Birding Jewel Lake, Berkeley

We'll walk along Wildcat Creek and around Jewel Lake in Tilden Park, hoping to find fall warblers, Red-Breasted and Pygmy Nuthatch, and with luck a Pacific Wren.

This trip is suitable for beginners. Bring binoculars if you have them, or if you need to borrow a pair contact the leader beforehand so he knows to bring them. Non-MDBA members are welcome, with pre-registration.

Trail rating: 2, Moderate. About 1.5 miles walking on easy, mostly flat paved and gravel trails.

Elevation change: N/A

Leader: Matt Tarlach, mdbafieldtrips@gmail.com

Meet: Parking lot at the end of Central Park Drive in Tilden Regional Park.

Directions: From Central Contra Costa take Highway 24 to exit at Fish Ranch Road.

Turn right and go up the hill 0.7mi. Turn Right on Grizzly Peak Blvd and follow the curving road for 4.1mi.

Turn Right on Muir Way, then Left on Park Hills Road. The road forks; be sure to stay on Park Hills Road.

Watch for signs to "Little Farm" which is near the meeting point.

Park Hills Road ends at Wildcat Canyon Road, at an odd intersection. Turn Right on Wildcat Canyon, then IMMEDIATELY Left onto Central Park Drive.

Continue about 1 mile on Central Park to the parking lot at the end, which is the meeting point.

This hike is limited to 15 participants.

(Wilson's Warbler photo by Jerry Britten)