Big Sur Land Trust is thrilled to host Monterey Audubon Society field trips at Big Sur Land Trust Preserves. On these outings to Mitteldorf Preserve, Monterey Audubon Society members and Big Sur Land Trust supporters are invited to this wonderful opportunity to explore the lands we love in a new way. This event is appropriate for beginning birders and all those interested in learning how to better identify our local resident and migrant birds. On this trip through a riparian redwood forest we’re likely to encounter residents of forested canyons such as Pacific Wren, Steller’s Jay, and a variety of woodpeckers. Although far from guaranteed, we may also encounter Mountain Quail and maybe even a Varied Thrush. On these field trips, we use eBird to monitor the bird populations on Big Sur Land Trust preserves. This field trip is an opportunity to contribute to this new and growing effort, and all participants will have access to a list of birds seen during the day.

We’ll walk nearly two forested miles through Williams Canyon along a well-graded dirt road to the boundary of Mitteldorf Preserve. From there we will climb up the moderately steep Headwaters Road for about a mile to the Red-tailed Overlook. After pausing for a snack and looking for Red-tailed Hawks, we’ll head back down the road, but turn off at the upper end of the Nature Loop and follow it down to the Mitteldorf Preserve Lodge. We’ll have a snack before admiring the Legacy Redwood Tree and then heading out through Williams Canyon back to the trailhead. The total distance will be about seven miles, about a mile of which will be a moderate climb.

Since parking is limited at Mitteldorf Preserve, participants will be arranged into carpools for the approximately 20-minute drive from the meet-up location to Mitteldorf Preserve.

• Distance: ~7 miles
• Elevation: ~1000 ft
• Difficulty: Moderate.
• Pace: Moderate

Register here >>