Calling all LGBTQ+ community members! Come birding with POST, Parks Conservancy, Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance, Golden Gate Bird Alliance, and meet other queers of a feather! Whether you are experienced or completely new to birding, this event will provide a fun opportunity to get out in nature, gain a bird’s eye view of species found locally, and find your flock.
Thanks to our knowledgeable facilitators, this event will be the opposite of a wild goose chase. They’ll guide us on a leisurely stroll with many stops to get a gander at local birds. And if you get peckish along the way, never fear! We’ll provide snacks! (Please don’t feed the birds)
Pillar Point Bluff/Jean Lauer Trail: The walk is moderate at about 2 miles round trip with about 300 feet of gradual elevation gain.
Please note that this event sells out quickly. If you register and can no longer attend, please be sure to cancel your reservation or reach out to us.
This will be an LGBTQ-centered event led by LGBTQ-identifying facilitators with the purpose of creating a welcoming and inclusive space for queer community members to gather and develop a sense of belonging in the outdoors. While allies are welcome to attend, please be mindful that space is limited.
Join us on this LGBTQ+, beginner-friendly birding outing with experienced facilitators and build community. We look forward to seeing you at this event on Saturday, September 7 at Pillar Point Bluff in Moss Beach. Sign up soon because the early bird gets the spot!
At POST, we use the word “queer” as an umbrella term to include and affirm an array of identities and experiences within the LGBTQ+ community. We know “queer” has a complex history, with many interpretations across the board. We aspire to be sensitive to an array of perspectives.We also embrace expansive thinking about conservation and environmental care. That’s why we celebrate queerness within our interconnected human and ecological communities. It deepens our understanding of biodiversity and the natural world.
Meet the Facilitators
Carolyn Knight, Education & Outreach Manager, Santa Clara Valley Birding Alliance, graduated from UC Davis with a B.S. in Wildlife, Fish, & Conservation Biology. Prior to joining SCVBA she worked with Wood Ducks in the Central Valley, where she officially became a bird nerd. Carolyn has been birding in California for nearly a decade, and searching for wild animals and exploring Santa Clara County’s open spaces for far longer.
Ezekiel Schlais, Land Transactions Project Manager, Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST), is a passionate environmental entrepreneur with accomplishments in strategy, development, community organization and ecological research, previously working as a Development Officer for RMI, the Chief Strategy and Development Officer for TreePeople, an Executive Director for Mountains Restoration, the Head of Strategic Initiatives for UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, and as a VP of Origination for a global private equity firm, The Gores Group. He has researched insects, plants and amphibians throughout the US and Costa Rica as a field scientist with Pepperdine and UC Davis and has volunteered with several environmental agencies over the years.
Daniela (Dani) Sanchez, Masters Biology Student & NIH-Bridges Fellow, San Francisco State University, obtained a Bachelor of Sciences in Zoology and is pursuing a Master’s in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, both at San Francisco State University. She is a Golden Gate Audubon Society (GGAS) member and a 2023 GGAS Birding For Everyone Scholar seeking to bridge nature and science’s long-standing gap with Queer and BIPoC communities. As an ornithologist in training, she is deeply interested in bird behavior, anatomy, ecology, evolution, and many other aspects that make these creatures a treat to study. Daniela’s current research focuses on the taxonomy and prevalence of an emergent parasitic nematode found in invasive Barred Owls of the western United States. Eventually, she hopes to pursue a PhD and become involved in research that integrates the knowledge of local communities and aids in the conservation of endangered species.
Rachel Katz, Instructor, Golden Gate Bird Alliance. Accountant for racial justice organizations during the work week, Rachel likes to dive into nature on the weekends. They leverage their Master’s degree in biology and passion for justice to lead field trips centering the biological and social contexts.About the Co-Hosts
Peninsula Open Space Trust protects open space on the Peninsula and in the South Bay for the benefit of all. Since 1977, POST has protected over 87,000 in San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties.
The Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance promotes the enjoyment, understanding, and protection of birds and other wildlife by engaging people of all ages in birding, education, and conservation.
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy is the nonprofit membership organization created to preserve the Golden Gate national parks, enhance the experiences of park visitors, and build a community dedicated to conserving the parks for the future.
Golden Gate Bird Alliance is dedicated to protecting Bay Area birds, other wildlife, and their natural habitats. We conserve and restore wildlife habitats, connect people of all ages and backgrounds with the natural world, and educate and engage Bay Area residents in the protection of our shared, local environment.
