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7th Annual Snow Goose Festival, Jan. 27-29, 2006:
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A special note about Field TripsPlease arrive at the location indicated 15 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. All field trips will be limited to the first 20 reservations. After that, a waiting list will be generated. Walk-in registration may be available for some events during the weekend of the Festival, but cannot be guaranteed. 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 50°-65°F. Be sure to bring the following on your field trips: Rain gear, waterproof footwear, layered clothing, binoculars, camera, water, field identification guide, and snack or lunch as needed. Tips & Etiquette for Bird WatchersTo make your trip more enjoyable for yourself and others, we ask you to please use these following etiquette tips:
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Oxidation Ponds and Indian Fishery$10 per person, $5 for youths under 17 7:30 am – noon Just a few miles from downtown Chico, these oxidation ponds are a favorite birding spot for locals. You'll walk the levees behind the City Sewage Treatment Plant and find many species of local and migrating waterfowl and other birds and mammals. Then stop at the Indian Fishery Day Use Area of Bidwell - Sacramento River State Park and take a 1/2 mile guided nature trail. The trail winds through an oak woodland forest adjacent to an oxbow lake. Woodpeckers abound along with woodland and aquatic birds. In addition you may see river otter, beaver and pond turtles. Field Trip Leader: Mike Fisher Bird the Shores of Black Butte Lake$15 per person, $7 for youths under 17 7:30 am - 2 pm
Field Trip Leader: Phil Johnson Birding Lake Red Bluff Recreation Area and Environs$15 per person, $7 for youths under 17 7:45 am - 3 pm 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 will visit the heron rookery (just getting started this time of year) and we will bird the recreation area's oak woodlands, riparian and upland habitats before venturing off towards the foothills. Two target birds for this trip that are unlikely to be seen on other trips are the roadrunner and the beautiful Lewis’s Woodpecker. Last year’s trip 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 Photography at Sac Refuge$10 per person, $5 for youths under 17 8 am - noon Join Assistant Refuge Manager Steve Emmons at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge to practice some of the techniques discussed in his Saturday workshop. Depending on the weather and lighting conditions, we will concentrate on bird, scenic or close-up photography, so come prepared. Various techniques will be demonstrated including finding subjects, getting close, using blinds and long lens techniques. Technical subjects of exposure, lighting considerations, and flash will also be discussed. Participants should bring a film or digital camera body (with film or digital cards), wide angle, macro and telephoto (minimum 200mm with 1.4X teleconverter) lenses, tripod and flash (not mandatory but advised). Photographers using Nikon camera bodies will be able to use Steve’s 500mm f/4 (manual focus) and 80-200mm f/4 (manual focus) and 80-200mm f/2.8 (auto focus) lenses, and 1.4 and 2x teleconverters and 1.4X and 2X teleconverters. Limited to 15 people. Field Trip Leader: Steve Emmons
$40 per person, $40 for youths under 17 8 am – 4 pm
Field Trip Leaders: Mike Hubbartt and Marty Steidlemayer Sutter Buttes Hike – Summit Ascent$40 per person, $40 for youths under 17 8 am – 4 pm Take a 5 mile hike into the mysterious interior of the Sutter Buttes. Visit secluded locations that reveal the Buttes' geologic formation, Native American presence, old pioneer home sites, and a wild ecology typical of California's past. The Summit Ascent, with a 1000 ft. elevation gain within a half-mile stretch, is quite strenuous. Bring lunch and water. Field Trip Leaders: Mike Hubbartt and Marty Steidlemayer Sutter Buttes Hike – with Walt Anderson$40 per person, $40 for youths under 17 8:30 am – 4:30 pm From Chico, we will carpool down the Great Valley toward the only real sense of relief in an otherwise flat landscape: the magnificent and anomalous Sutter Buttes. Walt pioneered access and interpretation in this privately owned mountain range. Penetrating into the heart of this castle of volcanic origins, we will hike through oak woodlands and climb ridges for expansive views (fog willing) and opportunities for an insider’s view of the natural and cultural history of one of California’s great landscapes. Field Trip Leader: Walt Anderson USFWS Llano Seco & Beginning Birding$10 per person, $5 for youths under 17 8:30 am - 12:30 pm The Llano Seco Unit of the Sacramento River NWR offers sensational views from an elevated viewing platform. This trip is designed for the beginning to intermediate birder (advanced birders are also welcome) as this is an ideal location for viewing a large variety of species all in one location! Learn interesting facts about the birds as well as helpful hints on identification. You can expect to see a variety of wintering waterfowl, sandhill cranes, raptors (last year several bald eagles were seen), along with many other species. Just a short drive outside of Chico, this is definitely a birding hot spot! (This field trip is also offered on Saturday) Field Trip Leader: Gaylord Grams Kayaking the Forebay$10 per person, $5 for youths under 17 8:30 am - 12:30 pm Cruise the cold waters of Lake Oroville’s North Forebay and get up close with the resident and wintering waterfowl. This is a leisurely 3-mile paddle and you must bring your own canoe or kayak to attend. You must also have a PFD (personal floatation device) for each person on your boat. Bring binoculars and warm clothing. Field Trip Leader: Victor Herrick Feather River’s Bedrock Park$10 per person, $5 for youths under 17 8:30 am - 12:30 pm The main attraction of this leisurely walk at Bedrock Park is the diving duck population that frequents this stretch of the Feather River. Buffleheads, goldeneyes, ruddy ducks, and common mergansers can be seen doing their courtship and bonding displays. The riparian habitat along the river supports many species of wintering songbirds and waterfowl as well as beaver, river otter, raccoons, muskrats and wild turkey. Field Trip Leaders: John Grow and Leroy Hord Bike & Bird with Chico Velo$10 per person, $5 for youths under 17 10 am - 2 pm Join the Chico Velo Club for this 3 to 4 hour flat bike ride out to the Indian Fishery Day Use Area of Bidwell - Sacramento River State Park, with a return stop at the City of Chico Water Pollution Control Plant (Oxidation Ponds), both great birding spots. Riders should have a reliable and safe bicycle. Helmets will be required for all riders. Chico Velo will provide snacks during the trip. Please bring your own water. Field Trip Leader: Ed McLaughlin Gray Lodge Wildlife Area$15 per person, $7 for youths under 17 11:45 am – 4:30 pm
Field Trip Leader: Lori Dieter Hiking Tour of Riparian Restoration Sites$10 per person, $5 for youths under 17 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm Join River Partner staff for a walking tour between two riparian restoration sites along the Sacramento River. We will start at the Ord Bend Unit of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and end up at the California Department of Fish and Game's Jacinto Unit. The approximately 3 mile level hike offers great views of the Sacramento River and an opportunity to view winter wildlife. Come learn about river and restoration processes, opportunities for local community involvement, and wildlife benefits as you get a close-up view of the dramatic transformation taking place on these sites. Good walking shoes are a must! Field Trip Leader: Dan Efseaff Wing-It to the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge$15 per person, $7 for youths under 17 12:30 pm – 5 pm The "winging-it" part of this trip is where the fun starts! En route to the Refuge expect to veer off the beaten path a bit as your leader gravitates to where the birds are. When you arrive at the Refuge Visitor Center we’ll view the diorama and pick-up a wildlife checklist. Then you are off to a leisurely adventure around the auto tour loop that offers excellent viewing opportunities without ever having to leave your car! An informative radio program can be tuned in while on the tour, and you can stop and stretch at two areas for a closer look at the thousands of waterfowl that winter on this refuge. Field Trip Leader: Michael Denega Birds, Plants and Indian Shelter$10 per person, $5 for youths under 17 1 pm - 4 pm Join us for a fun family hike to Upper Bidwell Park! On our way to the Indian shelter, we will pause to appreciate wildlife and Indian uses of the plants we find along the way. Take in the wonderful view of the canyon from the Indian shelter. It is a three-mile round-trip hike so wear comfortable walking shoes and bring water. Field Trip Leaders: Jim Dempsey and Wes Dempsey |
Situated on the west side of the upper Sacramento Valley, 
Take a 5 mile hike into the mysterious interior of the Sutter Buttes. Visit secluded locations that reveal the Buttes' geologic formation, Native American presence, old pioneer home sites, and a wild ecology typical of California's past. The mid mountain hike is moderately brisk. Bring lunch and water.
Enjoy great birding opportunities as you travel the back-roads from Chico to the Gray Lodge Wildlife Area. At Gray Lodge you will join naturalist Lori Dieter for a short hike filled with wildlife viewing and an introduction to the northern Sacramento Valley’s past. Birds likely to be seen include a wide variety of waterfowl (including snow geese), raptors, egrets, herons, belted kingfishers and many other wetland species.