$2,925
Raised of $3,000
Based on 72 estimated species observed each worth $40.63
Bruce Mast
Fundraiser Profile
78/72 species observed
Participating in 2025 Birdathon Friends and Family Fundraising
Feb 10 - May 16, 2025
My Mission
I'm excited to join this incredible initiative! Golden Gate Bird Alliance's mission to inspire people to protect Bay Area birds is very important to me and I'm proud to help them make a difference.
For this event, I plan to do a Mount Diablo Hiking Big Day on Saturday, May 3. Last year, I tallied 72 species on this same route so, obviously, I have to beat that. Along the way, I will probably hike around 17 miles and cover up to 3000 feet in elevation.
Please support me by giving to my page. Every dollar counts! Thank you.
Bruce Mast
3 days ago
78
species observed
$40.63
Per species observed
$3,169.14
Earned
Ok, I've slept and checked my math--final tally is 78 species total, compared to 72 in 2024. 14.6 miles, 14 hours (4 am to 6 pm), net elevation change: 2150 ft up, 2425 ft down
Highlights:
3 owl species, plus Common Poorwill before dawn
Continuing Black-chinned Sparrow
At least 1 Calliope Hummingbird
1 Golden Eagle soaring over Eagle Peak
8 different Cooper’s Hawks throughout the day
New additions compared to 2024 results
• Wild Turkey—Pine Canyon
• Sharp-shinned Hawk
• Red-shouldered Hawk—Castle Rocks picnic area
• Barn Owl
• Western Screech-Owl
• Peregrine Falcon—Castle Rocks breeding pair
• Western Wood-Pewee—calling from the ravine below Angel Kerley Road. Not where I would have expected it!
• American Crow—distant caws at dawn
• Phainopepla—Pine Pond. Not where I would have expected it!
• Lawrence's Goldfinch—multiple locations
• Black-chinned Sparrow—stakeout
• Western Meadowlark—grassland pastures above Stage Road
• MacGillivray's Warbler
• Yellow Warbler
• Western Tanager
Missed species from 2024
• White-tailed Kite—Margot reported it earlier that morning but I couldn’t refind it
• Hammond's Flycatcher
• Brown Creeper—surprising bird last year
• Northern Mockingbird—surprising bird last year
• White-crowned Sparrow—getting late
• Golden-crowned Sparrow—getting late
• Bullock's Oriole—not at Pine Pond this year
• Nashville Warbler
• Black-throated Gray Warbler
Full trip report with detailed narrative at https://ebird.org/tripreport/361499
Bird on!
Bruce Mast
4 days ago
Today was the Hiking Big Day. It was a fantastic day--unofficial tally is 77 species. I owe you a detailed trip report but I need to sleep first.
Bruce Mast
1 wk. ago
I've been watching the weather forecast for this weekend and it looks like it will be pretty windy on Saturday. Sunday looks better so I'm planning to postpone my Big Day hike by a day. Stay tuned!
Bruce Mast
2 wk. ago
Hey all, did I forget to tell you? An anonymous donor has reached out to me with an offer to match your per-species pledge, dollar for dollar, up to a combined total of $400. If I hit my 72 species goal, then I need pledges totaling $5.55 per species to max out the match. I'm currently at $3.75 so keep those per-species pledges coming and double your money!
Bruce Mast
2 wk. ago
Hello fellow GGBA supporters! My Big Day Hike is coming up in less than 2 weeks. My friend Maria K is planning to join me for the day. She hiked the area yesterday and reports LOTS of flowers and birds, including most of the returning migratory breeding birds. She's in excellent hiking shape but I am not. She thinks we should cover 20 miles--oh boy. Wish me luck!