Gay Birders Club Flocks to Half Moon Bay This Weekend

More than 50 members of the Gay Birders of North America (GBNA) are coming to Half Moon Bay this weekend to soak in all that this stretch of the San Mateo County coastline has to offer this time of year when it comes birding.

"The California coastline in late September and early October is one of the most exciting birding destinations in the United States," said Jennifer Rycenga, one of the current co-organizers for the group. "There are multiple types of migration —song birds, shorebirds, and sea birds — going on simultaneously."

Having their event in Half Moon Bay also allows the group with active cooperation from about 25 members of the Sequoia Audubon Society to embark on their first-ever pelagic journey with Coastside ornithologist Alvaro Jaramillo, who runs pelagic trips out of Pillar Point as part of his tour business Alvaro's Adventures.

This offshore boat trip on Sunday will provide the group an opportunity to "see deep-ocean species that are often not visible from land," said Rycenga.

Gay Birders of North America was formed in 2002 from a desire to expand nationwide from an Atlanta-based group called GAGGLE, and in imitation of a similar UK group called GBC (Gay Birder's Club). 

"Initially our group, Gay Birders of North America, was an email group only, used for networking, especially for traveling birders, and for organizing local events," said Rycenga.

But as friendships developed among the members of the email group, the idea of having birding get-togethers started to expand.

By 2009, GBNA decided to have a biennial birding festival. The first one was held in the Black Hills area of South Dakota that year; the second one was held in 2011 at the height of migration along the east Texas and Louisiana coastline. 

Rycenga explains that the group initially formed because back in the early years of this century, many gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (GLBT) birders felt the need to connect with one another, to be able to enjoy the camaraderie of being with friends, and being able to be '"out" in the field while bird-watching.

"To be able to celebrate a beautiful new bird species with your partner, and not be worried that someone else in the birding party might start critiquing your life, or calling you a sinner — that was an experience that many GLBT birders wanted," she said, "to be able to be themselves when enjoying nature."

The group was also formed for networking, to connect with other GLBT with an interest in birding since "the best areas for birds are not the most progressive areas of this country for GLBT rights," said Rycenga. "That was more true in the early 2000s than it is now. The group has changed with the times, and is now more about the friendships old and new that are formed through the meetings and online forums."

Still, you don't have to be GLBT to join.

"Everyone is welcome," said Rycenga. "We have had straight allies and friends as part of the group from the beginning."

Joining is fairly simple. Visit the website here or the group's Facebook here and the information is all there.