Celebrating Wonder & Wildlife in Marin County & Beyond
Save the Date: April 25th - 27th, 2025 (date adjusted for Easter)
Join us each April for a three-day extravaganza celebrating the incredible spring bird and wildlife migrations along the breathtaking Pacific Flyway!
There is something for everyone in your brood, with trips and activities for various ages and experience levels.
Point Reyes National Seashore provides the main backdrop for our festival, which offers some of the finest birding in the United States with over 70,000 acres of habitat including estuaries, grasslands, coastal scrub, and forest with a strong influence from the Pacific Ocean. We're talking about one of the only ten federally protected seashores in the entire United States! Imagine the Pacific Flyway, the mighty Pacific Ocean, and a myriad of influences converging into the perfect backdrop for an unparalleled birding and wildlife viewing experience.
Point Reyes has earned its stripes as the National Audubon Society’s #1 birding hotspot for several consecutive years. Why, you ask? Because more than 54% of all North American bird species have been spotted and recorded right here! In April, the Mediterranean climate of California sets the stage for a spectacular show, where wintering and breeding birds overlap in this coastal hotspot.
Picture this:
50+ guided field events covering a range of flora and fauna, and opportunities for hiking, kayaking, biking, art, yoga, and more. All events are led by passionate birders and naturalists across Marin County and beyond. These events are geared to bring a broader awareness, appreciation, and stewardship of Marin and beyond.
A Friday Fauna Keynote: TBA
A Saturday Social Gathering & Keynote Benefit with author and illustrators Amy Tan & Keith Hansen in Conversation on Backyard Birds. This special gathering includes food and drinks, plus music and games.
Plus, a FREE, public Sunday Family Fun Day in Point Reyes Station for families with budding birders (youth ages 3+), young birders (8-16), and more.
But hold your binoculars; there's more! Point Reyes isn't just a haven for our feathered friends; it's a coastal hotspot for whales, elk, wildflowers, and a myriad of other wildlife. It's not just about the birds; it's about encountering the entire cast of characters in this ecological play—insects, deer, foxes, coyotes, skunks, raccoons, weasels, seals, river otters, and an array of amphibians and reptiles.
And here's the cherry on top: your participation supports the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin (EAC), a nonprofit with a 53+ year legacy of protecting the unique lands, waters, and biodiversity of coastal Marin. This isn't just a weekend getaway; it's a commitment to advocacy, education, and engagement programs year-round.
Since 1971, the EAC has been making waves (pun intended) with successes like protecting the Tomales Dunes at Dillon Beach, preserving wilderness at Drakes Estero, safeguarding eelgrass habitat in Tomales Bay, securing bans on offshore oil and gas development in Marin County, and so much more.
Images: Robin Blaney, Sarah Killingsworth, Carlos Porrata, Festival Attendees
““There are few places on the planet that have such an incredible diversity of flora and fauna as Point Reyes and nearby habitats. What’s even more dramatic is that all this is within a two-hour drive of over six million people. All this could have been lost if environmental battles hadn’t been waged, and won, in the 60’s, 70’s and more recently.”
— David Wimpfheimer, Festival Co-Founder, Guide and EAC Board Member”
Coast Miwok Land Statement
The Coast Miwok: The Original Stewards of the Land
"Since time immemorial, as long as the sun has filled our days with the gift of light, and as long as the moon has guided our path at night, Coast Miwok people have occupied, tended, stewarded, held sacred ceremonies, defended, and governed the unceded lands of present-day Marin County, California. The Coast Miwok are the first human inhabitants of the County, and their oral history stretches back at least 10,000 years."
- Coast Miwok Tribal Council
Learn more about the Coast Miwok
www.coastmiwokofmarin.org
www.gratonrancheria.com
