Join Alex Eisengart at Mission Trails Regional Park for bird photography.

The Mission Trails Regional Park includes a series of mountains that lie within the city limits of San Diego. Although they are not as tall as the mountains to their east, Cowles Mountain is the highest point in San Diego. It towers 1,592 feet over the ocean, where it is noticeably cooler than the rest of the city. Out in Mission Trails, you truly feel as if you’re out in the wilderness. Cool convections slide down the mountain slopes, shrub-scrub habitat covers the mountain sides, and birds chirp beside the trail.  Mountains provide amazing backdrops for photography, and shrubs look great as framing in photographs. This is going to be an active workshop. We will be doing a lot of hiking along the trail deep into the thicket, grassland, and canyons. Be ready to take lots of steps!

This is a photography workshop! Be prepared to get "down and dirty" when photographing birds. A lot of our subjects are on the ground, so Alex will encourage you to put your camera as close to birds'-eye-level as possible. Alex will help you get the best shot and work with your camera settings.

This is a Meet-you-there field trip. Participants must provide their own transportation.

San Diego is famous for its pelagic birding, where you can see species not usually visible from land with some of the most knowledgeable pelagic birders around! This trip is great for folks who want to add to their life list, learn more about identifying birds on the open water.
The group will meet in the Starboard room for some important information sharing prior to the trip. The group will then walk approximately 0.25 mile to the Marina, on flat sidewalk, to board the boat.

Experience birds from a completely different point of view: in a tandem kayak! Learn about the ReWilding efforts in Mission Bay. Paddle through calm, serene waters as we explore this beautiful coastal ecosystem.
This field trip offers a great opportunity to observe birds from the water, with views into Kendall-Frost Marsh (we are unable to paddle into the marsh) and Fiesta Island.
In late February, Mission Bay is a prime spot for birdwatching as it serves as an important stopover for migratory species. Keep an eye out for Pacific Loons and Eared Grebes. You'll see Willets and Long-billed Curlews foraging along the shores. Black-crowned Night Herons and Great Blue Herons perch in trees along the shore, while Osprey hunt from the air above. As we paddle through the tranquil waters, the chances to observe bird behaviors up close are abundant. This field trip is an unforgettable way to connect with nature for beginners and seasoned birders.
You must provide your own transportation to and from the meeting place for this trip.

Sponsored by Hunt's Photo and Video