Special Bird Festivals

CLAREMONT: Things that Go Bump in the Night  October 14 -15, 2016, 5:30-9 p.m.
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden
1500 N. College Ave.
Claremont, CA
rsabg.org
$5-10
Things that Go Bump in the Night is a fun evening family event to observe and learn about plants and animals that are most active at night. Visitors follow Garden paths with a passport to visit interactive stations exploring the nocturnal world and its amazing critters. This year's highlights include: Live Owls and other Raptors brought to us by Wild Wings of California. Please note Wild Wings of California will be onsite until 8 p.m. each event evening. Learn about our feathered friends. An educational celebration of all kinds of birds, this annual event highlights the behaviors and physical traits that enable them to survive and thrive.

MORRO BAY Annual Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival January 13-16, 2017 morrobaybirdfestival.org

Most events are held at the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History, and will be free for kids; an approx. $3 fee per adult will be charged for adults entering the Museum.

Family Day Activities may include:

Introduction to Birding and Habitat Hike--Learn to use binoculars and field guides and discuss habitat needs during a short walk from the Museum.
Learn to Track
Intermediate Birding
Bird for a Day
Bird, Learn, Make and Take
Introduction to Birding and Habitat Hike
Kayaking and Canoeing in the Bay
Critter Crawl
Rubbing Noses with Reptiles
Puppet Show
Family Day Finale Condor Hunt

CHICO Snowgoose Festival Jan 25-29, 2017
snowgoosefestival.org

GALT - Galt Winter Bird Festival January 21, 2017, 8 a.m-4 p.m.

McCaffrey Middle School 997 Park Terrace Drive Galt, CA 95632
Phone: 209.366.7115
ci.galt.ca.us

Keynote Speaker: David Allen Sibley, Ornithologist/Illustrator Author of The Sibley Guide to Birds

View thousands of migratory birds that call Galt their winter home. Bus tours include: morning & sunset photo tours, a children's tour, a dawn photo-op tour and a wildlife tour of the Cosumnes River Preserve. Festival guests will also enjoy good food, Animal Performances, a Youth Art Gallery and free children's art and crafts. Tours require pre-registration. Space is limited. Call now 209-366-7115.

VALLEJO / San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival on Mare Island Feb. 19-21, 2016
sfbayflywayfestival.com
San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Flyway Festival features guided hikes and outings, tours and workshops on Mare Island. The annual San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival held at Mare Island marks the return of over one million shorebirds, ducks, geese and hawks. The San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival is located on the former Mare Island Naval Shipyard, the U.S. Navy's oldest installation in the Pacific and a National Historic Landmark, the highest ranking National Park Service gives an historic site in America. Mare Island is flanked by the Napa River or as it is also know, the Mare Island Strait, to the east and San Pablo Bay to the west. This setting in combination with its rich maritime and naval history makes it an irresistible attraction for those intrigued with military history and eager to discover natural places.

CLAREMONT: Family Bird Festival Feb. 14, 2016
10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden
1500 N. College Ave.
Claremont, CA
rsabg.org

Included with Garden admission (around $8) Grab your binoculars for a fun day in the Garden learning about our feathered friends. An educational celebration of all kinds of birds, this annual event highlights the behaviors and physical traits that enable them to survive and thrive.

DAVIS California Duck Days February 20, 2016, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Yolo Wildlife Area Headquarters
Davis, CA
yolobasin.org
California Duck Days is an annual wetlands festival consisting of a day filled with workshops, field trips, exhibit hall and special events. Interactive displays from 20 area environmental organizations feature Mallard ducklings, as well as live raptors. Food will be available on-site for purchase. over a dozen field trips to sites around the region, such as waterfowl identification, wood duck box building and dog training. In addition, special workshops onsite will include a bat talk, and a falconry demonstration in the field, and a kids' fishing activity. Children will be able to fish for trout in the demonstration wetlands or in a special pond for young children and then have their fish cleaned and packed to take home.

SAN DIEGO Bird Festival February 23-26, 2017 sandiegoaudubon.org
There's usually a Free Family Fun Day on Sunday Noon - 4 p.m.
The festival is held at the Marina Village Conference Center just steps away from San Diego's species-rich San Diego River estuary. Estuary walks take place daily Thursday through Saturday. Pre and post festival trips include the Salton Sea and Baja Peninsula. Most events are fee-based trips to see birds with varying prices. However, Family Day feature many free events and activities. Family Day 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM Sponsored by SDG&E Bring the whole family to ignite a fascination with birds that will last a lifetime! We've prepared a special day, packed with introductory and more advanced birding experiences. Drop by our art & craft space to express your love for birds with Family Adventures in Nature. In our storytime room, talented readers will share their love of birds through great stories, old and new. You can see live birds up close with Project Wildlife and Living Coast Discovery Center. A limited number of family field trips to local birding areas, including a kayaking experience sponsored by Hobie, and coastal bird watching walks take place. The bird nerds in your family will enjoy the "Big Sit,"� where professional birders will be on hand to point out the birds in nearby San Diego Estuary and the Quivira Basin. There will be guided walks, games, workshops, and a raffle for great prizes. No pre-registration is necessary for Family Day events, however, some field trips and workshops have limited availability. Families may sign up for these events in the registration room on the day of the event, on a first come, first served basis. A full schedule of events is available on the Bird Festival website.

ARCATA: Godwit Days April 19-25, 2017
godwitdays.org

POINT REYES Nature and Birding Festival April 22-24, 2016
pointreyesbirdingfestival.org

LEE VINING: MONO BASIN Bird Chautauqua June 17-19, 2016
birdchautauqua.org
An amazing array of birding and bird related activities includes everything from campfire stories to drawing birds, image editing, bird walks, talks and even some squawks. The schedule of educational and entertaining events fills three incredible days, Friday through Sunday. If you love birds, you're guaranteed to see something new and learn something at this exciting festival.

LONE PINE: Owens Lake Bird Festival April 22-24, 2016
Lone Pine, Ca
friendsoftheinyo.org
Please join the 1st Annual Owens Lake Bird Festival on April 25th, 2015, and an Opening Reception on Friday, April 24th at the Lone Pine Film History Museum.

WELDON: Kern Valley Spring Nature Festival April 25, 2015
Weldon - Ca

ALPINE: Sage & Songbirds Festival on May 1-3, 2015
chirp.org

LEE VINING: Tahoe Basin Bird Festival June 17-19, 2016
Taylor Creek Visitors Center, South Lake Tahoe, Ca
Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua

CHESTER: Grebe Festival August 19-22, 2016
Plumas Audubon Society is organizing a birding festival in Plumas County this summer, spotlighting Western and Clark's Grebes. The Grebe Festival will include seminar presentations, fieldtrips, workshops, art, culture, beer-stroll, movies, and free family activities. The Festival, to be held in Chester and around Lake Almanor
plumasaudubon.org/grebe-festival.
Almanor Recreation Center
Chester, CA
530-592-0672
Open to the public
Registration fees for certain fieldtrips, workshops, seminars, and documentary screenings.
Free family activities
plumasaudubon.org/grebe-festival

Monterey Bay Birding Festival September 23-25, 2016
montereybaybirding.org
Field trips, workshops and lectures offer exciting information and actual viewing of the colorful birds of the coast. Lectures are around $10 each, one day pass approx. $40 and full weekend pass is $75 in 2016. There are also some free workshops and events.

LODI - Sandhill Crane Festival November 4-6, 2017
cranefestival.com

MARYSVILLE: California Swan Festival

Bird cruises & tours

BOLSA CHICA WETLANDS

Huntington Beach Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Orange County is home to migratory birds and waterfowl. Free guided tours are regularly offered by several non-profit organization on some Saturdays and Sundays. Free first Saturday tours are offered by Amigos de Bolsa Chica (amigosdebolsachica.org). They also provide free last Saturday tours each month. Bolsa Chica free guided walking tours on the third Sunday of each month are provided by Bolsa Chica Land Trust (bolsachicalandtrust.org)

CACHUMA LAKE BIRD WATCHING CRUISE

Autumn is a spectacular time to watch the migrating birds in California. In California birding opportunities abound, but there's one special place that allows you to hop aboard the Osprey boat for a two hour guided tour of Cachuma Lake, located a short drive outside the city of Santa Barbara. The tours are scheduled to go out daily and make for a unique change from city attractions during a Santa Barbara vacation.

MOSS LANDING Bay Birding Cruises & Photo Cruises

Elkhorn Slough Safari - Moss Landing regularly scheduled, year-round cruises of the slough (831) 633-5555. elkhornslough.com