Watching Sunsets and Birds in California
If you watch a sunset in California, it’s likely you’ll also watch birds. They dip, dive, grab their last moments of light and food to take back to the nest before tucking in and resting till the sun comes back again. For those who like to watch birds, an integral part of the experience involves watching the skies in which they fly. Daylight is the easiest time to watch birds but the late afternoon sun makes for spectacular picture taking when the light changes white birds suddenly seem orange.
Over 90% of California’s original wetland habitats are gone, making way for development and housing mostly. The remaining small percent hangs with its health always in peril. On June 1, 2012 the State of California Parks clear legal hurdles and received the green light to begin repairing one such important area, the Malibu Lagoon. Other efforts to save wetlands and restore them have had some success. Watsonville holds a wetlands restoration day on the 4th Saturday each month and is one of dozens of such efforts inviting the public to particpate and help out.
If you just want to watch, you can see California bird migrations throughout the state from the desert to the sea, and participate in special events such as hikes, walks, and festivals honoring California’s bird populations.
Here are a few California Bird Festivals and Events:
- June 15-17, 2012 Mono Lake Bird Chautaqua, birdchautauqua.org
- August 11, 2012 Kern River Valley Hummingbird Celebration, kern.audubon.org
- September 13-16, 2012 Monterey Bay Birding Festival, montereybaybirding.org
- September 29, 2012 Kern Valley Turkey Vulture Festival, kern.audubon.org
- November 2-4, 2012 Lodi Sandhill Crane Festival, cranefestival.com
- November 15-18, 2012 Central Valley Birding Symposium, cvbirds.org
- January 18-21, 2013 Morro Bay Bird Festival, morrobaybirdfestival.org/index.htm
- January 24-27, 2013 Chico Snow Goose Festival , snowgoosefestival.org
- February 8-10, 2013 San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival, sfbayflywayfestival.com
- February15-17, 2013 Klamath Falls Winter Wings Festival, winterwingsfest.org
- February 15-18, 2013 Great Backyard Bird Count, birdsource.org
- February 22-23, 2013 Davis California Duck Days, yolobasin.org
- March 7-10, 2013 16th Annual San Diego Bay Bird Festival, sandiegoaudubon.org
- March 8-9, 2013 Los Banos Wild on Wetlands Weekend, creec.edgateway.net
- Winter birding events
