Dorian's Circa Bay Ride Day 2

By Guest Blogger Dorian Anderson

This is the second of a series of blog posts by Dorian recounting his six-day Circa Bay Ride around the San Francisco Bay to raise awarenes about the health benefits of birding and raise money for SFBBO's 2024 Spring Appeal. During the first day of his ride, he led bird walks at Coyote Point in San Mateo and the Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve. 

I’m sorry for the delay in sharing about my ride in Wingbeat! While I was able to crank out a post on April 6th, time shortages prevented follow-ups on subsequent days. In brief, I’ve spent each of the days between April 7th and 11th biking and birding from 7am to 7pm and spent each night engaging the hosts who put me up as I rounded the Bay. 

With dinner scheduled at 8pm each night, it was bedtime before I realized it! So yeah, mine were extremely full days. I’m now home, in San Mateo, so I can catch up with the daily recaps. 
​
With that, let’s resume with April 7th. Recall that I spent the previous night, April 6th, in Milpitas, a destination I departed at 6:45am. Birding my way towards Coyote Hills Regional Park, where I’d scheduled a 9am bird walk, I made stops at the Warm Springs vernal pools and Pacific Commons Linear Park. Among a standard panel of waterfowl, shorebirds, and herons, a grouping of ten Greater White-fronted Goose was a very nice surprise. I celebrated that find by stopping at a local donut shop. ​

​Reaching Coyote Hills, I joined an assembled score of birders. We made brief introductions and began scanning the wetlands, where we had comparison views of Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, American Wigeon, and a trio of teal (Green-winged, Blue-winged, and Cinnamon). Looping deeper into the park, we found swooping Northern Harriers, vociferous Marsh Wrens, acrobatic Forster’s Terns, and curious Common Gallinules. A distant Hooded Merganser, uncommon in the park, was enjoyed by all. With sunny skies and temperatures in the high fifties, it was a really wonderful morning. I thank all participants for their energy and enthusiasm!

The remainder of the day was spent riding towards Moraga, where I’d arranged to spend the night with my best friend from high school, and the next day I set out again, covering 45 miles! I also added two birds — Purple Finch, Pygmy Nuthatch — to my Alameda bike list, my total now 198 species. I had both of those by car already, but it was nice to redeem that pair of ‘dirty birds’ in the county’s northern reaches, an area I hadn’t visited by bike previously. 

​I spent what remained of the day at EBMUD Vally Vista. I’d only reached into Contra Costa County on my bike once previously, so I grew my CC bike list with the likes of Ring-necked Duck, Band-tailed Pigeon, Great Egret, Hairy Woodpecker, and California Thrasher. With the Brown Creeper and Pacific Wren I picked up en route, it was a really great haul of birds and a relaxing way to end the day! Across the first two days, my species total was 150 and my accumulated mileage was 92. Not too shabby!

​Please support SFBBO's programs to keep birds, ecosystems, and communities healthy by making a donation to their 2024 Spring Appeal - donatons of $50 or more are eligible to receive a signed copy of my new book!

​An avid birder since childhood, Dorian Anderson abandoned his hobby at age 15, focusing instead on a demanding scientific career while simultaneously struggling with substance abuse. While working as a postdoctoral fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital, Dorian decided to leave the academic rat race and focused on the next phase of his life, returning to birding. In 2014, he embarked on his Biking for Birds project, the first North American Big Year completed entirely by bicycle. During this incredible journey, he biked 17,830 miles (28,500 km) and observed 618 bird species while raising funds for bird habitat conservation. Since his cycling Big Year, he has transitioned to a professional life as a birding guide, writer, and public speaker.