Field Trip Leader Bios
Read all the biographies here.
A special note about Field Trips
Please arrive at the location indicated 20 minutes prior to your scheduled event. This will allow us time to check you in and ensure the trip leaves promptly. We ask that you follow your field trip leader from the meeting location to the final destination. Anyone arriving after the field trip leader has left may not be able to join the group. Walk-in registration may be available for some events during the weekend of the Festival.
Weather may change a trip's itinerary, but most trips will be conducted rain or shine. The weather in the valley during January is variable. It is generally cold and sometimes rainy, with daytime highs ranging from 50F to 65F.
Be sure to bring the following on your field trips: rain gear, waterproof footwear, layered clothing, binoculars, camera, field identification guide, water and snack or lunch as needed. Please also check out the Tips & Etiquette below to help you enjoy your day to the fullest.
Tips & Etiquette for Bird Watchers
To make your trip more enjoyable for yourself and others, we ask you to please use these following etiquette tips:
- Wear clothing suitable for the weather and area you'll be hiking in. It's practical to layer clothing to accommodate fluctuations in temperature. Wear comfortable shoes that have a good grip and are waterproof when necessary. You may want to take sunscreen, a hat or rain gear.
- Bring binoculars or a scope for a better viewing experience.
- Bring water on long outings to stay hydrated.
- Bring a Field Guide if you are interested in learning more about the birds you see. If you are a beginning birder, look for a guide that specializes in birds of northern California.
- Be courteous to other explorers. Stay with your group and pay attention to your trip leader. Walk quietly and slowly. Do not disrupt animals or damage their habitats (breaking branches, trampling vegetation). Turn off cell phones or other electronic devices. If you are taking children with you, explain to them proper etiquette before the trip. Always behave in a manner that will enhance the image of the birding communities in the eyes of the public.
- Tune up your senses and listen carefully. Scan the horizon and tree canopies. Look to the ground for prints, feathers and other traces of wildlife. Please remove litter and leave natural items where they belong. This will keep it enjoyable for others when they visit.
- No dogs or pets allowed on any Snow Goose Festival event, workshop, or program. Please leave Fido with friends or family and not in the car during a field trip.
Field Trip: Beginning Birding by Ear & Nature Sounds Society - Sold Out!
$35 Adult; $15 Youth
Saturday, Jan 27, 2024 7:30 am - 11:00 am
Meet at Patrick Ranch Museum (Map)
Walking, could involve distance but largely flat
Description
The skill of identifying birds by their vocalizations adds a wonderful new level of enjoyment to any outdoor outing. Many experienced birders find most of their birds by sound alone! Join us for a morning of listening to and learning some audio clues for identifying bird songs and calls in the field at the Pine Creek Unit of the Sacramento River Refuge Complex. Asher takes delight in helping people add this rewarding skill to their birding toolkit! Greg Weddig, Dan Dugan and Sharon Perry, from Nature Sounds Society, will bring listening and recording equipment on this trip.
Field Trip Leaders
Dan Dugan
Dan Dugan is best known as the inventor of the automatic microphone mixer. He has been a technical mentor for the Nature Sounds Society since 1990. Dugan has recorded surround sound in many national parks including Muir Woods, Joshua Tree, and Yosemite. He has published six "relaxation CD's" of nature sounds with naturemusicdownload.com and a full-length dawn chorus from Mariposa Grove in Yosemite with listeningearth.com.
Dan Dugan's Events
- Beginning Birding by Ear & Nature Sounds Society (1/27/2024)
Greg Weddig
Greg Weddig has been recording and documenting natural soundscapes since 2003. He is a member of the Nature Sounds Society, a founding member of the Maryland Nature Recordists, and has taught field recording and editing classes. Greg is currently a volunteer recordist for Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Greg Weddig's Events
- Beginning Birding by Ear & Nature Sounds Society (1/27/2024)
Sharon Perry
Sharon Perry has worked as an environmental educator. She is currently the chair of the Nature Sounds Society.
Sharon Perry's Events
- Beginning Birding by Ear & Nature Sounds Society (1/27/2024)
Asher Perla
Asher Perla is a 17 year old high school student and birder from Yuba county. He started birding in early 2019, after going on a Snow Goose Festival field trip! Since then he's gone all over the country in search of birds, and is completely obsessed! Asher goes birding every day, and loves to observe new behaviours in common birds as well as finding unusual species. He plans to pursue a career in Ornithology!
Asher Perla's Events
- Beginning Birding by Ear & Nature Sounds Society (1/27/2024)