Bird Watching San Francisco

Ocean Beach & Sunset Dunes

QBBA ASSEMBLE!! A little over a year ago, we put forth a valiant effort to name San Francisco's newest park "Plover Park." The name made it to the final four and, while it didn't win, Sunset Dunes has integrated Snowy Plovers as both an icon and an ICON through this park. They hosted a Welcome Back Plovers party, committed to restoration efforts that benefit all creatures, including the plovers, and have adopted the Snowy Plover as a mascot across park signage. There's even a beautiful plover mural! BUT NOW SOME PEOPLE WANT TO CLOSE THE PARK!! FOR CARS!!! A park that two million people visited last year! A park that people use all week! A park with skate ramps, playgrounds, hammocks, and delightfully car free access to pop onto the beach to see Snowy Plovers! For our September walk, we will be visiting Ocean Beach, to look for said Snowy Plovers (and other birds, of course), and checking out Sunset Dunes Park to see what happens when we choose community over cars. The No on G campaign will provide us with window signs for those who want to show their support for keeping this park open. They will also give us flyers if you are in the mood to hand them out within your communities. No pressure to join the campaign, but we wanted to take this opportunity to educate our community on this ballot measure. Queer Birding goes beyond being queer and liking birds. We look forward to seeing everyone after the summer "break" and can't wait to get our momentum back. Also, peep the earlier time for this event! Plovers are early risers.

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.**

Grand View and Strawberry

**A reminder that there will not be any more roams in September as I will be busy with zen ceremonies and activities.** I have had this route in mind for a while. If you are looking south from the Richmond, just west of Park Presidio, there are only really two hills you see: one is Strawberry Hill in the park, the other Grand View at the northern end of Golden Gate Heights. We will tackle both hills (roughly numbers 10 and 20 in the list of San Francisco summits) on our way round; admire the tiled staircases; enjoy Blue Heron lake and the park; and explore a couple of alleys in the neighbourhood - which are very rare in the Sunset. Naturally there will be some climbing on this roam! *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 half the people who sign up don't actually show up on the day. I do track flakiness and remove 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.*

Harvest Moon Evening @ Chabot Observatory

# Harvest Moon Evening — Moonrise & Observatory Join us at Chabot Space & Science Center for an evening of moonrise, conversation, and optional telescope viewing if you can't make the 4:30 PM hike but still want to enjoy the Harvest Moon. Optional 4:30pm Hike: https://www.meetup.com/weekly-hikes-at-redwood-regional-park/events/316642685/?slug=weekly-hikes-at-redwood-regional-park&eventId=316642685 ### 🌕 6:30 PM — Meet for Moonrise **Meeting point:** Chabot Space & Science Center parking lot We'll gather around **6:30 PM** after we return from the hike to watch for the Harvest Moon rising. Moonrise is expected around **6:28 PM**, although the actual view may depend on weather, visibility, trees, terrain, and other conditions. We'll take some time to enjoy the moonrise and connect with others from the community. ### 🔭 7:30 PM — Optional Telescope Viewing For those who would like to stay, Chabot offers **free public telescope viewing on Friday evenings from 7:30–10:30 PM, weather permitting**. We'll head over to the observatory area for the public telescope viewing. This portion is optional, so you're welcome to join us just for moonrise or stay for the evening. **Please note:** Telescope viewing is operated by Chabot and is subject to weather and observatory conditions. The observatory may close certain telescopes when humidity or other conditions make viewing unsafe. Check the latest conditions here: [Chabot Observatory Weather Details](https://chabotspace.org/weather-station/observatory-weather-details/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ### 🌙 Come for the Moon, Stay for the Stars Whether you join us for a few minutes around moonrise or stay for telescope viewing, this is simply an opportunity to slow down, enjoy the night sky, and spend time with good people. No hike is required. All are welcome. **Bring:** * Layers — temperatures can drop after sunset * Water * Comfortable shoes * Anything you need to stay comfortable outdoors Please respect fellow participants, other visitors, Chabot's facilities, and the surrounding environment. As always, participants are responsible for their own health, safety, decisions, and belongings.

Stitch & Sip

Bring your knitting, crochet, embroidery, cross-stitch, or any project you are working on. 
If you are an absolute beginner and would like to get started, I suggest picking up a kit to get you started on a project.

Little Mount Hoffman Astro CampOut

[CDARC](https://www.cdarc.net/) is heading to [Little Mt Hoffman Lookout](https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/234436?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22510447360&gbraid=0AAAAACzIa87TpCnea0ZVj5sVXHcRNqofy&gclid=CjwKCAjwj7HTBhBiEiwA8s35Ohwaj4tejF2FJRoINY6WyVMxchLx_y127CNfWlyfYxNUJ2kUKaMMqxoC1tYQAvD_BwE) for a weekend of Astrophotography, hiking, and swimming in near by [Medicine Lake](https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/255303). Mount Hoffman is a retired fire lookout over looking Mount Shasta. Its one of the most fantastic camping locations in California. It is a 5.5 hour drive from East Bay but it worth it!! [here's the link to the location](https://maps.app.goo.gl/hzEXSCvfCG8Ph2bq9) The cost is $75 per person. This will cover reservation cost, food for Saturday and Sunday morning. We will be offering a simple, breakfast, lunch and dinner for Saturday and a grab and go breakfast for Sunday morning. The space for cars up at the Lookout is limited so we will work out how to shuttle folks to the top once we have a full signup list. There are a few beds in the lookout but we recommend bringing your own tent and camping gear, including your own cutlery. More info will be posted as we get closer to the date. DM Mason or Sam through meetup with questions.

Pastries, Cliffs & Ocean Views: SF Urban Hike

Join us for a relaxed San Francisco urban hike combining neighborhood streets, coastal trails, historic sites, and big Pacific Ocean views. We'll kick things off at Butter Love Bakeshop in the Outer Richmond, where we'll grab some baked goods and coffee before setting off (we'll wait until 9:45am for any late arrivals). From there, we'll walk toward Sutro Heights and make our way through the Land's End area, after which we'll finish by walking toward Sunset Dunes for the final stretch along San Francisco's oceanfront. This is a casual-paced hike. We'll take our time, enjoy the scenery, stop for photos, and give everyone a chance to chat and take in the views. (Dogs are totally welcome!) Looking forward to the event! Please let me know if you have any questions. 628-236-9369

Thursday Nature Walk - Lobos Valley Overlook (Presidio)

What: A 2.5 mile slow walk with 338 feet of elevation gain. When: Every Thursday at 5:30pm Where: Meet at the Lobos Valley Overlook (just up the hill from the 15th Avenue Presidio entrance) Who: Anyone is welcome! Why: Real life connection...to nature and to the community I live in.

Paddleboarding/Kayaking in San Rafael.

Roaming Lake Merced and the Dunes

This is a route we did about eighteen months ago, and I wanted to try it again. We start off in the Lakeshore district, close to the zoo, pass across Lake Merced, and tackle the dunes between Fort Funston and Great Highway. This roam is pretty flat, but we will have a fair amount of sand and dirt to traverse. *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 half the people who sign up don't actually show up on the day. I do track flakiness and remove 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.*

Friday 9/25 Sunset to Moonrise Hike @Chabot Space Science Center

# Sunset to Moonrise Hike — Autumn Equinox & Harvest Moon Come join us for a **sunset-to-moonrise hike** as we celebrate the **Autumn Equinox and Harvest Moon**, which also coincides with the Mid-Autumn Festival. ### 📍 Meeting Point **Chabot Space & Science Center parking lot — Robert Ridge Trail** ### 🕓 Hike & Community Gathering **4:30 PM — Please arrive on time!** We’ll begin with a quick introduction. Each person will have a chance to share **2–3 things that made them happy this week** before we start hiking. We typically hike **4–5 miles** at a steady pace. We’ll regroup at trail intersections along the way so everyone can stay together. ### 🌙 Moonrise We expect to finish around **6:30 PM** and return to the Chabot Space & Science Center parking lot. We’ll then take some time to enjoy the **Harvest Moon rising**, which is expected around **6:28 PM**, weather and trail conditions permitting. Moonrise may be affected by weather, visibility, trees, terrain, or other conditions, so we cannot guarantee a clear view. ### 🔭 Optional: Observatory **7:30 PM** For those who are interested, we can head over to the observatory afterward to see the Moon through the telescope. Check current observatory weather conditions here: [Chabot Observatory Weather Details](https://chabotspace.org/weather-station/observatory-weather-details/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ### 🎒 What to Bring * Enough water for the hike * Comfortable hiking shoes * Layers appropriate for changing temperatures after sunset * Anything else you may need to stay comfortable outdoors Please be respectful of **fellow hikers, other park visitors, and nature**. As always, please review the distance and pace and make sure this hike is appropriate for your current fitness level and hiking experience.

Mill Valley Free Concerts 6 bands playing all day POSTED TIMES on photo

Some good bands all day long, bring picnic 🧺 or buy fun event