Sharing the Unique and Diverse Bird Fauna of Central and Northern California with You!
Are you looking for a personal bird guide in the San Francisco Bay Area and Monterey Bay regions of California to help find that specialty species or nemesis bird? Look no further. My name is Ryan Phillips and I am a birder, educator, biologist, and researcher who is excited to share the unique avian fauna of California through unique birding excursion opportunities. I can accommodate any and all types of birders; expert, novice, intermediate, casual, lister, specialty seeker, or however you categorize yourself. I am here to show you birds in the richest bird state in the United States and the local bird hotspots. Contact me today to plan your excursion.
Studying the only known active Solitary Eagle nest of the species in Belize. My first juvenile Solitary Eagle!
Contact
➤ LOCATION
Scotts Valley, CA 95066
☎ CONTACT
norcalbirding@gmail.com
UPCOMING EXCURSIONS:
No group excursions currently planned, but I am open for private excursions throughout the year.
Types of Birding Excursions
private excursions
Are you a local birder in the San Francisco Bay Area region or are you visiting the Bay Area on business or for birding and need a personal guide to take you to areas you have not yet discovered or to assist you in finding specialty birds? I am here to take you out on a birding adventure to fill up your life list, get that nemesis bird, teach you about identification, or to share with you local birding hotspots.
Group Excursions
Group excursions are prearranged trips to a specific location in the San Francisco Bay Area region ranging from 4 to 8 hours or out of area for overnight excursions. They are limited to 10 people, so that we can move swiftly to locate birds and everyone can observe the birds. Check our schedule of tours to book your seat.
family excursions
Do you want a truly unique family experience that every family member will appreciate? You can hire me for a few hours or all day to teach your family about birding, which includes, but is not limited to, how to identify birds, how to use a field guide, how to use binoculars, where to look for birds, ecology of birds, vocalizations, and bird behavior.
field workshops
Field workshops are specifically designed to observe and learn all about a specific taxa of birds. Field workshops are educational enrichment experiences rather than stand-alone bird excursions. You will learn about identification, ecology, breeding biology, migration, molt scheme, and conservation of species. There are various workshops ranging from 4 to 8 hours. Check the schedule for workshop dates and locations.
California specialty seeker
Are you seeking to observe the many specialty species that are found in northern California and need a personal guide to assist in locating these species for you? I can plan a trip specifically for what bird species you would like to observe either for your life list or just to observe these species in the field. Let me know what you would like to see and I can plan a trip to fit your schedule.
“Everyone likes birds. What wild creature is more accessible to our eyes and ears, as close to us and everyone in the world, as universal as a bird.”
Let's Plan a Birding Excursion.
Use the form below to tell us about what type of birding excursion you would like to plan, and I will contact you with a recommended excursion and cost. Please be as detailed as possible. Include what type of tour you are inquiring about, when you would like to go on an excursion, what species you would like to see, how long you would like to be in the field and any other pertinent information. You may also email or call me to make an appointment. My general response time is 48 hours.