Click on underlined words to be linked to email or the websites. If there are no underlined words snail mail or phone is the only option to contact the festival organizers.

JANUARY

Winter Migratory Waterfowl Tour
January 1 - March 1, 2006
Winter Migratory Waterfowl Tour, some of California's best birding can be found on the farmland wetlands of Butte County. Best viewing Dec. - Jan. for a brochure about the the Winter Migratory Waterfowl Tours contact the Chico Chamber of Commerce. Contact Phone: (530) 891-5556

Morro Bay Winter Birding Festival
Morro Bay - CA
January 13-16, 2006
The Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival makes it a point to offer a variety of events for all levels of birders. Both local and state-wide birding experts will lead over 35 land, ocean-going, and bay field trips, plus discussions and presentations, social events and workshops focusing on everything from warblers to elephant seals. Field trips will include pelagic trips, birding by kayak, trips to see Sandhill Cranes and Bald Eagles, shorebird field trips, and the popular "Big Day" marathon field trip to see as many species as possible.
Contact: Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival, c/o Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 1175, Morro Bay, CA 93442: Call: (805) 772-4467 or (800) 231-0592
Fax: (805)772-6038 Email

Annual Snow Goose Festival
Chico & Red Bluff - CA
January 27-29, 2006
Experience the sights and sounds of the Pacific Flyway migrating waterfowl at the SNOW GOOSE FESTIVAL! A weekend full of fun, adventure and learning for all ages with field trips, presentations and workshops available to all. Contact: Snow Goose Festival, P.O. Box 1063, Chico, CA 95927 (800) 852-8570

FEBRUARY

Winter Migratory Waterfowl Tour
Chico - CA

January 1 - March 1, 2006
Winter Migratory Waterfowl Tour, some of California's best birding can be found on the farmland wetlands of Butte County. Best viewing Dec. - Jan. for a brochure about the the Winter Migratory Waterfowl Tours contact the Chico Chamber of Commerce. Contact Phone: (530) 891-5556

SAN DIEGO BIRD FESTIVAL
San Diego - CA
February 9-12 2006
The tenth annual San Diego Bird Festival offers a variety of trips, classes, and social events sponsored by the San Diego Audubon Society. San Diego County with it's bay and seashore, foothills, oak woodlands, and desert provides a rich wintertime birding experience. We have planned pelagic trips, trips to Mexico, and birding by kayak. This year's banquet speaker will be Pete Dunne, Vice President of the New Jersey Audubon Society and author of numerous books and articles.
Contact: San Diego Bird Festival, 4891 Pacific Highway #112, San Diego, CA 92110 Email

BirdSource Great Backyard Bird Count

Your backyard - any state

February 17-20, 2006 President’s Day Weekend

Winter Wings Festival
Klamath Falls, Oregon

February 16-19, 2006
After 25 years as the Klamath Basin Bald Eagle Conference, this event has spread its wings to become the Klamath Basin Winter Wings Festival, a four-day event that will occur every President's Weekend at Oregon Institute of Technology. The event opens Thursday evening in the very walkable Downtown of Klamath Falls, with its geothermally heated sidewalks. From 4-7 pm, arts, food, music, vendors, and store specials will give families and tourists the opportunity to enjoy Downtown as part of the Winter Wings Festival. Phone: 1 (800) 445-6728

Salton Sea International Bird Festival
Imperial - CA
February 17-20, 2006
President's Day Weekend. Over 400 recorded species, you can see up to 100 species per day. Salton Sea features desert, wetlands, agriculture and great birding on the Pacific Flyway. Great food and fun.
Contact: Salton Sea International Bird Festival, P.O. Box 156, Imperial, CA 92251 Phone: (760) 344-5359

CALIFORNIA DUCK DAYS
Davis - CA
February 24-25, 2006

Field trips and workshops, pre-registration required. Yolo Basin Foundation - CDD, P.O. Box 943, Davis, CA 95617. Phone: (530) 757-3780

MARCH

AUDUBON CANYON RANCH’S BOLINAS LAGOON PRESERVE
Stinson's Beach - CA

March 19 to July 17 - Weekends and holidays only.

Hours of operation from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

See nesting Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets and Snowy Egrets each weekend. ACR offers a wide range of nature activities including bird and wildlife viewing, hiking trails and picnic facilities. For more information: visit www.egret.org or call 415-868-9244.  

The Aleutian Goose Festival
Crescent City - CA
March 31-April 4, 2006
Choose from 80 guided birding, nature and heritage excursions, featuring coastal lagoon, river and ocean trips; more than 170 bird species during the weekend, and a coastal fly-off spectacle of 30,000 once-endangered Aleutian Canada Geese. Located in home of Redwood National & State Parks, Smith River National Recreation Area, and Lake Earl Wildlife Area.

Contact: Redwood Economic Development Institute, 140 Marine Way, Suite A, Crescent City, CA 95531 Tel:  800-343-8300 or 707-465-0880 EMAIL

APRIL

The Aleutian Goose Festival
Crescent City - CA
March 31-April 4, 2006 - see March for description

California Desert Nature Festival

Palm Desert - CA

April 7-9, 2006

California State University, San Bernardino, Palm Desert Campus, Palm Desert California. Field Trips, Seminars, Free Children's Programs, Vendors. For more information please contact: Natural Science Collaborative
73-710 Fred Waring Drive #203, Palm Desert CA 92260 Phone: (760) 341-9312
 

5th Annual Yuma Birding & Nature Festival

Yuma, AZ

April 20-22, 2006
The 6th annual Yuma Birding & Nature Festival celebrates the diversity of the lower Colorado River with field trips and educational seminars. For further information call: 1(928) 783-3061 or 1 (800) 293-0071, or Email

Godwit Days Spring Migration Bird Festival
Arcata - CA
April 21-23, 2006.
Arcata, California welcomes you to the 11th Annual Godwit Days, the three-day Spring Migration Bird Festival where amid our ancient redwood forests, marshes and the Pacific Ocean, 450 species of bird have been recorded visiting here annually. One can watch Marbled Murrelets, have face to face encounters with spotted owls, and take small boat tours of Humboldt Bay to view migrant shorebirds at their peak. Nearly 100 birding field trips and workshops are offered in the heart of California's Redwood Coast.
Contact: Godwit Days non-profit Organization P.O. Box 894, Arcata, CA 95518 Tel: 800-908-9464 or 707-444-2938 Fax: 707-269-0632.

HERON FESTIVAL & WILDFLOWER BRUNCH
Kelseyville - CA
April 22-23, 2006
Heron Festival is a celebration of the Great Blue Heron return to their nesting sites around Clear Lake. Activities include pontoon boat rides to view the heronry and guided kayak trips to view birds on Kelsey Creek. Informative and interesting nature presentations are held at Clear Lake State Park along with informative booths, children's activities, and a Wildflower Brunch. Guided bird walks are available.
Contact: Redbud Audubon Society or call 1.800.525.3743

Kern VALLEY Spring Nature Festival
Weldon - CA
April 29-30, 2006
The Kern River Valley is one of the West's premier spring migration regions including the Giant Sequoia National Monument, South Fork Kern River Globally Important Bird Area, Butterbredt Spring Nationally Important Bird Area, and Sequoia National Forest Globally Important Bird Area. Natural history of the region is the focus of this spectacular festival. Celebrate the Kern Valley from the ground up with dozens of field trips and workshops ranging across the natural history spectrum. 
Contact: Kern Valley Nature Festivals, PO Box 833, Weldon, CA 93283

MAY

Yosemite Birding Festival
Yosemite National Park - CA
May 5-7, 2006
If you've seen the new California state quarter, you see it's a picture of John Muir looking at a bird in Yosemite Valley. Come follow in his footsteps, birding this amazing landscape while the waterfalls are full, the dogwood is in bloom, and the birds are at their most lively.
Contact: Yosemite Association, P.O. Box 230, El Portal, CA 95318 Phone: (209) 379-2321

Spring Wings Bird Festival
May 12-14, 2006
Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Fallon, Nevada
(775) 428-6452

Walk on the Wildside

Freeport, CA
May 20, 2006 - 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge - Beach Lake Preserve

NAS Spring BirdAThon (800) 647-BIRD, EMAIL

International Migratory Bird Day

second Saturday in May

JUNE

Fifth Annual Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua 
Lee Vining - CA       

June 16-18, 2006
3 days of evening presentations, seminars, field trips, music, and great birding! Registration opens in April 2005. Events fill fast as soon as registration opens. All proceeds support continuing research in the Mono Basin.  Contact: Mono Lake Committee, P.O. Box 29, Lee Vining, CA 93541 760-647-6595,  EMAIL

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

Wings of the Warners Festival

Alturas - CA

Held annually in conjunction with the Hot Air Balloon Festival, the Migratory Bird Festival is located at the Veteran's Park just south of Alturas, California. The Festival is a combined effort of Modoc National Wildlife Refuge and many other entities. The Refuge will have a booth at the Park on Saturday where many activities for all ages will be held. On Sunday guided tours will be available both on and off the Refuge. For more information please contact the Alturas Chamber of Commerce at 530-233-4434 or the River Center at 530-233-5085.

Annual Kern River Valley Turkey Vulture Festival
Weldon - CA
September 30 - October 1, 2006
Visit the Southern Sierra's Kern River Valley to experience one of the U.S. and Canada's largest known Turkey Vulture migrations and the height of fall landbird migration at desert oases. You will enjoy birds, vultures, geology, botany, natural history, native American studies, moths, reptiles, and children's activities. Birds include: California specialties, 50-80 species per trip; 130-160 species per festival. Contact: Kern Valley Nature Festivals, PO Box 833, Weldon, CA 93283

OCTOBER

National Wildlife Refuge Week Celebration

Kern National Wildlife Refuge, Delano - CA

Participants will be offered birding tours, refreshments, information on the NWR System, the history of Kern NWR and the Southern San Joaquin Valley, learn about wildlife resources and offered Centennial give-a-ways.  Phone: (661) 725-2767 EMAIL  

NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE WEEK CELEBRATION
Calipatria - CA
Bird walks, presentations, art contest, live animal display and environmental education programs.
Tel:  (760) 348-5278
Fax:  (760) 348-7245

NOVEMBER

Monterey Bay Birding Festival

Watsonville - CA

November 4-6, 2005

For more information call the Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitors Council: (831) 425-1234 or 1-(800) 833-3494. Or contact Monterey Bay Birding Festival Registration: (831) 763-5600.

Pasadena BirdFest
San Gabriel Valley - CA
November 5-6, 2005
Explore the exciting world of bird watching in the land of San Gabriel, from the mountains, to the foothills, to the valley. The Pasadena Birdfest is appropriate for beginner and advanced, or those just thinking about bird watching…if you are not hooked on bird watching now, this will do it!

Central Valley Birding Symposium

Stockton - CA

November 17-20, 2005

The Central Valley Birding Symposium Speakers: Ornithologists of International Renown. Field trips, workshops, panel discussion, and birding camaraderie.  (209) 369-2010,   EMAIL

Sandhill Crane Festival

Lodi - CA,

November 3-5, 2006

Viewings of the state's largest concentration of greater Sandhill Cranes; workshops, exhibits, children stories, dancing, face painting, live wild animals and fine art. (916) 683-1700, EMAIL  

DECEMBER

see Nature Ali's Christmas Bird Count page for December 14 - January 5 scheduled CBC's

Kern River Christmas Bird Counts

Bakersfield CBC - first Sunday, after December 14 - Compiler John Wilson. The Bakersfield Christmas Bird Count is centered around Kern River "Hart" Park.

Kern River Valley CBC - Compiler: Alison Sheehey. The Kern River Valley Christmas Bird Count circle includes all of Isabella Reservoir, the Greenhorn Mountains from Greenhorn Summit south to Evans Flat, Kernville north to include the Fish Hatchery, and both sides of Sierra Way from Kernville to the Sierra Way Bridge over the South Fork Kern River.

South Fork Valley CBC  - Compiler: Denise LaBarteaux  The South Fork Valley Christmas Bird Count circle includes all of the South Fork Kern River riparian habitat from just east of Sierra Way to the Bloomfield Ranch, parts of the Piute and Scodie Mtns., several miles down Kelso Valley Road, all of the towns of Weldon and Onyx, all of Fay Ranch Road, all of the Cane Brake settlement out to just below Walker Pass, and part of the Kern Plateau.