Presentations/Workshops: Saturday, Jan. 24

Join master carvers from the Pacific Flyway Decoy Association for a three hour carving workshop.

All of the necessary materials, including a study guide and the best knives on the market, will be provided for this workshop. Short lectures with lots of hands-on carving will enable you to complete a life size Dunlin shorebird decoy. Topics include where to get your supplies, how to use reference material, wood selection, and how to use hand tools and power tools. There is a $20 fee for materials. The price includes a one-year membership in the Pacific Flyway Decoy Association, and a club directory. Must be fifteen years old or older.

Pre-register with Jim Burcio at (925) 754-4978 to enroll in this workshop.

Whether you’re a beginning birder serious about improving your identification skills or a veteran birder or field biologist seeking a powerful tool you’ll want to attend this session along with the Beginning Birding by Ear Field Trip immediately following it. birdJam is the essential bird identification tool for the extremely easy-to-use Apple iPod and the new Apple iPhone. With birdJam, any North American bird song can be found within 15 seconds from the easily-accessed and intuitive play-lists organized alphabetically, taxonomically, and by habitat, family, sound-a-likes, festivals, etc. This workshop will cover birdJam basics, use of birdJam in the field, birdJam as a learning and practice tool and the ethics of the use of recorded bird song.

Presenter: Scott Huber

Situated on the west side of the upper Sacramento Valley in an oak woodland savannah, Black Butte Lake is surrounded by beautiful dark volcanic buttes. Relax and take in a slide show of the lake’s 40 miles of shoreline, three nature trails, and striking landscape. See and touch natural artifacts and evidence of the area’s wildlife that will include snake skins, skulls of bobcat and mountain lion, and pelts of beaver and otter.

Presenter: Mary Ann Deeming

Snow Geese, Ross’s Geese, and Blue Morphs – it can be overwhelmingly white in the sky! Come learn how to tell the difference between all these white geese. Through exquisite pictures and lively narration you can become much more knowledgeable about our Mascot of the Festival.

Presenter: Mike Peters

Northern California's unique climate allows the creation of wonderful foods that, far too often, are overlooked. A group of local farmers and ranchers, in conjunction with the local Slow Food convivial, have joined together to celebrate and promote the unique and wonderful food that our area produces. Two producers will discuss how their individual operations evoke the uniqueness of our climate in their products. They understand that the health of the landscape directly affects the health of wildlife and humans. Big Bluff Ranch in Red Bluff produces grass-fed beef and lamb.

Presenter: Tyler Dawley

This workshop is an introduction to nature and wildlife photography, particularly bird photography. Topics include equipment recommendations including 35 mm film and digital cameras, lenses and associated accessories, in addition to discussions on exposure, lighting, composition techniques, and the use of photography blinds and the ethics of nature photography. Recommended photography locations will also be presented during a slide show. A myriad of equipment will be on display including film and digital cameras, photography blinds, camera support devices, flash projection setups and remote control units. This workshop complements Steve’s Photography Field Trip on Sunday at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge.

Presenter: Steve Emmons

Kids + Worms = Fun. Worm composting is an activity most kids just can't resist. Learn how to recycle food waste and create nutrient rich soil for your garden. It's fun, clean, odorless, and can be done is small spaces. This workshop will focus on the basics of VermiComposting including the anatomy of worms, and how to build and care for a composting bin. We will have a hands-on experience building a compost bin. This is a wonderful hobby for young people and will teach recycling practices and the importance of good soil.

Presenter: Kay Perkins

Gardens can be more than just lawns bordered by shrubs and flowers. By considering the needs of birds and other wildlife, our gardens can be designed to attract more birds, bees, butterflies, and still satisfy our desire to have a pleasing garden space. In this workshop we will discuss the critical elements for planning a garden for wildlife: providing food, water, space and shelter, along with how to incorporate these elements into the garden. We will discuss specific native plants that can be planted in the north valley and foothill region that are very useful for attracting birds.

Presenter: John Wittlesey

This workshop will be run using the same format found at any of the waterfowl flyway ‘Wing Bees’. Tables with assorted wings will be set up by species (e.g., mallards, northern pintail, etc.), with a supervisor at each table. Supervisors will start with a brief introduction to their species, including techniques used in the determination of species, sex, and age. Participants will then test their skills using wings provided by workshop personnel. Participants will move from table to table learning a new species at each table. A minimum of 6 – 8 species will be thoroughly covered. Participants may bring their own wings.

Presenters: Jeremy Ashe and Brian Huber

Here’s an opportunity for glimpses into the mysterious Sutter Buttes. Travel throughout the Buttes without every leaving your chair as you enjoy this fascinating slide presentation on the many facets and wonders of the remarkable landscape that makes up the Sutter Buttes.

Presenter: Mike Hubbartt