Migrations: Birds and Words on Oona-pa’is (Sonoma Mountain)

Migrations have been integral to wild and human lives on Oona-pa’is for millennia. Following favorable climate, familial ties, and food availability is necessary to a community’s survival and healthy diversity.

In mid to late October, species of birds who have summered elsewhere arrive to forage the mountain’s forests and stream corridors. Varied and hermit thrushes, fox sparrows, and Townsend’s warblers are among the fall visitors and returning residents to Oona-pa’is.

Join Rebecca Lawton, long-time guide, author, and scientist, for a bird walk on Oona-pa’is (Sonoma Mountain).

Spend the morning looking and listening for new avian arrivals, like the Townsend’s warbler (pictured). Keeping a list for submittal to eBird, adding group sightings to databases used by scientists who research the mysteries of migrations, the group will explore how valuable migrants are to local ecosystems and neighborhoods.

This will be a relaxed, slow-paced walk suitable for ages 12 and up. The total distance will depend on the bird activity encountered, but plan for approximately 1–3 miles round trip.