I. My Birding Background & Services:

(Note: Your health is paramount during the current Covid-19 virus syndrome, so if you require prefer compliance with “social distancing” action during a tour, please let me know. I am glad to flex into and satisfy your wishes.)

a. With a master’s degree in Natural Resources and as a long-time Avian Biologist & Certified Wildlife Biologist Asc., I’ve led birding tours and taught adult birding classes in more than 20 states (details follow, below).

Currently and since 2001, the majority of my birding tours occur as California birding tours and, specifically, guided birdwatching tours in San Francisco, and, in addition, as Marin County birding tours (including Point Reyes National Seashore), and as Sonoma County birding tours (including Bodega Bay).

I also conduct multi-day bird watching tours to northern and central California (including Yosemite National Park), with my volunteer birding tours offered annually for a) the Point Reyes Birding Festival since its beginning 16 years ago;

b) periodic Marin Audubon Society birding outings — in addition to:

c) conducting an annual Breeding Bird Survey (for the United States Geological Survey) since 1998;

d) performing an annual Pacific Flyway Shorebird Survey for Point Blue Conservation Science; 

e) conducting annual breeding bird surveys for the current Marin County Breeding Bird Atlas 2 that will begin the final stages of surveys during the current 2025 breeding season.

f) volunteering since 2002 for the Marin Audubon Society Conservation Committee.

b. I work full-time as a Consulting Avian Biologist conducting field surveys to identify common and rare bird species, in addition to performing field surveys for rare amphibian, reptile, and mammal species with expertises in biological, regulatory, and permitting services (based on 30 years of staff and freelance experience). My federal 10(a)1(A) wildlife survey recovery permits allow me to conduct field surveys for rare, listed species such as Ridgway’s Rail, California Tiger Salamander, and California Red-legged Frog.

c. I also teach periodic adult birding classes as a Birding Instructor, including:

1) an annual and upcoming June 15-20, 2025 “Birding By Ear in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California” college session for San Francisco State University at its Sierra Nevada Field Campus biological field station.

2) a recent class and field trip centered on Vagrancy in Birds for Golden Gate Bird Alliance members. It highlighted the ecology of rare, vagrant bird dispersal in N. America. We enjoyed seeing several vagrant species at “hot spots” within Pt. Reyes National Seashore.

3) beginning in 2003, I taught all the adult birding classes in the Biology Department at Merritt College, including “Fundamentals of Ornithology”; “Raptors of the SF Bay Area,” “Bird Songing: The Ecology of Birds’ Songs  & Learning Them By Ear,” and “Water Birds of the SF Bay Area”; and

4) Since the 1990s, I have traveled throughout the USA as an invited speaker and in-service workshop presenter/tour leader for professional meetings (e.g., presenter at the annual American Ornithological Society meeting) and public events in more than 20 states. My public bird multi-media presentations are highlighted by clicking on College Classes & Birding Slide Shows.

d. As mentioned above, click here on Guided Bird Watching to see how it features me as a California Birding Guide. 

Costs for my birding tours and guided birding trips are noted in section III, below.

II. BIRDING TOURS — 1) California Birding Tours; 2) Marin County Birding Tours; 3) Sonoma County Birding Tours; & 4) San Francisco Birding Tours:

On weekdays (and, sometimes, on weekends), I enjoy leading individuals and groups on ALL-DAY birding tours in California (e.g., birding tours in San Francisco, birding tours in Marin County, birding tours in Sonoma County, and birding tours in the East Bay). 

As a birding tour guide since 1991, you may appreciate my:

• interest in tailoring a birding tour to fit your needs; feel free to email me or chat by phone. 
• flexibility to pre-plan an outing that agrees with your birding style and cost level (see below “Costs” section)
• 25+ years of birding, bird survey and nest searching experience (i.e., I am Certified Wildlife Biologist Associate who works full-time as a Consulting Biologist/Avian Biologist.)
• ability to identify 400+ N. American bird species by “ear” (and even more by sight, of course)
• bird tour and teaching style that has helped thousands of adult birders improve their bird identification skills, both by sight and by “ear.” Related, I’ve taught freelance “Birding By Ear” field classes to park ranger/DNR-like professionals.
• ability to help you find your target life list bird species. Finding rare California bird species and West Coast endemic bird species are featured abilities of my California bird guiding experience since the 1980s.                                                   
• my 30+ years of leading birding tours in the SF Bay Area and in northern and central California (after leading them in the Midwest where I attended graduate school), includes repeat outings with several visiting birders who contact me for upon returning to the San Francisco Bay Area — perhaps due to knowledge of key “hot spots” where rare/West Coast bird species occur. (See details below in section VI that mention rare, endemic and near-endemic species (and subspecies) I’d be glad to help you pursue.)
• my background that includes fundamental knowledge of bird song ecology and interpreting bird sonograms. The result: I periodically teach “Bird Song Ecology/Birding By Ear” classes, including college-level classes with this title, as well as “Introduction to Ornithology” and “Raptors of the Bay Area.”

(Please note: Sorry, I do NOT offer a half-day birding tour format because travel times to and from birding sites often result in a full-day of my time as a freelance, independent, avian biologist/wildlife biologist.)

III. COSTS & PLANNING*                                                                                (* = All tours are 100% refundable for any reason, including rain that may force postponement or cancellation.)

I offer:

• Flexibility with your birding style. For example, I am glad to start a birding tour early, mid-morning, or later in the day. Alternatively, some birders choose to begin their birding tour in the afternoon, then enjoy an “Owl Prowl” after dark as we pursue West Coast owl specialities/endemic species — with my AGM Global Vision Thermal Camera assisting our ability to “see” owls at night.                                                                                                                                              Day roost spots for detecting one or more owl species are places I know — and I’m able to help you enjoy finding owl species during the day or at night for brief spells so harassment does not occur. 
• Close access to San Francisco and other points in the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area, given I live 20 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin County, CA: 12 Kingfisher Court, Novato, CA 94949.)
• Costs: I charge $375 for an eight-hour day if we go birding in Marin County, including the Pt. Reyes National Seashore area; b) $400 within Sonoma Co. (next county north of Marin Co. on the coast); c) $450 for pickup and dropoff in Berkeley and Oakland; d) and, likewise, $450 for pickup in San Francisco, Napa/Solano County, or south beyond San Francisco into San Mateo County (e.g., Palo Alto area on the peninsula south of the San Francisco airport (that includes the Stanford University area).                                                                                                                                                
• Please note: a) My costs are based on standard elements for which freelancers like myself must account: travel time, toll costs, gasoline, and normal wear-and-tear on my car. 
• b) For insurance reasons, I am not allowed to be your passenger during our tour. Hence, I appreciate you understanding that two vehicles are often necessary, meaning you are welcome to take your car and I can drive my Subaru Outback.

• c) If we meet at my residence at 12 Kingfisher Court, Novato, CA 94949 (20 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge), it is only a two-minute drive from Highway 101, which is the only major freeway that occurs in Marin County (Marin Co. is the initial county north of the Golden Gate Bridge/San Francisco.).

IV.     Seeking to increase your “Life List” total by seeing West Coast endemic and near-endemic species? If so, here’s some options for your tour:                  

• I am glad to review your “target bird” species list for a guided outing. In so doing, I’ll create a tour itinerary focused on your preferred style, either to pursue common, “seasonal sightings” associated with the SF Bay Area, N. CA, and/or central CA…..or more distant birding spots (such as Yosemite National Park and Pinnacles National Park — two of the most popular, iconic birding “hot spots” to which I periodically lead tours). Alternatively, the eight-county San Francisco Bay Area hosts dozens of similarly-excellent “hot spots” for common and rare bird sightings, such as: a) the aforementioned Pinnacles National Park is the closest and MOST LIKELY place near the SF Bay Area to potentially see the federally endangered California Condor; and          b) the Sacramento Wildlife Refuge, a two-hour drive from my residence, hosts diverse, abundant, cacophonous expressions of several waterfowl species during the “winter,” non-breeding season. So-called “murmurations” of Snow, Ross’s, and Greater-white-fronted Goose offer memorable experiences.                                             
• Locally in the SF Bay Area, popular destinations include a) Point Reyes National Seashore (and its impressive year-round bird diversity where 440 species have been seen) and b) Bodega Bay (Sonoma Co.), which offer close-up views for beginning birders and photographers seeking close-up views of pelican, shorebird, duck, grebe, and loon family members. Here, an amazing ocean overlook spot provides periodic chances to see pelagic bird species (Alcid species) without need of a pelagic birding tour.

V. OTHER BIRDING TOUR INFORMATION:

• I have several birding resources to help you enjoy your outing, including checklists such as the “Checklist of the Birds of Marin County” (available via the Marin Audubon Society). Based on our pre-trip planning, I also am able to share an eBird checklist for the birding we agree to visit. Please ask me. Note: The above Checklist is available for purchase from the Marin Audubon Society (marinaudubon.org) and is a good pre-planning “tool” to obtain. My vast collection of other birding resources also includes information I can print from a Birds Of North America Online subscription.                                                         
• Need extra binoculars? I have them, including excellent Swarovski and Zeiss binoculars. My own Swarovski Pure NL 10 x 42 binoculars are a complement to my  A-1 Swarovski ATS 80 HD spotting scope (25 power through 50 zoom magnification).

• In advance of your day’s birding tour, please note I require a deposit that is half the total amount of your outing (see above costs in section III, please). For this deposit, I accept either a check made out in my name — Daniel Edelstein — to 12 Kingfisher Court, Novato, CA 94949-6628, USA.                                                                         
• Even easier and cheaper, you may send me money via a Venmo or Zelle. (My Venmo deposit email # is: @daniel-edelstein-7 and my Zelle # is edelstein1@yahoo.com). Many of my overseas, visiting birders choose Venmo or Zelle for paying a deposit to avoid the extra fees several overseas banks charge for wiring. 

• Please note: As noted above, your deposit will always be returned 100% in full, if your plans change or if poor weather conditions force cancellation of your tour.

• The above birding tour rates apply for one or two people. For a third person, add $50 per day, and likewise, for a fourth in your group. Five to 10 people in a group are charged no more than an additional $100 beyond the total cost for one or two people noted above (i.e., the extra $50 per person relates to my teaching and tour guide style of providing all attendants individual attention throughout the eight-hour tour).                                                                                                                                                                                    VI. TARGET SPECIES TO PURSUE                                                                    (e.g., ENDEMIC & NEAR-ENDEMIC WEST COAST SPECIES):

• Target Bird Species You May Wish To Pursue? Visiting birding locations that you desire or suggesting ones to you so your target bird list is addressed. Bird species that are special-status species/rarities in the SF Bay Area (and in California, according to the California Department of Fish & Wildlife’s Special Animals list) include Northern Spotted Owl, California Black Rail, Ridgway’s Rail (formerly California Clapper Rail), Yellow Rail, Marbled Murrelet, Western Snowy Plover, California Condor — among others. Several subspecies in the SF Bay Area — Willet, Marsh Wren, Yellow-rumped Warbler, to name just three — may soon or eventually be their own species, and these birds are common and easy to find in suitable habitat.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    As for endemic species, beyond California’s ONLY resident endemic species — the Yellow-billed Magpie — that is restricted year-round to the central valley portion of the state, I’d be pleased to help you detect near-endemic species that have much larger year-round ranges, including Northern Spotted Owl, Northern Pygmy Owl, Western Screech-owl, Oak Titmouse, Wrentit, Tricolored Blackbird, California Thrasher, Lawrence’s Goldfinch, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, and Bushtit. As for subspecies you may wish search for with me, it’s exciting to note there’s approximately 60 accepted endemic subspecies in California and 56 near-endemic subspecies in the state.
• Spectacular and memorable (and fun) birding is what’s in store for you when we go explore birds capes such as:
  • Point Reyes National Seashore (Marin Co.) 
  • Bodega Bay (Sonoma Co.) (and the iconic, amazing Bodega Head overlooking  the ocean where several pelagic bird species may be seen if you wish to avoid   an all-day pelagic birding trip)                                                                                     • Muir Woods and nearby (Mill Valley, Marin Co., 25 minutes north of SF)
  • Las Gallinas Wildlife Ponds (San Rafael, Marin Co.)
  • Tomales Bay State Park (Marin Co.)                                                                               
  
• Ultimately, my aim is to enjoy the birds with you and, if you wish, and pursue “target,” life-list species. As a tour option, I offer a night-time “owl prowl”  (e.g., to detect Northern Spotted Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Northern Pygmy-owl) for a day-long foray that begins mid-afternoon. Likewise, feel free to suggest combining an “owl prowl” with an ensuing morning’s outing to pursue dawn/day-active avian species (e.g., uncommon to rare rail family members such as Ridgway’s Rail (formerly California Clapper Rail) and California Black Rail that live year-round in salt marsh/brackish marsh adjacent to San Francisco Bay).       

• Please note that I consider a full-day outing as eight hours of my time beginning from the time I leave my residence, though I’m glad to extend the day’s birding beyond this time length, if we plan for this option beforehand.

      VII. BIRDING TOUR GUIDE SITES THAT FEATURE ME:

      guidedbirdwatching.com

REFERENCES: WHAT ARE PEOPLE SAYING ABOUT DANIEL?:

“Daniel hears (and identifies) birds that I can’t even see!”
– Ron Felzer, Emeritus Instructor in Biology, Forestry and Environmental Studies, Merritt College, Oakland, California

“Daniel’s enthusiasm for warblers is truly infectious.  His Web site and blog are valuable resources for warbler-watchers everywhere.”
– Ken Burton, Birding Guide and North American Banding Council Education Chairman

 “I thoroughly enjoyed Daniel Edelstein’s birding class and greatly improved my ability to bird by ear!  We definitely plan to have him back to teach again.”
– Gary Knoblock, former Executive Director of the Point Reyes Field Seminars adult school, Point Reyes Station, CA

“Daniel has excellent ears and he expertly knows his birds’ songs and calls — and his teaching experience helps others learn the birds that they hear.”
– The venerable and late Paul G. DuMont, bird tour leader for more than 30 years

“Thank you for sharing your knowledge with the State Parks interpretive naturalists.  Your expertise was impressive and your presentation was enjoyable and filled with information.  I am sure the State Park staff will share this knowledge in public programs.”
– Estelle Ruppert, Program Specialist, Bureau of State Parks, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources