Guest post: Galt Winter Bird Festival Takes Wing January 29th

By Liz Aguirre, City of Galt

The City of Galt, in partnership with the Cosumnes River Preserve and Galt Joint Union Elementary School District, will host the 4th annual Winter Bird Festival on Saturday, January 29. The festival has proven to be a successful display of nearly 100 bird species that routinely winter in the Galt area and specifically along the Cosumnes River Preserve.

The Festival is free and will be held at McCaffery Middle School beginning at 8:00 am featuring craft vendors, food and fun for all ages. The Festival includes the following highlighted activities:

• Winter Bird Festival Youth Art Show featuring the artwork of local students and their depicions of resident and migratory birds.
• The 2011 Festival features the following guest speakers and presentations at the McCaffrey Middle School Jeff Jennings Auditorium:
  10:30 a.m. – ZenOptic Wetlands Dawn – Digital Capture at First Light, a look at wetlands life as the new day begins featuring a multi-media presentation capturing photo, video and sound in a colorful compelling presentation.
  12:00 p.m. – Keynote Speaker – Corky Quirk – Northern California Bats – Our Insect Eating Friends, a family friendly look at our regions migratory bat species and their environmental benefits. The session dispels bat myths and highlights local rescue and rehabilitation efforts.
  1:30 p.m. – Wild Things Inc. – Wild Animal Show, a visit by a Bald Eagle, Great Horned Owl, Red-tailed Hawk, beaver, and a rattlesnake.
  3:00 p.m. – Sacramento Birds Throughout the Year with Chris Conard. The Sacramento area is Home to over 300 species of birds. A program of photos and short videos will provide an introduction to the avian calendar and an overview of what migratory patterns to expect – and when.

Tours are scheduled in the morning for enhanced wildlife viewing opportunities.

• NEW TOUR - ZenOptic wetlands Dawn Photo Tour lead by Lon Yarbrough - The 5:45 a.m. tour will experience wetlands at dawn and will provide tips and opportunity for capturing the vibrant life of the wetlands as daybreak begins. Limit 12 participants - $20/each.
• NEW TOUR - Early Morning Songbirds led by John Trochet - This is a 6:30 a.m. private tour along the Cosumnes Preserve. Limit 15 participants - $20/each.
• NEW TOUR - Cosumnes River Preserve Wetland and Farm Tour at led by Harry McQuillen – This tour leaves at 7:00 a.m. and features a look at the Preserve’s freshwater wetlands and organic rice operations and how these management activities support thousands of wintering waterfowl and water birds. Limit 20 participants - $15/each.
• NEW TOUR - Bufferlands Tour led by Chris Conrad - The 8:00 a.m. tour will offer an opportunity to visit sites with limited public access to view the results of local conservation and restoration efforts. The 2500 acre Bufferlands surrounding the Sacramento Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant between south Sacramento and Elk Grove serve as an open space for this intriguing tour. $10/each.

The following tours are $10 each adult. Youth under the age of 18 are free: Space is limited.

• Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge – 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
• Cosumnes River Preserve General Tour – 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
• Cosumnes River Preserve Childrens Tour – 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

To sign-up for the tours or to receive further details regarding the tours, please visit the City of Galt at www.ci.galt.ca.us or call 209-366-7115. Please call to confirm tour availability.