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Looking for Festival events with tickets available? Be sure to scroll all the way through the listings. There are still places left for a number of great outings and talks! Once you have noted all the events you would like to attend, CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS. Don’t forget the Saturday night banquet featuring the Festival keynote address by noted local author, Jules Evens. Details below. Please note that ticket returns and refunds will not be given after April 2, 2010. Download a Quick View Summary of Schedule EARLY BIRDS
Explore the Palmorin Trail with Bob Stewart We will saunter along the trail that winds along the coast and will get as far as we can, stopping often to look at birds, wildflowers and all other living things. Guide: Bob Stewart DAY ONE
Spring Migration at Limantour Estero  This dynamic estuary is a critical feeding area for dunlin, black-bellied plover, western and least sandpipers. Many of these waders will be in breeding plumage. This three mile-walk through dunes, by the edge of marsh, and along the beach will focus on the identification and behavior of a variety of shorebirds, ducks, loons, grebes, and raptors. Guide: David Wimpfheimer Birdwalking: Olema Marsh to Bear Valley This outing includes stops at Olema Marsh, one of the largest freshwater marsh areas in Marin County, and continues through a variety of open, wooded, and riparian habitats around the Bear Valley Visitor Center, providing an ideal and relaxed way to explore a wide diversity of West Marin’s classic birds. We will talk about identification tips and life history details on each bird we see, as well as cover a wide variety of information on Point Reyes natural history. Guide: David Lukas Inverness Ridge Habitats before & after the Vision Fire  This easy and diverse 2-mile transect hike of the Inverness Ridge will go from the Bayview Trailhead to the top of Highland Way. We’ll visit a bishop pine and mixed evergreen forest as well as coastal scrub habitats, both burned and unburned. En route we will pass Paradise Ranch Estates where 45 homes burned during the Vision Fire. Learn about the long-term impact of fire on biodiversity and wildlife habitats Guide: Tom Gaman Sketching Songbirds  Learn how to quickly and accurately draw birds in the field and from photo reference. In this class we will learn the basics of bird anatomy and tricks to help quickly draw birds either for field notes or for the pleasure of sketching. Master the one-minute gesture sketch and learn tricks on how to draw heads, wings, and feet. Learn basics of bird anatomy; quick field sketching. No previous drawing experience is necessary. Guide: John Muir Laws Touring the Giacomini Wetlands  Join Point Reyes National Seashore Superintendent Don Neubacher and Seashore Wetland Ecologist Lorraine Parsons for a walking tour of the newly restored Giacomini Wetlands. This rapidly recovering salt marsh is the result of a 10-year project that culminated in the October, 2008, breaching of a series of dikes and levees that blocked the flow of saltwater to the former Giacomini Dairy. Neubacher and Parsons will describe the restoration in detail and point out the fascinating ecological changes underway. Learn about marsh ecology; restoration history; wetlands birds Guide: Don Neubacher and Lorraine Parsons Raptor Identification  Sharpen your skills in identifying birds of prey. This workshop focuses on the 18 most commonly seen diurnal raptors in Northern California. Of these raptors, some are resident and others migrate through the region heading for either wintering or breeding grounds. Learn about similarities and differences among these birds and some of the behavioral traits that aid in identification. Guide: Ken Wilson Owls of Point Reyes  The largest population of spotted owls anywhere in the world may be found on public lands in Marin County’s diverse forest ecosystem. Learn about them and other owls in this Introduction to the natural history, ecology, and biology of owls common to Point Reyes Presenter: Joe Mueller Life at the Farallon Islands  Have you ever wondered what it’s like for the biologists who live on the remote windswept Farallon Islands for months on end, studying seabirds, marine mammals and migrating songbirds? Come to a dessert reception to hear PRBO’s Melissa Pitkin and other biologists tell it like it is. The program will also feature footage from the Farallons’ web camera and a live interactive conversation with biologists on the island. Refreshments included. Guide: Melissa Pitkin (with other Farallon Islands biologists) DAY TWO
Discovering Nesting Birds & Their Songs in Tomales Bay State Park (West Shore) Late April is the best time of the year to visit Tomales Bay State Park’s amazing diversity of habitats. We’ll discover a dozen or more songbirds by sight and song, with the adjoining majestic bay and its pristine shorelines also likely to yield an abundance of shorebird and waterfowl sightings. Migrant species are also likely discoveries. Good bets include seeing close views of nesting Wilson’s and Orange-Crowned Warbler, Bewick’s Wren and Anna’s Hummingbird, while loons and grebes in gorgeous breeding plumage may potentially be spotted on the Tomales Bay. You’ll receive handouts related to spring nesting and migration in Marin County, including one titled “Top Ten Tips To Improving Your Birding By Ear” as we discuss the ecology of bird songs and their functions. Guide: Daniel Edelstein Birding by Ear—Forest & Woodlands  This outing is offered in conjunction with EAC’s custom CD, Birding By Ear at Point Reyes. Order a copy from the Merchandise Page. The CD covers three habitats: chaparral and grasslands; forest and woodlands; and wetlands, both fresh and saltwater. Separate field walks are scheduled for each habitat. Participants should purchase the CD through the festival website and sign up for as many of the field walks as desired. For maximum success in learning birdsong, listen in advance to the portion of the CD pertaining to habitat covered during the outing. Guide: Mary Anne Flett Spring Migration at Bodega Bay  Bodega Bay is one of the premier birding sites in the festival area. Highlights to be expected include an abundance of shorebirds, waterfowl, and migrant land birds. The third week in April is the best time of year to see loons and grebes in their spectacular breeding plumages. Join Lisa Hug for full day as she scours such renowned locations as Doran Beach, Bodega Harbor, Porto Bodega, Spud Point Marina and the Bodega Head for birds of all kinds. Learn to identify shorebirds, waterfowl, and other species. Guide: Lisa Hug Birding the Fault Zone at Bolinas Lagoon (East side)  Take part in this friendly tectonic birding competition by joining Keith Hansen’s “Continental Plate” team to bird Stinson Beach and its environs and then work north along the east side of Bolinas Lagoon, ending at Five Brooks for a picnic compilation lunch with the competing “Pacific Plate” team. Expect to see about 80 species of water, forest, and grasslands birds. Guide: Keith Hansen Birding the Fault Zone at Bolinas Lagoon (West side)  Take part in this friendly tectonic birding competition by joining Gary Page and Lynn Stenzel to bird the “Pacific Plate” side of Bolinas Lagoon. The team will cover the west side of the Lagoon as well as the Pine Gulch Creek area. The outing will end at Five Brooks for a picnic compilation lunch with your competitors from Keith Hansen’s “Continental Plate” team. Expect to see about 80 species of water, forest, and grasslands birds. Guide: Gary Page and Lynn Stenzel The Bolinas Ridge: Wild, Remote, and Rarely Birded  Native grasslands are among the most endangered plant communities; just so are their birds. Join leader Josiah Clark in a 7 to 8-mile hike on the remote and wild Bolinas Ridge, up through varied plant communities, rich rolling grasslands, and oak savannah, then down through chaparral and mixed conifer woodlands. We’ll do our best to rustle up every last species for our hike list in this rarely birded area. We’ll also take moments to appreciate non-bird biodiversity as we spy native grasses, ephemeral wildflowers, butterflies, and perhaps even a bobcat. Lots of breeding and singing birds. Guide: Josiah Clark The Birds & Dunes of Abbotts Lagoon  With its rich variety of habitats, Abbotts Lagoon is a favorite birding destination at Point Reyes. On this full-day outing, Jules Evens will point out numerous species that inhabit the chaparral, fresh water pond, brackish water lagoon, dunes, sandy beach and open ocean. He’ll also explain the intricacies of dune ecology, ongoing dune restoration projects, and challenges faced by the federally listed snowy plover. Guide: Jules Evens Birds of Tomales Bay and Shorebirds at Cypress Grove  For a stellar birding excursion and field discussion related to the identification, conservation and ecology of Tomales Bay birds, meet John Kelly at the Cypress Grove Research Center of Audubon Canyon Ranch. Spot waterbirds and shorebirds along the shoreline of Tomales Bay, then carpool to ACR’s remote Tom’s Point preserve at the northern end of the Bay. Guide: John P. Kelly Birdwalking: Olema Marsh to Bear Valley  This classic Point Reyes walk begins at Olema Marsh, one of the largest freshwater marsh areas in Marin County. It continues through a variety of open, wooded, and riparian habitats, including Limantour Road, Kule Loklo (a replica Coast Miwok traditional village), the Bear Valley Visitor Center, and the Bear Valley Trail. Guide: Jim White Gray Whales & More at Outer Point Reyes  Join marine mammal expert Sarah Allen to observe migrating California gray whales, molting elephant seals, breeding harbor seals, and thousands of nesting sea birds. At this time of year, gray whale females often can be seen easily from the Point Reyes Lighthouse as they escort their newborn young from Mexico to Alaska. Cormorants and Common Murres nest on the rocky cliffs near there, and thousands of molting elephant seals will be visible in a nearby cove. The trip will emphasize the natural history of these fascinating animals and interpretation of their behavior. Guide: Sarah Allen Bird Banding at Palomarin Field Station  Get up close and personal with the many song birds that fly into mist nests at the PRBO’s Palmarin Field Station (aka Bird Banding Lab) in Bolinas. As they do every day in the spring, PRBO interns and staff will be banding birds, measuring and weighing them, explaining the process to visitors, and answering questions. Learn how bird banding is done, how data obtained contributes to conservation Guide: Staff and volunteers of PRBO Conservation Science Raptor Courtship Displays: Talon-grappling, Porpoising & Leg-dropping  Birds of prey perform spectacular and ritualized flight behaviors to attract mates, strengthen pair bonds, stimulate gonadal growth, and show territory ownership between pairs. With a great diversity of raptors and a lot of open sky, Point Reyes affords many opportunities to see raptors at the heights of their hormone-driven lust. We’ll begin with an overview lecture on California’s raptor courtship styles by GGRO director Allen Fish followed by a field excursion to seek out these gorgeous sky-dancers. Learn to recognize and understand the range of raptor courtship displays; practice intermediate to advanced raptor identification, including aging and sexing. Guide: Allen Fish Tomales Bay Waterbird Cruise  Tomales Bay is an extremely productive estuary where tens of thousands of scoters, scaup, loons, and grebes feed during the winter and spring migration. Our open boat ride will give us an appreciation for the variety of waterbirds found in the bay. This cruise will allow us to access waters near the mouth of the bay, a zone difficult to see from shore. Here we hope to observe some of the less common loon and grebe species. Learn identification and natural history of loons, grebes, and other waterbirds Guide: David Wimpfheimer Tracking and Awareness CANCELLED  Slow down, you move too fast. Join lifelong tracker Richard Vacha and learn to put the pieces together that tell the story of what is going on right around us in the sometimes invisible avian and mammal worlds. A short exercise in awareness will be followed by a walk to search for tracks and signs of birds and mammals. Learn to see and read tracks and sign. Guide: Richard Vacha Spring at Chimney Rock  Chimney Rock is a wild and thrilling place, especially in spring, when wildflowers are putting on a show, loons and gray whales are migrating past and peregrine falcons and other birds are displaying and vocalizing. Join Marin County Interpretive Naturalist Dave Herlocker to explore this diverse and much-loved Point Reyes landmark. We’ll take a slow stroll down to the old Lifeboat Station to look for unusual flowers along the road, and to scan the bay for avian attractions. Then we’ll make our way out to the end of the peninsula where we will stand among a field of flowers, surrounded by the sea where we will watch for whales and marvel at the flocks of loons leaving for points north. Guide: Dave Herlocker Wildlife & Nature Photography with Digital DSLR Camera  Bring your camera, and get ready to learn about exposure, composition and capturing wildlife using digital single lens reflex-type cameras. Ron LeValley has spent 40 years photographing nature, and becoming expert in the camera technology that has evolved over that time. This session includes a two-hour indoor presentation followed by two hours of practice in the field. Review of settings on digital SLR cameras and techniques of exposure, composition, depth of field, and capturing moving targets. If we’re lucky, he’ll bring some of his impressive collection (over 70,000 images) of wildlife photography for inspiration. Guide: Ron LeValley Butterflies for Beginners Join Wendy Dreskin to explore Cascade Canyon, a lush preserve tucked into the hills above Fairfax, and one of the gems of the Marin County Open Space System. Its 500 acres host some of the most pristine habitat in the Corte Madera Creek watershed. From swallowtails to checkerspots and blues, we’ll search for a variety of species and observe behaviors like puddling, nectaring, and maybe even egg-laying. We’ll also learn to recognize various host plants like California pipevine, ocean spray, sticky monkeyflower and purple needle grass, as well as favorite nectar plants including yerba santa, blue dicks and buckeye. Participants are invited to join the North American Butterfly Association’s annual butterfly count in June, the butterfly community’s equivalent of the Christmas Bird Count. Meeting details when you register with PRNSA. Bring a hand lens if you have one. Birding by Ear—Chaparral & Grasslands  This outing is offered in conjunction with EAC’s custom CD, Birding By Ear at Point Reyes . Order a copy from the Merchandise Page. The CD covers three habitats: chaparral and grasslands; forest and woodlands; and wetlands, both fresh and saltwater. Separate field walks are scheduled for each habitat. Participants should purchase the CD through the festival website and sign up for as many of the field walks as desired. For maximum success in learning birdsong, listen in advance to the portion of the CD pertaining to habitat covered during the outing. This outing will concentrate on birds of chaparral and grasslands. Guide: Carolyn Longstreth Birding Drakes Estero, Home Ranch Area  This trail through open grassland offers outstanding views of Drakes Estero and Limantour esteros and of locally rich bird life. The Home Ranch is located at the northern end of Drakes Estero, and the area around it offers a number of habitats. We will be looking for waterfowl, shorebirds, and raptors as well as resident and migratory land birds. Guide: Alan Hopkins Digi-scoping for Birders  Digiscoping is the art of combining a spotting scope with a digital camera to produce long-range digital photography. While high-quality optics give the best results, just about any scope and digital camera will work to some degree. This workshop emphasizes simple techniques that can be used in the course of a normal birding trip, then takes you out into the field to try your hand at digiscoping. The class will be a broad introduction to the subject; how to solve common technical challenges Guide: Len Blumin Birding for Beginners  Learn the basics of bird identification with one of PRBO’s Conservation Educators who leads monthly bird walks for the organization. We’ll cover the “how to” of bird identification including where to begin as well as some finer details including characteristics, field marks, and sound. We’ll also discuss thinking “outside of the bird” by discussing habitat and bird behaviors. Guide: Missy Wipf To Garden for Butterflies is to Garden for Songbirds  Visit Barbara’s beautiful open garden which looks north to Tomales Bay and the newly restored marsh of the Giacomini Wetlands in Point Reyes National Seashore. Using her own garden as a classroom, Barbara will show how to provide good habitat for butterflies in your yard. She will also suggest specific plants for attracting Ringlets, Monarchs, Swallowtails, and other species. The garden and surrounding area will provide good views of songbirds, too. Refreshments will be served on the veranda. Barbara is willing to consult with participants in advance at undone@lmi.net. Guide: Barbara Deutsch Optics Demystified  Bill Sandoval, owner of Bear Basin Outfitters in Contra Costa County, will display 7 to 10 brands of mid to high priced binoculars and spotting scopes for birding. He will explain the pros and cons of the different models, discuss how particular products perform in different birding situations and answer your questions about purchasing optics. Presenter: Bill Sandoval eBird: Where Birding Meets Science  You’ve probably heard a lot about eBird (www.ebird.org), the online birding tool that’s changing modern birding. Join eBird Project Leader Brian Sullivan for a look at this remarkable tool, and get empowered to make your observations count! This internet-based checklist was built for birders by birders, with a goal of harnessing the power of both birding and science. eBird allows birders to post sightings, keep life lists, manage personal records, keep track of bird records online, and share them with the birding community for science and conservation efforts. Learn how to get started using eBird, what it can do for you as a birder, and how you can contribute to science and conservation efforts. Presenter: Brian Sullivan Demographic Causes of Population Trends in Neotropical Migratory Land Birds (lecture)  Dr. DeSante will reveal intriguing new insights into population trends of neotropical migrants. Since the late 1980’s, the Institute for Bird Populations, founded by Dr. DeSante, has been analyzing data obtained from an extensive program of bird banding in both North and Central America. Presenter: Dave DeSante Great Pacific Migrations of Albatross, Sharks, and Turtles  Join veteran Farallon Island biologist Peter Pyle for a one-hour talk on new information being gained as a result of radio tracking trans-Pacific migrants, including black-footed and Laysan albatross, whimbrels, bar-tailed godwits, white sharks, and even tuna and leatherback turtles. Presenter: Peter Pyle What Will Climate Change Mean for the Birds of Point Reyes?  Long-term monitoring conducted at PRBO Conservation Science’s Palomarin Field Station has provided insights into how weather influences the reproductive success and survival of coastal California birds. In this lecture/workshop, we’ll discuss how data collected in the Point Reyes area helps biologists understand how climate change may impact bird communities. A presentation of interactive online maps of how bird distribution may change in the future is included. Presenter: Nat Seavy Banquet with Keynote Address: The Natural History of Point Reyes—A Bird’s Eye View  After a catered buffet dinner, Jules Evens will present an illustrated overview of the peninsula’s unique natural history, including geography, geology, climate, habitats, and how each of these influences the diverse and abundant vegetation and wildlife to be found at Point Reyes. Guide: Jules Evens DAY THREE
Microhabitats of Lucas Valley The beautiful drive from Point Reyes Station to the open slopes of Big Rock RIdge reveals multiple habitats from the open grasslands surrounding Nicasio Reservoir to deep redwood forest leading into the extraordinary bay-oak woodland of Loma Alta. Beyond Loma Alta lies one of Marin County’s favorite birding destinations, Las Gallinas Sewage Ponds. This trip will focus on species typical of each habitat with a particular emphasis on birding by ear, breeding behaviors, and the specialty birds of Big Rock Ridge. Guide: Bob Power Birding by Ear—Wetlands  This outing is offered in conjunction with EAC’s custom CD, Birding By Ear at Point Reyes. Order a copy from the Merchandise Page. The CD covers three habitats: chaparral and grasslands; forest and woodlands; and wetlands, both fresh and saltwater. Separate field walks are scheduled for each habitat. Participants should purchase the CD through the festival website and sign up for as many of the field walks as desired. For maximum success in learning birdsong, listen in advance to the portion of the CD pertaining to habitat covered during the outing. This walk will focus on birds of the wetlands and riparian zone. Guide: Ed Pandolfino Nesting Birds It’s spring and that means nest-building, birdsong, egg laying and the whole range of territorial behaviors that go with production of the next generation of birds. We’ll find singing warblers, displaying male hummers, calling woodpeckers, and busily nesting pairs. We’ll also spend some time watching the world’s only colonial-nesting woodpecker, the Acorn Woodpecker. Guide: Harry Fuller A Big Day with Rich Stallcup  Join Rich Stallcup, the premier birding expert at Point Reyes, for a full day of birding. Rich will tour the area’s many productive habitats, starting at Drakes Bay and outer Point Reyes and continuing inland to search fir-bay-madrone forest, redwood forest, chemise chaparral, oak savannah, bayside and saltmarsh. Rich can be counted on to locate most of the species present—usually a big load of birds. Fast-paced birding with the objective of tallying as many species as possible during the daylight hours of this single late April day. Guide: Rich Stallcup Birding Stinson Beach and Bolinas Lagoon Join Keith Hansen for a tour of the Stinson Beach and Bolinas Lagoon area. This tour will cover forested and coastline habitats as well as the very productive mudflats in Bolinas Lagoon. Guide: Keith Hansen Birdathon for Kids, ages 8–14 (some birding experience required)  Experienced birders will lead teams of approximately six kids each (with parents along to observe and help transport birding teams). We’ll scour several kinds of habitat within the beautiful Point Reyes National Seashore, with a goal of having the kids spot 20 species per hour…a total of 60 bird species in three hours! The hike will be followed by a brown bag lunch and compilation and celebration at the Dance Palace Community Center. Guide: Tom Rusert and Darren Peterie withSonomaBirding.org Birding Bodega Harbor & Bodega Bay (Sonoma County)  Never mind that Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 movie “The Birds” was filmed here, Bodega Bay is listed as a “Globally Important Bird Area,” because it is a migrant stopover and wintering area for water birds and shorebirds. During this half-day outing, we will observe birds in a variety of habitats, including pelagic, sandy beach, mudflat, rocky headland, coastal bay, lagoon, and coastal scrub. Guide: Ken Wilson Abbott’s Lagoon: Birds of Sea, Shore, Swale & Scrub  Flanking the Pacific Ocean and Point Reyes’ Great Beach, Abbott’s Lagoon attracts a host of migrant, roosting, and wintering waterbirds and threatened breeding species such as the snowy plover. On this half-day outing, Dave Shuford will share his extensive knowledge of the numerous species drawn to a mix of coastal scrub, grassland, riparian, coastal swale, freshwater pond, brackish lagoon, dune, sandy beach, and open ocean habitats. We’ll also discuss snowy plover conservation efforts. Guide: Dave Shuford Five Brooks  Join Rigdon Currie and Will Wilson for a ramble that starts at Point Reyes National Seashore’s Five Brooks trailhead. From there, we’ll travel along some of the area’s heavily forested trails which wind through old stands of Douglas fir, California bay, and Coast live oak trees. We’ll bird around Five Brooks pond, a former mill pond that is now a favorite spot for birds and birders. Training in responsible use of recorded bird songs. Includes lunch at Rigdon’s house, a favorite birding spot. Guides: Rigdon Currie, Will Wilson Chimney Rock Birds and Botany  Expect a spectacular 1.6-mile round-trip hike with views of Drakes Bay and the Pacific Ocean from an area renowned for great spring wildflowers. Rocky cliffs drop off steeply to the water, providing a rare opportunity to look down on seabirds resting at Drakes Bay. Get close-up looks at some grassland species and, on a good day, resident ravens and peregrine falcons will provide an aerial display. Bonus: Opportunity to look for late-migrating whales in the ocean or a group of dolphins investigating Drake’s Bay from the overlook. Guides: Bill Yeates and Susan Cochrane Levitsky Birding by Kayak  Bring your own kayak, or use one of the kayaks generously donated for the day by Blue Waters Kayak, for this loop of Tomales Bay to spot some of the many species of birds that roost near, nest in, and visit these waters. Leaving from Miller Boat Launch (Nick’s Cove), we’ll traverse the Bay, swinging past Hog Island where cormorants and pelicans roost, heading North to White Gulch, then looping back past the oyster flats and Preston Point. Learn how to use wind and tides to view birds Guide: Galen Leeds Birds and Tea and Tomales Bay  Claire Peaslee and Terry Nordbye are sure to provide some interesting and entertaining sidelights to their informative hike which begins at Tomasini Point, the promontory just north of Millerton Point. The walk will include grasslands, oak woodland, an estuary pond, Mediation Marsh, mudflats, and the shores of Tomales Bay shore. We will make several stops to sample a Monkey Picked Oolong tea from Yunnan and Birds Tongue from Fujian Province. If there’s time, we’ll finish off the tour with and sample some first blush Bi Luo Chun at the bluff overlooking the Bivalve and the outer marshes. Guide: Terry Nordbye and Claire Peaslee Birding the Giacomini Wetlands  As the Point Reyes National Seashore’s birdlife consultant on the Giacomini Wetlands restoration and one who conducted pre- and post-restoration surveys, Jules Evens is particularly well-suited to explain the project and the ongoing changes in bird life. Join him for a look at the wetlands from all the best areas for birding, including an overlook located on private property. Learn about salt marsh ecology and restoration, and see the birds that now inhabit the wetlands. Guide: Jules Evens Listening to Coastal Birds  Rick Johnson, nature sound recording expert, will bring his recording gear in order to give participants an opportunity to listen as sounds are picked up by a parabolic microphone. During the morning, Rick will share his experiences recording in Point Reyes National Seashore and talk about research in the Seashore on vocalizations of white-crowned sparrows and spotted owls. He will also share “spectrogram” images which are like “sheet music” for bird songs. You can see examples of spectrograms at his website, www.hearbirds.com. Get tips on and practice of birding by ear. Guide: Rick Johnson Spring Delights of Steep Ravine  Study everything from birds to wildflowers to butterflies in one of the most scenic woodland hikes in Marin. We will study the flora and fauna of riparian and redwood communities. Depending on the group, Wendy’s route will either go up Steep Ravine and down the Dipsea Trail for wonderful ocean views, or do an out-and-back on Steep Ravine. This trail through old-growth redwood forest includes a 14-rung wooden ladder which can be slippery. If we take the Dipsea Trail, which also passes through redwood groves, the steep descent includes a large number of steps. Guide: Wendy Dreskin Birding by Ear—Wrap-up & Review  This outing is offered in conjunction with EAC’s custom CD, Birding By Ear at Point Reyes . Order a copy from the Merchandise Page. The CD covers three habitats: chaparral and grasslands; forest and woodlands; and wetlands, both fresh and saltwater. Participants should purchase the CD through the festival website and sign up for as many of the field walks as desired. For maximum success in learning birdsong, listen in advance to the portion of the CD pertaining to habitat covered during the outing. While separate field walks are planned for each habitat, this final class will visit open woodland, forest and riparian habitats. It can serve as a substitute for one of the other sessions or provide review to any who would like additional instruction. Instructor will point out birdsongs covered in the CD, Birding By Ear at Point Reyes and coach participants on recognizing and remembering them Guide: Carolyn Longstreth Egrets of Picher Canyon, Audubon Canyon Ranch  Enjoy visiting one of the largest heron and egret nesting sites on the West Coast at this 1000-acre wildlife sanctuary. A brief lecture on the history of the nesting site at the Bolinas Lagoon Preserve and Audubon Canyon Ranch’s long-term heronry monitoring project will be followed by a short walk. The walk will be uphill and mildly strenuous, but well worth it for the views of nesting herons and egrets. Guide: Emiko Condeso Native Plant Walk at Abbotts Lagoon Take a wildflower walk to see coastal floral splendor at the height of spring. We’ll take the trail through coastal chaparral and freshwater marsh to the dunes and high bluffs overlooking the outer Abbotts Lagoon. Some plants we hope to find include marsh giant lupine, candy-flower, marsh buttercup, two species of goldfields, beach layia, dune gumplant, San Francisco owl’s clover, pussy-ears star tulip and many more. A cumulative plant list for the public trail is available on-line at the Marin Chapter CNPS website. Guide: Doreen Smith Bird Ecology of Limantour  Limantour Beach is a long narrow spit of sand located between Drakes Bay and an estuary, and it is a bountiful wildlife area. Scores of shorebirds feed in the wetlands and along the beach. Learn about the area’s ecosystem and bird biology on a hike along the salt marsh and mud flats of Limantour Estero. Guide: Joe Mueller Breeding Birds of the Gale Ranch—Exploring Ranchland Habitats  Thousands of acres of undeveloped ranchlands contain critical grassland, chaparral and riparian habitat in West Marin. Western kingbird, lazuli bunting, and rufous-crowned sparrow are breeding species here that are seldom found in coastal zones. On our three-mile walk we will focus on the natural history of species in these habitats. This unique property is usually not accessible to the general public. Guide: David Wimpfheimer Birds, Butterflies and Fish of Lagunitas Creek, Taylor State Park Join a trio of experts for a stroll in Samuel Taylor State Park along the Cross- Marin Bike Trail as it passes through riparian areas, open grasslands, and chaparral before entering a deep redwood forest. Learn about the ecology of these majestic trees and the diverse understory plant community from Muir Woods Ranger Mia Monroe. Mia and Megan Isadore will identify birds and discuss ecological inter-relationships of sequoias and salmonids in Lagunitas Creek. Barbara Deutsch will explain how to identify particular species of butterflies that might be present. Guides: Mia Monroe; Barbara Deutsch; Megan Isadore Antpittas and Hummingbirds of South America  This one-hour talk on the intriguing antpittas and flamboyant hummingbirds of Ecuador will offer a taste of tropical birding in South America, right here in Marin County. Xavier Muñoz is a founding partner of Neblina Forest, an Ecuadorian company established in 1994 to promote Ecuador’s avifauna and its wilderness, and by extension South America’s, through a variety of birding tours. Following the presentation, Xavier will be pleased to answer questions. Presenter: Xavier Muñoz White Shark Migratory Patterns & Feeding Behavior  This slide presentation will focus on some of the most current research on Pacific Coast white shark migration patterns and other aspects of their fascinating natural history. Presenter: Scot Anderson DAY FOUR
Cordell Bank Cruise  This all-day cruise aboard the “New Sea Angler” will be an exploration of the pelagic zone that lies off the Sonoma and Marin coasts. Just after leaving Bodega Bay, we’ll be looking for migrating flocks of loons, scoters, and brants, while common murres and pigeon guillemots may dive near our boat. Our destination is the Cordell Bank, a granitic undersea mount off the Continental Shelf that rises to within 100 feet of the surface. Upwelling of nutrients and oxygen-rich water here fuel a rich food chain that supports a varied assemblage of seabirds and marine mammals. The whole area is part of the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary. This trip will only go if at least 22 people sign up. The captain may chose to cancel the trip if the winds are too high. Please give us your cell phone number so we can let you know if that happens. Guides: David Wimpfheimer; Steve N.G. Howell; Jenny Stock; Ken Wilson Artwork by Keith Hansen. Color illustrations from the forthcoming book, A Guide to the Birds of the Sierra Nevada, by Ted Beedy, David Lukas and Keith Hansen. Copyright on all pictures by Keith Hansen 1997-2009. |
Local Radio – KWMR
Artwork on Schedule page by Keith Hansen. Color illustrations from the forthcoming book, A Guide to the Birds of the Sierra Nevada, by Ted Beedy, David Lukas and Keith Hansen. Copyright on all pictures by Keith Hansen 1997-2009. Logo by Deutsch Design Works
The Point Reyes Birding Festival is a project of the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin, a dedicated and hard-working grassroots group founded in 1971 to protect West Marin’s natural environment and rural character. Please join us by supporting EAC.
Greening the Festival. To help save important bird habitat on the wintering grounds of neotropical migrants as well as to offset the energy used by people driving to the festival, we are making a donation to the reforestation program of the nonprofit Monteverde Conservation League in Costa Rica. Read about them and make your own additional donation if you wish.
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