11th Annual Snow Goose Festival: January 28-31, 2010
Field Trip: Saturday, Jan. 30

Travel the back roads of Chico to visit the Llano Seco Viewing Platform, Sacramento River NWR and the Gray Lodge Wildlife Area. Along with Snow Geese, we hope to see a variety of waterfowl, raptors and many other wetland species. This trip is most appropriate for intermediate to advanced birders. Bring lunch, water, binoculars, and field guide.

Field Trip Leader: Jay Bogiatto

Visit two premier Sacramento Valley wildlife refuges, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Sacramento NWR and CA Dept. of Fish and Game Gray Lodge Wildlife Area. See huge flocks of Snow Geese and waterfowl along with cranes, ibis, and a variety of raptors. Dress in layers and bring a sack lunch

Field Trip Leader: Skip Augur

We will start our day at Lema Ranch, the 200-acre headquarters of the McConnell Foundation, which features four ponds with marshy borders set in an oak savannah landscape along a 2¼-mile paved trail. Highlights include Green Heron, Common Moorhen, a variety of wintering upland birds and waterfowl. Next we will travel to Kutras Lake, an extension of the Sacramento River and a popular stop for Redding birders. Possible highlights include Red-breasted Merganser, Hooded Merganser, Barrow's Goldeneye, other waterfowl and gulls. To wrap up the day, we will drive down the road to Turtle Bay Exploratorium to get close-up looks of Redding's famous Bald Eagle nest, featuring Patriot and Liberty. This trip is designed for the intermediate bird watcher. Bring your binoculars, spotting scope, water, and lunch. Heavy rains cancel the trip.

Field Trip Leader: Alicia Young

The Sacramento River Discovery Center will be the take off point for this exciting birding adventure. This trip is designed for the intermediate to advanced birder but beginning birders are welcome. With careful looking this area is an ideal place to see a large variety of species. We’ll visit the heron rookery (just getting started this time of year) and bird the recreation area's oak woodlands, riparian, and upland habitats before venturing off towards the foothills at BLM’s Sacramento River Bend Area. Two target birds for this trip that are unlikely to be seen on other trips are the roadrunner and the beautiful Lewis’s Woodpecker. Past trips have revealed a roadrunner, several golden eagles and a host of other species. Over 120 different species of birds have been sighted in this area throughout the year. Please bring your own sack lunch and beverage.

Field Trip Leader: David Dahnke

The Llano Seco Unit of the Sacramento River NWR offers sensational views from an elevated viewing platform. This is an ideal spot for viewing a large number geese and ducks in one location! Other often-sited species include Sandhill Cranes, raptors (last year several Bald Eagles were seen), heron, and egrets. This is definitely a birding hot spot! Trip offered again on Sunday.

Field Trip Leader: Shelly Kirn

The Northern Sacramento Valley attracts some 14 different raptor species during the cold winter months. As January is one of the best months for raptor viewing in Butte County, we will caravan down Hwy 99 south of Chico to seek as many of these birds of prey as we can. Target species include Bald Eagle, Ferruginous Hawk, Merlin, Prairie Falcon, and more. Dress for very cold weather, bring a scope if you have it, and binoculars are a MUST!

Field Trip Leader: Bill Haas

Here is an opportunity to learn about the wildlife and birds at Lassen Volcanic National Park in winter! We will casually explore the park’s beautiful Red Fir forest on snowshoes. Participants must be 8 years or older and able to withstand moderate physical exertion at an elevation of 7,000 feet. Snowshoes will be provided. No experience necessary! Dress warmly and wear boots.

Field Trip Leader: Steve Zachery

A three-mile gentle hillside walk will take us around the 100 year old Dean Place Cattle Ranch. Along the way the Buttes’ volcanic origins and some Native American artifacts will be revealed. Hopefully, we will see such gems as the Mountain Bluebird, Varied Thrush, Golden Eagle, and Ferruginous Hawk, along with the usual winter sparrows, and with luck, geese and swans flying high over the buttes. Be sure to bring binoculars, lunch, water and sturdy boots/shoes and hiking sticks, if you have them.

Field Trip Leader: TBA

Here is your chance to explore the Butte College Wildlife Refuge. This hidden gem on campus encompasses a streamside forest, wetlands, oak woodlands and grasslands that offer a chance to observe Belted Kingfisher, woodpeckers, kinglets, towhees, nuthatches and many other bird species. If time permits we will bird into the canyons of upper campus in blue oak woodlands adjoining Tuscan Formation cliff faces.

Field Trip Leader: Mike Williams

Explore the winter waters of the Thermalito Afterbay and get up close with resident and wintering waterfowl. This is a 3-mile paddle with plenty of stops to view wildlife. Participants you must bring your own canoe or kayak to attend. Participants must wear a PFD (personal floatation device) while on the water and wear appropriate paddling clothing. Rental boats, accessories, and boat delivery are available through www.KayakINC.org for an additional fee. Bring binoculars and a lunch.

Field Trip Leader: Dan Efseaff

This trip begins with a car caravan to the Old Bath House Nature Center near the Table Mountain Bridge. Here we will begin with a nice leisurely hike along the banks of the Feather River. We will keep a keen eye out for some of the area’s abundant wildlife, which includes Mergansers, Golden-eyes, Buffleheads, Osprey, Eagle, river otter and even lingering salmon.

Field Trip Leader: Rex Burress

Birders and banders will spend the morning at one of CSU Chico’s preserves. The groups will take a turn walking and birding the preserve and visiting a bird banding station to see mist nets set up to capture and band birds, take various measurements, record data and release the birds back into the wild. The banding demonstration is weather dependent (no rain or high winds). Bring binoculars.

Field Trip Leaders: Dawn Garcia and Julie Nelson and Michelle Ocken

For those already somewhat familiar with our native local species, the skill of identifying birds by their vocalizations adds a wonderful new level of enjoyment to any outdoor outing. Join avid ear-birder Scott Huber for a morning of listening to and learning some audio clues for IDing bird songs and calls in the field. Scott will also make recommendations for CD’s and computer programs to assist you in learning this exciting skill. Some listening and recording equipment used in Greg Weddig's California Soundscapes workshop be along on this trip.

Participants may wish to take the 9 am - California Soundscapes Workshop that compliments this field trip.

Field Trip Leader: Scott Huber

Tour the farm famous for its specialty rice products and for attracting wildlife to it organic fields. Witness first-hand how valley farm practices, and ecological farming in particular can benefit migratory and non-migratory bird populations of the Pacific Flyway.

Field Trip Leader: Lundberg Family Farms Staff

In 2003, the Del Rio Preserve was planted with native grasses, riparian trees and shrubs. Come see its progress five years later. Learn about this success story of habitat restoration. Our two-mile hike will lead us into the interior of the Preserve where we can expect to see most of the upland bird’s characteristic of the Sacramento Valley at this time of year.

Field Trip Leader: Tom Griggs