Meet at The Pink Wall by 9:30 am. Carpooling encouraged. Leader: Glenn Phillips. Bring your binoculars for this combined bird & garden stroll. We'll start with a look at some of the hotspots around the lake for wintering waterfowl. Lake Merritt was one of the first pieces of public land set aside in the US specifically for wildlife protection. After the birds, we will wander through the Gardens of Lake Merritt, a small scrappy botanical garden mostly run by volunteers. Highlights include their collection of hardy palms and tropical vireya rhododendrons. Bring binoculars (or borrow from Glenn), lunch and dress in layers