West County HawkWatch

Another fantastic day hawkwatching with Larry Broderick, at LYnch Creek yesterday! The Golden Eagles did not disappoint, nor the dozens of Redtails, along with Harriers, Cooper's, kestrels, and others. ... gopher snake, bobcat... sunny skies, and a load of great info and fun banter.

As a volunteer coordinator a few years ago, I asked Larry Broderick to present an educational seminar for park volunteers about raptor ID. The presentation was so thorough, well-prepared and interesting, and everyone loved it. His teaching style really helps anyone learn more about ID without having to be a "birder." Fall 2022 I finally got to participate in HawkWatch outings at Jenner Headlands -- again, I learned a lot by being around Larry and the other experienced HawkWatchers. It's a very friendly and supportive group of people who just love being out in nature and participating in the citizen science of providing observations for HawkWatch (and anything else we see). I have gained confidence in ID-ing birds of prey. I eagerly look forward to more HawkWatch hikes and migration counts. The information about registration, sign-up and participation is always well-planned, clear and concise. Larry is a wonderful hike leader, full of enthusiasm for anything we see in nature.

If you love Hawks and raptors of all sorts, and get a chance to go on any of these excellent Hawk hikes, then do so. The main guide Larry Broderick is one of the most knowledgeable people that have had the pleasure to meet, who totally interacted with our group, on a walk in Lynch Canyon open space, in conjunction with Solano Land Trust. We were taken on a circular trail, and had so many different birds of prey pointed out, including a Cooper's Hawk, Kestrels, a juvenile Bald Eagle, White-tailed Kites, Red-tailed Hawks and Ferruginous Hawks. The highlight of the day though was watching a Golden Eagle swoop down and catch a ground squirrel.
We spent about three hours walking slowly round the trail, and half way stopped for thirty mins and had a packed lunch we had taken along, like the others in our group. We made quite a few new friends, and caught up with others we already knew.
After returning to the parking lot, a few had to leave, but a few of us along with Larry stayed and chatted to get to know everyone better. My wife and I had a great time and learned so much, even though we have been birders for years. Great for people of all ages, whether beginners or seasoned birders.
We woukd like to thank Larry and the team for their knowledge and time, and to the Solano land trust without whom none of this woukd be possible...

iNaturalist listed West County Hawk Watch as one of the best ways to see raptors in the Bay Area. I signed up for their Lynch Canyon and Sears Point raptor walks. Both walks were well attended by birders of all levels as well as some professional photographers. The guide does a great job of talking you through how he’s finding birds (“I heard an alarm call so now I’m scanning to see what’s causing these birds to alarm - maybe it’s a raptor”). You also get access to areas that aren’t always open to the public through these walks. Great way to see birds and learn more!