Thursday Special Events: Opening Reception, Early Bird Registration Check-in, and More!
Thursday, September 22, 5 pm to 7 pm
Join us for the opening reception of the Twelfth Annual Monterey Bay Birding Festival! A Taste of the Pajaro Valley features delicious appetizers and beverages from the best of Watsonville’s growers, producers, and restaurants to enjoy while socializing with fellow birding enthusiasts and community members. Relax during this fun prelude to the start of the festival and pick up your registration packet. The Early Bird Registration table will be open during the Taste of the Pajaro Valley opening reception. In addition, the 2016 Photo Contest winners will be announced between 5:30 and 7 p.m. Chris Hartzell and Ame Wells, this year’s photo contest judges, will explain the criteria for judging, present the winners, and discuss winning photo attributes. Finally, don’t miss master falconers Jim Roush and Melanie Kett who will bring their majestic hawks and discuss the art of falconry.
Download the pdf for the full itinerary:
Special Thursday Events Opening Reception And More (107.6 KiB)
Saturday Special Event: Monterey Bay Birding Festival Collaboration with Moss Landing Marine Lab
The Monterey Bay Birding Festival (MBBF) is pleased to announce a collaboration with Moss Landing Marine Lab (MLML) on Saturday, September 24, 2016, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Several free events will be available along with workshops offered by MBBF. Food will be available for purchase, and attendees are invited to enjoy the beautiful grounds and ocean vista. Both wetland and land birds inhabit the area. Don’t miss this unusual opportunity to visit one of California’s premier research and teaching facilities located at 8272 Moss Landing Rd.
Read on for the full itinerary:
MBBF Collaboration With Moss Landing Marine Lab On Saturday (270.3 KiB)
Announcing Pancake Breakfast and More Sunday Special Events at the Watsonville Civic Plaza
On Sunday, September 25, 2016, we’ll be holding a series of new, fun-filled events for individuals and families to enjoy throughout the day until 3 p.m. Events will take place at the Watsonville Civic Plaza located at 275 Main Street, Watsonville, top floor. Most events are free and perfect for families with children of all ages. Some events will take place outdoors with shaded patio seating, while others will be held inside the comfortable community rooms. Whether you are a birder or not, you’ll want to join us for one or more of these activities. Here’s the schedule:
Pancake Breakfast
7-11:00 a.m.
Fee: $8 Adult (advance purchase or $10 at the door), $5 children 12 and under
Start your day with a scrumptious homemade breakfast of delicious pancakes, eggs, bacon or sausage, coffee, milk, and orange juice. Breakfast will be prepared and served on the patio with comfortable, shaded seating both outside and indoors. This is a great way to enjoy a tasty, hot breakfast, and network with friends.
Wild Things
8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
Wild Things Sanctuary rescues and rehabilitates injured wild animals, including raptors and other birds. They’ll have several live, rescued raptors on hand and will talk about the animals and the critical work they do. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to get a close-up view of these stunning animals. This is a great event for kids with fantastic photo opportunities.
Junior Duck Stamp Exhibit and Activities
9-3:00 p.m.
The Junior Duck Stamp Program will include the traveling exhibit of winning duck stamp designs by young people. Ranger Lora Haller from the Sacramento NWR will be on hand to give a talk called “A Million Birds Can’t Be Wrong,” providing stunning looks at the refuge’s myriad inhabitants. There will also be a duck drawing demonstration for youngsters, and all supplies will be free. Parents and teachers, this is an exciting project to plan with your own youngsters.
Performance Art in Nature Study
10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Nanda Currant, author of Bringing Nature to Life: The Use of Performance Art for Environmental Restoration, will be on hand to provide information and ideas to parents, educators, and others about this interesting concept. Her focus will be on making bird migration come alive for young people. She will share examples of past projects with youngsters.
Birder’s Marketplace
9-3:00 p.m.
This is the place to find unique items created by skilled local craftspeople as well as essential birding optics, and much more. In addition to vendors, several local non-profits will be on hand with information about their organizations. There will be many educational offerings. Find out, for example, how visually impaired people can become excellent birders.
