Christmas Bird Count
The unofficial Friends of Albany Hill Christmas Bird Count will be held on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, 9 AM – 11 AM. This will be led by Master Birder Ralph Pericoli. We will bird and count the top of the hill from the end of Jackson Street up the stair path to Taft St. and along the ridge of the hill south.
This is a count for all levels of birders. If you’re not confident about your ID skills you will be still invaluable as a spotter.
This will be limited to the first 10 people responding and a wait list will be maintained so please RSVP at ralphpericoli@att.net and cancel if you cannot make it as the date grows near.
NEWS FLASH – November 29, 2025
The migrants have arrived at Albany Hill! Now that we’ve finally experienced a cold snap, they are starting to congregate and seek out warmth and shelter on the hill. I counted 110 this morning. There are a few around the summit and upper meadow, but the big show is down in the large southwest meadow. You can also see a few different clusters about 10m up in this tree, directly across from the trail sign.
Now is an excellent time to get out in the chill of the morning and count. Please let me know what you are seeing so we can make sure to monitor them at the peak of the season. And feel free to share any high quality photos through my website www.rootwisdom.com.
— Kirra Swenerton
Carole Kay Fitzgerald (1939-2025)
Albany Hill’s modern history, and the story of the Friends of Albany Hill, cannot be told without the history of Carole Kay Fitzgerald. Carole was a founder of Citizens to Protect Albany Hill in the late 1980s, and reactivated Friends of Albany Hill (FOAH) in 1992, becoming its animating force for decades. She served as its president until her death. FOAH mourns Carole’s passing on May 2, 2025, just one week shy of her 86th birthday. A passionate advocate for Albany Hill, she happily shared her love of this “island in an urban sea.” Above all, Carole knew how to inspire others to treasure and care for the hill. If anyone could be called a Friend of Albany Hill, it was Carole.
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Friends of Albany Hill
The Friends of Albany Hill works to preserve the special nature and open space in Albany, home to many native species of wildflowers, ferns, shrubs, and trees. We also support the Monarch Butterfly Migration located on the hill during the winter months. Contact us to get involved in gatherings on the hill.
Two owls hooting it up in the Eucalyptus trees at the top of Albany Hill in Albany, California, February 2025. Video copyright Robin A. Finky.
Comments about the Eucalyptus Project to the Study Session
from Ralph Pericoli, resident and master birder.
Butterflies of Albany Hill mural project – Essig Museum of Entomology
The Essig Museum of Entomology at the University of California, Berkeley features the new Butterflies of Albany Hill Mural project in this article, with several photos of the mural and muralists:
https://essig.berkeley.edu/albany-hill-mural/
Winter Activities on Albany Hill
Friends of Albany Hill completed mural work at the Children’s Center, 720 Jackson St. The AUSD board meeting on January 10, 2023 spotlighted the mural with a short slide show and the history and purpose presented by artist Carole Fitzgerald. (Watch the presentation; starts at 10:33)
The monarch butterfly count was 600 at Thanksgiving and 120 at New Year’s. This is the largest count in 5 years and was seen by many for the first time. They will hang around until the rains cease around mid-February. They will have moved down the Western and Southwestern slopes now for protection. If you are adventurous, you can follow deer trails and find the cluster. Look up!
Bird nesting will begin in February. Watch for bird walks with Ralph Pericoli.
Days of Nature and Culture On Albany Hill
Stay tuned for details about future gatherings on Albany Hill. Contact us to get involved in gatherings on the hill.
Videos
We’ve just added three Albany Hill history videos documenting the Celebrating on Albany Hill, March 25, 1995 event. (The video links also appear in the History menu.)
- Nature Walk with Dr. Barbara Ertter, on Albany Hill
- Urban Forestry Grant Presentation by Carole Fitzgerald, Friends of Albany Hill
- Land Purchase Dedication by Jane Hart, the Trust for Public Land, for Albany Hill
A more recent video lecture by Dr. Barbara Ertter is here:
Dr. Barbara Ertter – Reflections on Albany Hill: An Island in an Urban Sea
Video presentation from the AlbanyKALB
Plants, Birds and Butterflies on Albany Hill
The Friends of Albany Hill presents extensive information pages on the plant species, bird species and butterfly (lepidoptera) species live in the diverse Albany Hills forests and meadows. It’s a real opportunity for local residents to learn about Bay Area nature, both the beauty and the science.
Friends of Albany Hill 