NSAS Field Trip Hamilton/Bel Marin Wetlands - Las Gallinas

Sat, Jan 16th 2021, 9:00am
Nursery at Hamilton/Bel Marin Keys Wetland Restoration Project, 737 Aberdeen Rd., Novato.

Hamilton Bel Marin Keys Restoration Project is restoring the wetlands that were destroyed when the old Hamilton AFB was created. We will meet Christina McWhorter at the nursery and she will review the restoration project for us, then we will continue out into the wetlands area to view birds in the area. This should take up the morning.  Time and weather permitting we will then drive to Las Gallinas Valley Sanitation ponds and walk the levees around some of the ponds.

Birds: Waterfowl, shorebird, clapper rail, San Pablo song sparrow, raptors. At Las Gallinas: waterfowl, shorebirds, great-tailed grackle, night herons, marsh wren, sora.

Caravan:

  • Napa, meet at 8:00 on the east side of Sweeney’s Sports in the River Park Shopping Center                                                                                               
  • Fairfield, meet at 8:00 in the parking lot of the Solano County Office of Education, Business Center Dr., Cordelia Junction.                                                                 
  • Benicia, meet at 8:00 behind Vargas Mexican Market & Taqueria, northwest corner of Highway 29 and Mini Dr.

*We will not car pool, but those who wish to caravan to the site meet at these locations.

What to Bring: Walking shoes (we may walk up to or more than a mile at a time), water, hat, binoculars, spotting scopes, rain gear in case (it’s January so be prepared.), snacks, sunscreen, mask.

  • Lunch: We will be eating in the field so bring a lunch.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions there is a limit of 10 people please RSVP by Wednesday January 6, 2021.

RSVP and for more information or questions please contact:

Bruce Thomsen

brucecthomsen@yahoo.com

Cell: (209) 728-4631

Home: (707) 224-1906     

Directions to the Nursery at the Hamilton/ Bel Marin Keys Wetlands Restoration Project 737 Aberdeen Rd, Novato CA 94804

  • Heading North on 101: (1) Take Hamilton Field/ Nave Dr exit, veering to the right along the exit.  (2) Continue on Nave Dr through to the third stop light, which is at the intersection of Nave Rd and Hamilton Parkway. There is a McDonald’s at this intersection. (3) Make a right onto Hamilton Parkway. (4) Drive about ¼ mile and just after the skate park, is Aberdeen Rd. on your left. There is a chain link gate there, with “Authorized Vehicles Only” signs on it. If you begin to pass houses, you have gone too far on Hamilton Parkway. (5) Shortly after you turn onto Aberdeen Rd, there will be a fork in the road, stay to the right, and you will pass through another open chain link gate.  (6) Continue driving along Aberdeen Rd, which runs along the perimeter of the residential neighborhood. Please be sure to respect the 15mph speed limit, as this helps keep our neighbor’s happy!  (7) The nursery is about half a mile down Aberdeen Rd, on the right. The nursery building looks like a two story warehouse with a large roll up door. Feel free to park along the roadside or in one of the parking spaces onsite if available. A yellow-lab dog Sunny and a small black and white dog Pinta may greet you with some barking, but they are friendly.
  • Heading South on 101: (1) Take Hamilton Field exit.  (2) Make a right at the light, onto Bel Marin Keys Blvd, which takes you back over the freeway.  (3) Make a right at the next light, onto Nave Drive.  (4) Continue on Nave Dr to the stop light, at the intersection of Nave Rd and Hamilton Parkway. There is a McDonald’s at this intersection. (5) Make a left onto Hamilton Parkway. (6) Drive about ¼ mile and just after the skate park, turn left onto Aberdeen Rd. There is a chain link gate there, with “Authorized Vehicles Only” signs on it. If you begin to pass houses, you have gone too far on Hamilton Parkway. (7) Shortly after you turn onto Aberdeen Rd, there will be a fork in the road, stay to the right, and you will pass through another open chain link gate.  (8) Continue driving along Aberdeen Rd, which runs along the perimeter of the residential neighborhood. Please be sure to respect the 15mph speed limit, as this helps keep our neighbor’s happy!  (9) The nursery is about half a mile down Aberdeen Rd, on the right. The nursery building looks like a two-story warehouse with a large roll up door. Feel free to park along the roadside or in one of the parking spaces onsite if available. A yellow-lab dog Sunny and a small black and white dog Pinta may greet you with some barking, but they are friendly.