts at

895

6 days

5 nights

15 meals

5B 1BR 4L 5D

Carmel Valley, CA

Getting There

See travel details and required documents

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, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Hutton’s Vireo, Cormorants, Black Oystercatcher and Tricolored Blackbird.

Activity Level

Outdoor: No Sweat

Walking up to 1.5 miles with stops and at Garland Park up to 3 miles with stops. Participants should be able to embark on a boat for a 2 hour cruise.

Small Group

Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 10 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 at Garland Park 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.

Featured Expert

All Experts

Rick Fournier

Rick Fournier is an avid birder who has lived in Monterey for the past 20 years. He operates a birding-adventure company in central California, leads groups for regional Audubon Societies, at the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, and conducts avian wetland monitoring for the Moss Landing Marine Labs. He spent 4½ years in the Big Sur Ornithology Lab’s mist net program.

David Shonman

Rick Fournier

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6 days

5 nights

15 meals

5 B 1BR 4 L 5 D

Getting There

See travel details and required documents

DAY

Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner

Carmel Valley, CA

Hidden Valley Inn

Afternoon: 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. Check-in at Hidden Valley office. 5:00 p.m. Wine & Cheese Reception. Meet your fellow participants in a wine and cheese reception in the Fireside Room. Drink California wines or juices and savor brie and crackers.

Dinner: 6:00 p.m. Welcome Dinner & Orientation. Like all meals at Hidden Valley, dinner is served buffet-style and presents selections from the "salad bowl of the universe" as well as tastefully prepared entrees made in our own kitchen. All baked goods are also prepared here on campus.

DAY

Birding at Point Lobos, Monterey Peninsula Natural History

Carmel Valley, CA

B,L,D

Hidden Valley Inn

Breakfast: 7:00 a.m. Breakfast is prepared fresh each day in our campus kitchen and served buffet style. Warm from the oven baked goods accompany the normal breakfast offerings of oatmeal, eggs, grits, fruit, etc.

Morning: Birding Field Trip to Point Lobos.

Lunch: 12:00 p.m. Lunch time and an opportunity to enjoy wonderful soups and sandwich makings . . . all prepared in our kitchen and served by the staff that's been with us for over 20 years.

Afternoon: 2:00 p.m. Overview of the Natural History of the Monterey Peninsula led by a coastal biologist.

Dinner: 6:00 p.m. Dinner is served (often accompanied by California wines) and features a buffet with copious greens (many from our own organic gardens) along with the entree.

Evening: 7:00 p.m. Local winemaker introduces wines. Tasting included if you wish.

DAY

Birding at Garland Park, Free Time

Carmel Valley, CA

B,L,D

Hidden Valley Inn

Breakfast: 7:00 a.m. Breakfast.

Morning: Birding Field Trip to Garland Park.

Lunch: Sack lunch provided to take on your free afternoon.

Afternoon: Free Afternoon to explore the area.

Dinner: 6:00 p.m. Dinner.

Evening: Presentation from one of our talented instructors, to be announced.

DAY

Day-long Birding Expedition

Carmel Valley, CA

B,L,D

Hidden Valley Inn

Breakfast: 7:00 a.m. Breakfast.

Morning: Day-long birding expedition. Sites selected at the discretion of the Master Guide based on the interests of the group.

Lunch: Sack lunches provided on field trip.

Afternoon: Field Trip continues.

Dinner: 6:00 p.m. Dinner.

Evening: Talented pianist, teaching from the keyboard, introduces us to the music of Scott Joplin.

DAY

Boat Trip & Birding at the Elkhorn Slough Reserve

Carmel Valley, CA

B,L,D

Hidden Valley Inn

Breakfast: 7:00 a.m. Breakfast.

Morning: Elkhorn Slough Expedition: Boat Trip.

Lunch: Sack lunches provided for Field Trip.

Afternoon: Birds of the Elkhorn Slough Reserve & Shore.

Dinner: 6:00 p.m. Dinner.

DAY

Program Concludes

Carmel Valley, CA

B,BR

Breakfast: 7:00 a.m. Continental Breakfast.

Morning: Class: Campus Birding & Summing Up.

Brunch: 10:30 a.m. Farewell Brunch & Graduation.

Meals

15 Meals

5 Breakfasts

1 Brunch

4 Lunches

5 Dinners

The following choices may be available when requested in advance:

Lodging

Lodgings may differ by date. Select a date to see the lodgings specific to that date.

Display

Nov 12, 2017 - Nov 17, 2017

Nov 12, 2017 - Nov 17, 2017
Feb 11, 2018 - Feb 16, 2018
Mar 26, 2018 - Mar 31, 2018
Apr 15, 2018 - Apr 20, 2018
Apr 22, 2018 - Apr 27, 2018
May 07, 2018 - May 12, 2018
Aug 26, 2018 - Aug 31, 2018
Nov 11, 2018 - Nov 16, 2018
Nov 25, 2018 - Nov 30, 2018

Hidden Valley Inn

5 nights

Carmel Valley

Charming Inn adjacent to Hidden Valley campus, all rooms non-smoking.

TripAdvisor Reviews

Wright Hall at Hidden Valley Campus

5 nights

Carmel Valley

All rooms in Wright Hall are simple, clean and cheery, all rooms non-smoking. Each room has a bathroom with a shower, toilet, and sink. All rooms exit directly to a deck or walk via sliding glass door, which can be locked from the inside but when we go out we leave them unlocked. Each room has an individually controlled heater, bed linens and towels. If you will need an alarm clock or hair dryer, you should bring these with you. There are no telephones in the dormitory rooms. Important calls may be directed to our main office (831) 659-3115 and we will post messages immediately on the door to your room. Outgoing calls may be made from the guest office which is available 24 hours a day. Our campus provides free wireless internet access. There is also a computer available for the use of our guests.

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9 Reviews

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5 Average

Anna

Class of 2014

Phoenix, AZ

(5) a month ago

Rick Fournier is an excellent guide. He is not only very knowledgeable, he helps every member of the group to learn at his/her own level. We visited many habitats and found a great diversity of birds in the beautiful environments of Monterey Bay and Carmel Valley.

Robert

Eugene, OR

(5) 5 months ago

Birding at Monterey Bay held at Hidden Valley is an excellent program.

Tamara

Class of 2017

Boring, OR

(5) 5 months ago

Wonderful experience with excellent leaders who are passionate about what they are teaching.

Gil

Class of 2009

Pasadena, CA

(5) 10 months ago

If you are looking for a birding adventure that will take you to a diversity of geographic locations on-foot, by van, and boat, within a single region, this would be one to take! You will experience a visual variety of land birds, shore birds and pelagic birds - and maybe spot sea otters and whales along the way. Your guide, Rick Fournier, is a wealth of knowledge regarding birds and bird habitat, will peak your enthusiasm for this hobby, and is a just a nice guy!

Rebecca

Class of 2013

Stockton, CA

(5) 11 months ago

This is a great program if you want to see many of the birds that are unique to California. We saw over 110 different species in late October. Our leader, Rick Fournier is very knowledgeable about the birds and the area. He was very persistent in tracking down specific species he wanted us to see.

Debra

Class of 2012

Ardmore, PA

(5) a year ago

Beautiful area in California! Saw many life birds. Great group of people.

Richard

Class of 2005

Sacramento, CA

(5) a year ago

Excellent website! Clear, economical use of space, easy to use.

Thomas

Class of 2016

Point Reyes Station, CA

(5) a year ago

Birding in Monterey was a game changer. Saw many new life list birds. It has changed the way I see and hear things in nature every time I walk outdoors.

Raymond

Class of 2004

Missoula, MT

(5) a year ago

We saw 125 species of birds on this trip, visiting several habitats. The setting was relaxing and beautiful. The personnel are friendly and personal. I highly recommend this for beginning or experienced birders.