Bay Nature Hike: Birding at Garin with Clay Anderson

This piece is inspired by Clay's piece Hairy Woodpeckers: Drilling with Love from the Summer 2025 Print Issue

Join Bay Nature and expert birder Clay Anderson for a birding hike at Garin Regional Park on Saturday, August 30 from 8am–10am. Though it is summer, evidence of bird activity is all around us in the cavities and holes that birds create to live in and rear their chicks. This hike is inspired by Clay Anderson's summer issue piece on cavity-creating Hairy woodpeckers and the other birds (like western bluebirds!) who inhabit them. For this hike, we would meet as a group at the Big Red Barn at 1580 Garin Ave (the square, red barn), walk along the High Ridge Loop Trail to begin birding, then along the Carol Severin Loop Trail (aka Jordan Pond Loop) down to Jordan Pond, walk around Jordan Pond, and then back to the parking lot area near the barn. Tickets are $20 for BN members and $30 for non-members. Registration is limited.

Meet your hike leaders:

Clay Anderson is a self taught naturalist and artist (BA drawing and painting) who leads nature experiences for a number of organizations. He is a contributing naturalist at the Merritt College, Natural History & Sustainability Program, and Eco-Ed program coordinator for Golden Gate Bird Alliance. He likes spending his free time visiting wildlife refuges and eating Indian tacos.

Lia Keener is Bay Nature's event coordinator and previous outreach fellow. She loves hiking and doing nature-inspired art.

Hike location: We will meet up at the Big Red Barn at 1580 Garin Ave, Hayward, CA 94544. Google Maps Link.

Hike length: Approximately 1-2 miles.

Hike difficulty: Easy, flat gravel, approximagely 50 - 80 feet of elevation gain.

Parking: Park at Garin Regional Park's large parking lots at 1320 Garin Ave, Hayward, CA 94544. Google Maps Link.

Elevation change / Uneven terrain: Easy. minimal elevation change.

Access to restrooms and water: Bathrooms are available near our meeting location.

Weather note: Be prepared for lots of sunshine and sun exposure during the hike. We'll be done hiking before temperatures get too high, but please bring plenty of water (at least 1-2 liters) and sun protection (wide brimmed hats, layers, etc.) for during the event. 

Other notes: Bring binoculars and spotting scopes if you have them, plus 1 - 2 liters of water, snacks, sun protection (sunscreen, hats, etc.), and layers. Comfortable walking shoes or hiking boots are recommended. All minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the entirety of the hike. Dogs are not allowed on Bay Nature hikes.

Free for Bay Nature members. Registration is limited.

Photo by © Michael Eisen, some rights reserved (CC-BY) via iNaturalist