36 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 9-15, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com FACE TO FACE As a board member for Latino Outdoors, Claudia Pineda Tibbs is committed to ensuring that fellow-Latinos know they belong in nature. More broadly, she wants everyone to know they belong in nature, including to the world of birding. She credits her discovery of birding to her friend Emily Chan Maddox, who started noticing birds around Moss Landing while sitting in traffic on her commute to work from Santa Cruz to Monterey. “I caught the birding bug from her,” Pineda Tibbs says. Together, they went on to cofound the Central Coast Birding Collective, which hosts inclusive, free, recurring events. Pineda Tibbs, 43, lives in Pacific Grove and works as the sustainability manager at the Monterey Bay Aquarium where she is leading efforts to reduce emissions and to increase waste diversion from the landfill. Weekly: You and your friend Emily created a new birding group. Why? Pineda Tibbs: We tried out a few birding groups. One thing we noticed was nobody looked like us—the demographic was much older, mostly white and mostly male. And it was mostly, “We are going to look for this bird”— like doing it for the ’gram, or for eBird. This idea of birding is basically to cloud-chase was really off-putting. What are other approaches? It really depends. Some people make observations from one location they are sitting in; they are just there to hear birdsongs. Maybe they are there to allow their creativity to shine through by doing sketches or nature journaling. We might be talking about how cute a bird is, and we are not using technical language. It’s more of a vibe. Some people want to practice their skills and narrow down what the bird might be. It just further emphasizes, “Yes, I am a birder, I was able to do that.” Your events start at the humane hour of 9am. Why do birders go out so early? There’s no wrong or right way to do it. But timing takes a certain amount of consideration; birds are most active when it starts to warm up and insects start to move around. The dawn chorus—you can hear it from your house when you wake up. Birding sometimes seems to resemble hiking, but much slower. You’re not going to meet your daily step goals while you’re birding. Our average distance is less than a mile. But you can always say to yourself, I see this tree in the distance, I might stop just to observe. There’s a choose-your-own adventure when it comes to birds. Our group is like an amoeba, we start out clumped together then we spread out. Do you have a favorite bird to hear or see? I very much love the little yellow and black Townsend’s warbler, because they look like a little raccoon with a little mask, and they’re so mischievous. I am a sucker for anything cute. And I love that I can identify them quickly. Where does your love of nature come from? It’s rooted in the way I grew up in Southern California. We would go to manmade lakes or to the beach in Baja. For me, nature was centered around water. As I got older, I started to appreciate trees and plants, to the credit of an AP environmental science teacher. She was somebody outside my family who created a safe place for me to explore places I hadn’t been before, like the Channel Islands—so I knew I was not a city mouse. Living in [Monterey County] has provided me with a sense of appreciation that nature is everywhere. Growing up, I had been told by television or books that nature was more of a solitary thing—that you are lost in a forest, hiking a mountain by yourself. In Latino Outdoors, it’s about sharing excitement and stories, and also to model to others that we are out here and welcome everyone to join us. Do you think it is working—are more people of diverse backgrounds joining you? I see folks of various backgrounds. I see adults trying to find ways for their kids to not be on the screen. What can I do as a white woman in nature to make sure I help make it feel welcoming to all people? Be mindful of your body language, say hi when you pass someone. You can show that you are a welcoming, safe person. The next birding outing with Central Coast Birding Collective is 9-11:30am Sunday, April 19 at Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge, end of Neponset Road west of Highway 1, Moss Landing. Free. ccbirdingcollective.org. Taking Flight Claudia Pineda Tibbs wanted a way to fit into the birding world. So she made her own group. By Sara Rubin Claudia Pineda Tibbs’ birding philosophy is less focused on the technical side but the continued awareness of why she loves these animals. “We are here to revel in birds because they are so cool,” she says. “They are an organism that defies gravity.” DANIEL DREIFUSS Watson Want to meet Watson? Please fill out our online adoption questionnaire. Traits to Love: approx. 12 years old - 7 lbs - male - Chihuahua mix Watson is an easygoing companion who knows how to enjoy the good parts of the day. He appreciates sunshine, fresh air, and a comfortable place to settle in. If your ideal summer includes a loyal presence nearby and a calm, happy rhythm, Watson could be your lovely match! He would love to meet you! Ad sponsored by Kalman Weinfeld in honor of his late father who taught him the value of volunteering. If you’d like sponsor our next ad, please give us a call. 831-718-9122 | www.POMDR.org P.O. Box 51554, Pacific Grove, CA 93950
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