Bird Watching San Francisco

Marin Headlands hike from Rodeo Beach - 5.5 mi., 1100 ft. elev gain

Keith Hansen, The Love, Joy and Art of Birding

Local artist and birder Keith Hansen explores the beauty, wonder and passion that surrounds birds and birding in the Bay Area and beyond. Explore the birds of Point Reyes, arctic Alaska, the Galapagos and beyond. Learn the importance of travel and first-hand experience in this richly illustrated program. Whether it is exploring the cloud forests of Colombia, a decade of volunteering on the Farallon Islands or studying seabirds in the tropical Pacific aboard a NOAA vessel, Hansen keeps it lively, colorful and entertaining. **This program takes place in the Steve Silver Music Center - 4th Floor of Main Library (100 Larkin Street)** **MeetUp RSVP does not guarantee registration for SFPL in person programs.** Keith Hansen is the author of *[Hansen’s Field Guide to the Birds of the Sierra Nevada](https://sfpl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S93C6878096)* and *[Birds of Point Reyes](https://sfpl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S93C5845406)*, both published by Heyday Books in Berkeley. Signed books will be available for purchase at the event.

When was the last time you played catch?

Toss a baseball, softball, football, volleyball around at Marina Green while meeting good people. No pressure. No teams. Just catch and conversation. Bring yourself and if you have a glove the more the merrier. **Play Catch. Catch Up.**

[Jul 19] Nature Journal @Salesforce Park (9am to Noon)

Would you like to slow down, notice more, and invite a sense of awe, calm, and wonder into your day? Join us for a Nature Journaling adventure every third Sunday of the month! Each month, we explore a different natural gem within San Francisco, pausing to capture our observations, curiosity, and moments of joy in our journals — using words, pictures, and numbers. This time we will journal at Salesforce Park! Yes! Salesforce Park is a weird place to journal at. You’re four stories up, on a rooftop above a bus terminal, and somehow it holds over 600 trees and 16,000 plants — little pockets of California, Chile, South Africa, Australia, and the Mediterranean all stitched together in one loop. One minute you’re in a redwood grove, the next you’re staring down a rare monkey puzzle tree (endangered in Chile), and there’s barely a few feet of soil under it all, so these trees grow slow and strange, almost bonsai-like. Then you look up and there’s the tower, right there, reminding you whose rooftop you’re actually on. Come journal with us and experience what it feels like to hold conflict in your body 🤪 Event Details 🕐 Time: 9am to noon. yes, we are steering away from our usual time this month because we want to make space for you and us to watch the World Cup finals! Note that this rooftop will also have a viewing of the game and we could watch the World Cup finals together after the journal share if anyone is interested! 📍 Meeting Point: We will meet outside Barebottle Beer Garden at Salesforce Park 🖊️ What to Bring: A journal or sketchbook, writing and drawing/coloring supplies. Optional: binoculars, a lightweight stool, and your curiosity! 🧻 public restroom available 💰Cost: It's a free event, but we encourage 20$ donations to Wild Wonder Foundation https://www.wildwonder.org/donate 📚References: KtfNj email list: tinyurl.com/ktfnj Getting started with Nature Journaling: wildwonder.org https://johnmuirlaws.com Come as you are — no experience needed, just a sense of wonder. We can’t wait to explore with you!

Backpack to Beautiful Lake Schmidell

When your RSVP, please text me at 530-450-5768 to set up a time to talk about your fitness level, details of the trip, etc. I have a permit to camp at Lake Schmidell in Desolation wilderness On July 25th we will backpack to and camp at gorgeous Lake Schmidell, 6 miles, 2,000 gain, On July 26th and July 27th we will do day hikes in the area. On July 28th we will pack out the same route Our entry and exit are Bayview trailhead. It will be a very slow, picture taking pace about 1 mile per hour.. I Kathi Simonsen reserve the sole right to modify the trip itinerary as I deem necessary at any time. * PARTICIPATION IN THIS MEETUP AFFIRMS THAT YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD, AND AGREED TO THE FULL LEGAL DISCLAIMER AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY on [Meetup’s Backpackers of the American West's website](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/5vagycqs7imueqnm4foud/Backpackers-of-the-American-West-Rules-and-Regulations-3-9-25.pdf?rlkey=q84l4kchrawlfa0yyugvkhvjo&st=zm3zzw76&dl=0).

Exploring Patagonia: An Introductory Guide to Traveling in Torres del Paine

Join us for an informative and inspiring presentation all about Chile's Torres del Paine, one of the most breathtaking national parks in Patagonia! Whether you're planning your first trip or just curious about what it takes to explore this stunning region, this session will cover everything you need to know about traveling to this iconic part of the world. I'll be drawing from my own Torres del Paine adventure from 2023 to discuss practical details like logistics, safety, and main things to keep in mind when going on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure. The presentation itself will be 30-40 minutes, after which we'll have a casual Q&A session for anything anyone wants to cover and chat for a while. Join and share some of your own travel stories! (Would love to hear from people who've done Camino de Santiago, the Pacific Crest Trail, Hornbjarg in Iceland, etc.) Anyone is welcome, but please note that - given the limited space - this event is geared mainly for people who are actively interested in these kinds of travels and would benefit the most from the information shared. Also, please note the location will be my apartment, and that I live close to the Crepevine location listed in Meetup. I'll share my address to those attending about a week before the event. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. 628-236-9369

Mill Valley Depot - Southern Marin Sketchers

**Join the Southern Marin Urban Sketchers at Mill Valley's Depot Cafe & Bookstore, most Fridays from 12 - 2 PM.** ***\*\*\*This is a recurring invite. LOCATION SUBJECT TO CHANGE - CHECK BACK 1-2 DAYS BEFORE EVENT\*\*\**** The Depot is a historic railroad building in the heart of downtown Mill Valley and a lively community hub. Join us for the opportunity to sketch the historic downtown, people-watch, or enjoy a nice lunch or coffee. The area offers plentiful seating both inside and outside, public bathrooms, free wifi, and is flat and wheelchair accessible. Please bring your own sketching supplies. We typically meet at the picnic tables in the plaza, but some sketch inside the cafe. **About Us** We are a small group of artists based in Mill Valley, CA. We welcome all ages, skill levels, and mediums! This is a casual group where you can practice building your skills. **If you would like to join our weekly mailing list, please send me a message.**

Roaming Cayuga and Lakeview

I am very fond of this under-appreciated part of the city, and we have been roaming here for many years. On recent visits we have added [Sisterhood Gardens](https://sisterhoodgardens.org/) to the route, as they have a dahlia display probably only second to the collection in Golden Gate Park. While we are close to the freeway for much of the route, we will also be visiting some sweet lesser-known parks and viewpoints in this south west corner of the city. There will be a significant climb in the middle of the roam, and some off-roading. *Bringing water, snacks, and layers for all the microclimates is the way to go.* *These roams are offered by donation. They are one way I am able to pay my rent in San Francisco.* *Punctuality is always appreciated, for the sake of everybody's time. Please send a message on the app before the start if you are running late, and we will either wait (up to ten minutes) of I will direct you on how to catch up. Once we get underway I have to focus on those who are there, and most likely won't respond.* *Generally up to half the people who sign up don't actually show up on the day. I do track flakiness and disinvite people who have a poor attendance record. It is discourteous to those on the waitlist who would like to attend.* *Sending me a message explaining that you can't make it is always appreciated.*

Sausalito Patio Drinks with New Friends

**RSVP via:** https://app.gistirl.com/event-details/j4YfV9NceCKD3NUF1SRK **Early Bird Discounts \| More $ Later** Hey North Bay neighbors, Join me for a laid-back afternoon soaking up the sun and sipping cold drinks by the Marin waterfront. We'll spend about an hour chatting through quick, app-guided one-on-ones, and then small groups will head out to enjoy patio drinks together. We'll kick things off with a series of short conversations. The Gist IRL app takes all the guesswork out of mingling by pairing you up, letting you just relax and see who you naturally get along with. It's a really easygoing way to figure out who shares your love for the water and local hidden gems. Once the rounds wrap up, the best part begins. You'll choose your favorite matches from the afternoon, gather up a small group, and head to a nearby patio for drinks together. By the time you're sitting out on the patio, you've got a local crew to share drinks with. Whether these folks become your go-to local drinks crew or you just enjoy a really perfect sunny afternoon by the bay, you'll be glad you came out. The Plan: * 1:00 PM: Check-In. Follow the link to set up your quick profile on your phone. * 1:05 PM - 2:25 PM: One-on-One Rounds. The app pairs you for focused chats. Find out who lives nearby, loves the waterfront, and knows the best local spots. * 2:25 PM+: Form Groups & pick a nearby patio and head over for drinks. Reconnect with your favorite matches, form groups of 4-6, and your crew leaves together to grab a table in the sun. Instead of just adding names to your phone, the whole goal today is to actually grab patio drinks right now and maybe find the perfect companions for trying new patios and waterfront spots together down the line. Plus, keeping the conversation going later is incredibly easy since you can message everyone you met straight through the app without ever needing to hand out your private phone number. I'm really looking forward to a beautiful afternoon on the water with you all. A few favorite spots nearby: Cultivar Sausalito - Located directly across from the park, this cozy spot features a lovely outdoor patio where you can pair fresh Pacific oysters on the half shell with award-winning California wines and craft cocktails. Barrel House Tavern - Just steps away, this stylish waterfront hangout boasts a spectacular deck with sweeping bay views and a popular happy hour offering fresh local oysters and draft drinks. The Trident - This legendary, rock-and-roll-steeped restaurant offers an expansive outdoor deck right over the water, where you can sip signature cocktails alongside delicious California-style baked oysters. Scoma's Sausalito - Situated on a historic pier, this beloved seafood staple features scenic outdoor seating and a menu of exceptionally fresh Hog Island oysters and classic waterfront cocktails. Hanson of Sonoma Tasting Room at Hanson Gallery - This unique venue combines a fine art gallery with a tasting room, complete with outdoor seating where you can enjoy organic grape-based vodka cocktails paired with fresh Hog Island oysters. **RSVP via:** https://app.gistirl.com/event-details/j4YfV9NceCKD3NUF1SRK **Early Bird Discounts \| More $ Later**

Golden Gate Park, Around Lake Hike, Band Concert & Lunch

We'll be touring the areas from the Conservatory of Flowers to and around Stow Lake today. Followed by a concert by the GG Park Band. (They have provided music in the Park since 1882.) [The Golden Gate Park Band will be presenting a lively program celebrating songs and dances from around the world. ](https://goldengateparkband.org/calendar) The concert starts at 1:00pm, ends 2:30pm. We'll reach the Band Shell a little after 12:00. Here you will have many choices, stay for lunch and the music, visit one of the many close by attractions or head back. I'll stay for the concert. **\*Don't be a no-show. *See the Group's no-show policy below.*** Don't be a no-show and lose your membership in the Group. Attendance is always taken and no-shows recorded. **[Here's a link to the video of the tour we did here on May 21st, 2022.](https://youtu.be/bJWphCOOW1g)** Golden Gate Park celebrated its 150th year anniversary in 2020. That's a lot of urban history. We'll get into just a little bit of that fascinating history today. But we want to get a good walk in. Distance today will be around 3.0miles. Little up hills or elev. gain. Bring water. Food trucks are available. My all time favorite is Sam's Chowder House truck, behind the huge, music Band Shell. The best clam chowder around. Also Annie's food carts and others too. **A word about parking. For ideal parking aim for the intersection of Bowling Green Dr. & Nancy Pelosi Dr. Try using the address of 300 Bowling Green Dr. for GPS. Break-ins are common here. Do not leave anything visible in your car.** Below are the POI highlights to choose from in the eastern section. ***Golden Gate Park, (A sampling of POIs)*** Conservatory of Flowers (1878) US President James Garfield Statue (1884) Victorian era Baseball Player Statue, by Douglas Tilden (1891) Lily Pond & Australian Tree Fern Dell (1902) Tennis Courts (1894-2021) Lawn Bowling Courts (1901) Sharon Meadow (1894) Coffee House in the Park (recent) Lake Alford (1882) Alford Bridge & Tunnel (1889) Children's Quarter (1888) Sharon Building (1888) GG Park Carousal (1888-first Carousal) A Monastery Stone & the amazing story of these 10,000 stones that landed in the Park from Spain in 1931? Handball Courts Big Rec Baseball fields (1893) Shakespeare Flower Garden(1928) Spreckels Temple of Music , the "Band Shell" (1900) LUNCH (about 12:15pm) Music Concourse (built for 1894, Calif.Mid-Winter Fair) & new Ferris Wheel (Golden Gate Park Band plays Sundays at 1:00pm in season.) Japanese Tea Garden (1894) Stowe Lake (1881) San Francisco Botanical Garden (1940) (Then returning to where we started by way of the Conservatory of Flowers, we'll pass by the following.) **Itinerary-San Francisco Botanical Garden Tour, If we go there on this tour?** Garden of Fragrance Rhododendron Garden Heidelberg Hill & Magnolias Mediterranean Garden Ancient & Primitive Plant Garden South Africa/(Cape Town) Garden New Zealand & Australia Andean Cloud Forest Zellerbach Garden of Perennials Japanese Moon Viewing Garden Camellia Garden Redwood Grove California Natives Lots of interesting things in the Park. In-season: "Magnificent Magnolias", peak bloom time around Feb.1st. But we'll find lots of other beautiful plants and flowers to amaze. (\*Don't be a no-show.) It's good to give out name tags which I do. I fill out the name tags just before I leave for the tour. This also gives me a way to take attendance. Because name tags that are not picked up, are recorded as no-shows. If you get too many no-shows recorded in your personal Meet-up profile you'll be cancelled from this Meetup. (To cancel your RSVP beforehand [please at least 24 hrs. in advance]. Look for the, **"Edit Attendance"** tab at the bottom right hand corner of the screen for laptops and left, bottom on phones.)

Roaming Edgehill and Hawk Hill

We haven't over to Forest Hill since tackling all the stairs at the beginning of the year. This Friday roam won't be quite as challenging, but we will visit three peaks you might be less familiar with in the area: Edgehill Mountain, Larsen Peak (aka Golden Gate Heights Park) and Hawk Hill. This route will take us up some of the wonderful staircases in Forest Hill, and we will have other off-road climbing, so again, this is not one for those who prefer the flats. *Bringing water, snacks, and layers for all the microclimates is the way to go.* *These roams are offered by donation. They are one way I am able to pay my rent in San Francisco.* *Punctuality is always appreciated. Please send a message on the app if you are running a little late - direct messages are best, rather than a comment on the event. I can usually respond to messages before we get underway, but then I put my phone away other than to take pictures.* *I know Meetup is notorious for no-shows and late changes of rsvp. I am not as strict as other organisers (we do talk to each other!), but since generally up to half the people who sign up don't show up, my tolerance for repeated flakiness is limited. It is especially unfair to people on the wait list who would like to attend.*

Wolf Ridge and Coastal trails, Hill 88 and an optional beach sunset, 6.1m/1.3k⬆️