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: Stony Creek and Black Butte Lake - Sold Out!
$45 Adult; $20 Youth
Thursday, Jan 22, 2026 7:00 am - 2:00 pm
Meet at Patrick Ranch - Pat's Barn (Map)
More vigorous hiking, some elevation gain/loss
Description
Situated on the west side of the upper Sacramento Valley, Black Butte Lake is surrounded by beautiful dark volcanic buttes. Come explore the oak woodlands, grasslands, and riparian ecosystems surrounding Stony Creek and Black Butte Lake. We will bird around the Stony Creek inflow into the lake as well as the outlet below the dam to observe the diversity of birds that use these riparian habitats. While driving around Black Butte Lake, we'll make stops along the road and hope to see Wild Turkeys, Loggerhead Shrike, Western Bluebirds, Red-tailed Hawks, and Turkey Vultures. Lewis's Woodpeckers, Golden Eagles, and Bald Eagles winter in this area too. Bring binoculars, water, and lunch. Carpooling strongly encouraged.
Field Trip Leaders
Todd Eggert
Robert "Todd" Eggert Has enjoyed birding since he was 10 years old. Born and raised in Northern California, Todd has gained extensive knowledge of Californian Ecosystems and has gained a passion for sharing that knowledge with others. Throughout his career as a park ranger, Todd has led many birding field trips both in an official ranger capacity and through his volunteer work with California Waterfowl Association, Napa Audubon Society and Audubon Canyon Ranch.
Todd Eggert's Events
- Stony Creek and Black Butte Lake (1/22/2026)
Kate Marianchild
Kate Marianchild is the author of the bestselling book Secrets of the Oak Woodlands: Plants and Animals among California's Oaks (Heyday, 2014).In 2001, after moving to a yurt outside of Ukiah, Kate fell in love with the plants and animals of California's oak woodlands. As she began observing and researching them, she learned things that boggled her mind. By 2009, she couldn't resist sharing her excitement with the world and decided to write a book. After five years of intensive learning and writing it was published; eleven years later it's still going strong. Since publication, Kate has been giving talks, leading walks, teaching multi-day classes at Emandal and Sierra Nevada Field Campus, and advocating for native ecosystems. For twenty-four years she lived happily in her yurt with no indoor plumbing except a kitchen sink. She recently moved to a community outside of Willits (home of Seabiscuit), where she is gradually exploring 4,700 hundred acres of oak and redwood ecosystems and remembering how to flush toilets. In her spare time, she swims, sings, laughs and cries with friends, and watches wildlife.
Kate Marianchild's Events
- Stony Creek and Black Butte Lake (1/22/2026)
- Gathering of Wings Banquet and Keynote Speaker (1/24/2026)