15th Annual Central Valley Birding Symposium

Please join us for a full set of engaging programs and bird-filled field trips at this year's Central Valley Birding Symposium. The Stockton Hilton Hotel is in tip-top shape, and we look forward to returning to our "home" for the Symposium. Among the wide range of vendors are the top optical manufacturers in the world alongside magnificent art displays of birds. Come and enjoy the camaraderie of birding friends, both old and new, all under one roof.

5:30 AM—2:30 PM Field Trips: American River Parkway, Bufferlands & Stone Lakes NWR, Colusa NWR, Cosumnes River Preserve, Eastern Stanislaus Co, Merced Refuge, O’Neill Forebay & San Luis Reservoir, Pardee Reservoir Eagle Boat trip, Salt Springs Valley, San Joaquin NWR, Southeastern Solano Co., Staten Island & Delta Meadows SP, Sutter Buttes, and Yolo Co.

6:30 AM—2:30 PM “Birding with Jon Dunn” Field Trip (Youth Scholarship Fundraiser) - Wait listed

9:30 AM—11:00 AM "Wetland Icons: Ecology & Conservation of Herons & Egrets"—John P. Kelly

11:30 AM—3:00 PM Bird & Nature Digiscoping Class & Field Trip with Clay Taylor

11:30 AM—3:00 PM Local Field Trips: Bufferlands & Stone Lakes NWR, Cosumnes River Preserve, Flood & Waverly Rd, Lodi Lake, Lodi Wastewater Treatment Plant, Mokelumne Day Use Area, Stockton WTP, Turner Rd Vintners, Woodbridge Rd.

3:30 PM—4:30 PM The Pacific Flyway Shorebird Survey — PRBO Conservation Science

6:00 AM—9:30 AM Local Field Trips: Bufferlands & Stone Lakes NWR, Cosumnes River Preserve, Flood & Waverly Rd, Lodi Lake, Lodi Wastewater Treatment Plant, Mokelumne Day Use Area, Stockton WTP, Turner Rd Vintners, Woodbridge Reg. Park, Woodbridge Rd.

All workshops and programs held at the Stockton Hilton Hotel. It is highly recommended that you bring your binoculars to all programs and workshops.

Please come and help us kick off this year’s CVBS! Come meet the CVBS board & staff members! Reconnect with old friends! Meet new ones! Take advantage of the scrumptious Hors D’oeuvres buffet & No Host Bar!

During this time we will cover Friday’s field trips and make any make any special announcements and additions/ or changes to the Symposium schedule.

7:30 PM—9:00 PM Appreciating the Birds of the Central Valley — Ed Harper & John Sterling

Sit back and watch as Ed & John take us on a photographic journey to catch a glimpse of the avian world of the Central Valley.

Ed Harper is one of the finest birders and bird photographers in the country. His programs are always highly informative and full of humor. An educator at heart, though retired as a math teacher from American River College in Sacramento, he still teaches birding classes. He now spends almost every free moment in the field and leads wildlife tours all over of the world with his wife Susan.

John Sterling has been an active birder since 1971. He started his career in ornithology in 1979 while as a student at Humboldt State University. Since then he has worked for the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center in Washington DC, research labs of the US Forest Service (Redwood Sciences Lab & PSW Fresno), H.T. Harvey & Associates, for both Arizona & Oregon State University, and many other organizations in Latin America and California. As an avid California birder, he has accumulated detailed knowledge of bird distribution and status throughout the state. Currently he serves as the CVBC President.

This program has become an annual favorite. What better way to learn about the finer points of bird identification than by listening to the experts go through the process? Our illustrious panel will include Ron LeValley, Joe Morlan, Jon Dunn, and others. They will be presented with slides of difficult-to-identify bird groups (such as Golden-Plovers, winter plumage loons, female goldeneyes, etc.), and then each will mention what features they use to aid in clinching an ID.

WILLIAM LEON DAWSON was the author of the two volume “The Birds of Ohio” (1903), “The Birds of Washington” (1909), and the monumental four volume “The Birds of California” (1923). Together with a group of prominent people of Santa Barbara, Dawson founded the Museum of Comparative Oology. This museum was located in two outbuildings on his property on Puesta del Sol in Mission Canyon. It was based on both his own extensive collection of bird eggs as well as collections of several members of the community. He traveled throughout California collecting information and photographs for his book. Dawson wrote with a flowery prose, full of humor, spirituality, and true love for the feathered beings. He was also an incredible scientist and an amazing photographer.

Ron LeValley will offer readings from the writings of William Dawson, and illustrated by his own photographs and recordings. Dawson's writings are humorous, sad, spiritual, satirical, and inspirational. Ron's presentation and photography captures much of this feeling.

Ron began his career in Sacramento where he grew up and graduated from American River College & Sacramento State University. He received his Master's Degree at Humboldt State University. He spent almost 20 years conducting an ecotourism business that took him too many places including Baja California, the Galapagos, the Amazon, Southeastern Alaska, Australia, and Africa. Ron has been photographing nature for over 40 years. He is a founding member of the Mendocino Coast Photographer Gallery in Fort Bragg where his works are currently on display. Ron is also the founder and Senior Biologist of Mad River Biologists, a biological consulting firm in Eureka, CA. Though best known for the identification and distribution of birds along the Pacific Coast, he has an extensive understanding of natural history subjects. He serves as Treasurer of the Pacific Seabird Group and is an Associate Editor of Western Birds, the journal for WFO. One of Ron's outstanding attributes is sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm with others.

Bird migration is a remarkable natural phenomenon. Naïve birds can travel thousands of miles across unfamiliar territory and wind up in species or population-specific wintering grounds. Scott will be presenting an overview of avian migration. He will discuss why and how birds migrate, including how they orient and navigate on their migratory journeys and the selective pressures that result in different migratory strategies. In addition to an overview of migration in general, he will present the highlights of some of his research, which involved primarily the relationship between the relative roles of genetic and environmental factors in determining migratory behavior.

Scott Terrill has published many papers on the behavioral ecology of migratory birds. The focus of his research has been the relative roles of endogenous and environmental mechanisms in determining migratory behavior. Scott completed his PhD in Ken Able’s lab at the State University of New York where he focused on how migrant birds orient and navigate. He received an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship to conduct research on bird migration with Peter Berthold at the Max Planck Institute in Germany. {The institute was performing leading edge research on the genetic control of migratory behavior.}

Scott is a California native and after being absent from the state for 18 years, returned in 1990. He has served a number of terms on the California Bird Records Committee and was a Regional Editor for the northern California region of North American Birds for 10 years. In addition to migration, he has published a number of papers on avian ecology, distribution, and identification. He is a Vice President and Senior Ornithologist at H. T. Harvey and Associates, an ecological consulting firm that supports basic research as well as applied ecology.

9:30 AM—11:00 AM "Wetland Icons: Ecology & Conservation of Herons & Egrets" — John P. Kelly

The popular use of herons and egrets as symbols of wetland health is validated by their sensitivity to wetland quality and their roles as powerful wetland predators. Find out what goes on in heron and egret nesting colonies, and how these beautiful birds can tell help us to enhance the protection of healthy wetlands. John Kelly, Director of Conservation Science at Audubon Canyon Ranch, will discuss the natural history and conservation of herons and egrets, based on his studies of heronries throughout the San Francisco Bay region and beyond since 1990. John’s investigations of herons and egrets have provided insights into the conservation of wetland landscapes, protection of nesting colonies, and effects of climate change. John has written numerous scientific articles on coastal & estuarine birds. He holds a PhD in Ecology from UC Davis and an MS in Wildlife from Humboldt State.

This workshop will cover the “basics”: How to choose and use optics and field guides, when and where to bird, and the first steps toward identifying a bird. The field trip will put into action many of the topics he covered in class. He will visit Oak Grove Regional Park in north Stockton where wintering birds abound. Bring binoculars, field guides and note book. Jim is a high school teacher from Modesto who has a contagious love for birds and education. He is one of the top birders in Stanislaus County.

11:30 AM—3:00 PM Bird & Nature Digiscoping Workshop & Field Trip — Clay Taylor

Combining camera and scope is an expanding possibility–learn about the latest with this combination workshop & field trip led by Clay Taylor of Swarovski Optik. Equipment, settings, field techniques to be discussed and put into practice. Destination will be chosen according to best photography conditions, so grab your equipment (or use the available loaner scopes) and be ready to capture those close-ups. Limited to 15 participants.

3:30 PM—4:30 PM The Pacific Flyway Shorebird Survey — PRBO Conservation Science

The Pacific Flyway Shorebird Survey (PFSS) is a multi-partner project that integrates both ongoing and newly established monitoring programs to inform shorebird conservation and management in the Pacific Flyway through monitoring and science. Within California, we have several monitoring programs in place including the San Francisco Bay Shorebird Survey (SFSS) and the Central Valley Shorebird Survey (CVSS). Professional biologists and skilled volunteers using one of several predefined, standardized survey protocols collect PFSS data. These data are compiled through an online data entry portal in the California Avian Data Center (CADC), which is a secure platform for managing, analyzing, and visualizing ecological monitoring data. Interactive user tools, integrated within CADC, provide summaries of shorebird data, including spatial distribution and relative abundance by habitat type or location. You can help provide needed data to guide resource allocations in California as we strive to support a diversity of wildlife and societal needs into the future. If shorebirds count to you, come learn how you can help us count shorebirds!

This is a time to visit and have fun with one another. Many of our speakers have authored books that may be in your library, so remember to bring yours if you want it signed. Many books will be available for purchase.

7:45 PM—9:00 PM Keynote Program “10 Birds that Changed Birding" — Jeffrey A. Gordon

Looking back over one's own birding career, there are certain individual birds that stand out as having really made a difference. There is the "spark" bird--the one that turned you from a casual observer into an avowed birdwatcher, willing to endure long miles and early hours in search of new species. There are birds that thrilled you with their rarity, their beauty, and their unexpected behaviors. Each of us carries a personal list of our own pivotal birds, even if we are not listers in the narrow sense. But often a bird sighting is not just ours alone, it is shared with other birders, sometimes hundreds of others. So which are the birds that changed North American birders as a community, and really left their mark on birding as a sport and science? Looking back over the past three decades, author & tour leader Jeffrey Gordon will tell the stories of ten individual birds that made a difference to all of us, whether we personally saw them or not. From the Newburyport Ross's Gull to the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Jeff will share his selection of ten birds that changed the world.

Jeffrey A. Gordon is a writer, photographer, tour leader, and naturalist who lives in Colorado Springs, CO where he holds the position as President of the American Birding Association. A frequent speaker and trip leader at birding and nature festivals, Jeff serves as field editor for Birdwatcher's Digest, and is the coordinator for the Delaware Birding Trail. A lifelong nature enthusiast, Jeff worked as an interpretive naturalist at national parks including Yosemite and Acadia, and at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in Texas. He spent 12 years leading birding tours full time, specializing in North & Central America, as well as guiding trips to Antarctica and Africa. Since 2003, he has led tours part-time to Canada, Texas, Mexico, and Panama.

Join master carvers from the Pacific Flyway Decoy Association for a three-hour carving seminar. All of the necessary materials, including a study guide and the best knives on the market, will be provided for this seminar. Short lectures with lots of hands-on carving will enable you to complete a life size Dunlin shorebird decoy. Topics include where to get your supplies, how to use reference material, wood selection, and how to use hand tools and power tools. There is a $25 fee for materials. The price includes a one-year membership in the Pacific Flyway Decoy Association, and a club directory, so you will know who is carving in your area. Must be fifteen years old or older. Pre-registration necessary.

Have you ever observed a bird and just wished you could sit down and begin to draw it on paper, but did not know where to start? Well, here is a chance to learn how. Join Rene Reyes, a well-known local artist, to uncover the budding artist within you! Bring a pencil and some paper.

Seven species of swallows occur regularly in the Central Valley primarily as migrants and summer residents, but a few persist through the winter. Their aerial habits can cause confusion and identification challenges as these fast flying birds sweep overhead. There is no better person to go over these challenges than Joe. He has been a fixture at this event for many years. He is one of the nation’s leading birders and has served on the CA Bird Records Committee for many years. Joe teaches very popular birding classes at the College of San Francisco.

The Central Valley Birding Symposium serves as the annual meeting of the Central Valley Bird Club. We will conduct a brief meeting to give members (if you attend the Symposium, you are an automatic member) an update on the club, and to take care of any business that requires the approval by the membership. This is also when we will conduct the ever-popular raffle where many of the vendors and artists donate wonderful items and works to support the Club.

Jon will cover the bird group of Warblers. He will pay particular attention to those species encountered in the Central Valley and surrounding areas. Jon is one of the world’s leading field ornithologists and has few peers when it comes to explaining the finer identification points within challenging bird groups. Jon has authored many books/articles on bird ID, status and distribution and his most recent book is the “Gulls of the Americas: Photo Guide” with Steve Howell. He also leads birding tours for Wings.

Please note the codes in parentheses after the descriptions are ratings provided as a service to our participants with limited mobility. Explanations located after the Specialized Field Trips section.

Directions and maps for all Friday trips available Friday morning prior to departure time. Please be considerate of the leaders and fellow birders by arriving in plenty of time, prior to the departure, to receive any last minute instructions and to arrange the carpools. Due to the rising cost of fuel, please remember to offer the driver gas money. Contact Kurt Mize (k1mize@aol.com), field trip coordinator, if other arrangements are necessary. A boxed lunch will be available from the Stockton Hilton. Please designate on the registration form if you desire to purchase one.

American River Parkway: Approximately 5,000 acres of open space and wildlife habitat have been preserved along 23 miles of the American River from its confluence with the Sacramento River to Lake Natoma. Setting aside valuable land in the middle of a heavily urbanized area was model civic planning on a national scale--it is five times larger than New York's Central Park! Habitat gradations over its length, from giant cottonwoods festooned with grape vines on the valley floor to live oaks and steep bluffs at its upper end, make for a diverse birding experience. Expect a mix of riparian and oak woodland birds, good numbers of Common Mergansers and Common Goldeneyes, with a good chance for Barrow's, and a good selection of gulls (the latter somewhat dependant on conditions and the extent of the salmon run). Multiple access points will be visited, with short to moderate walks at each. (SS/2) Limited to 20 participants.

Birding with Jon Dunn: Jon Dunn will lead this special field trip dedicated to the study and Identification of wintering birds in the Central Valley. Areas to be visited will be local in nature to keep driving time to a minimum. Fundraisers for the Youth Scholarship Fund, donations are $25. (3/R) Limited to 15 participants. Wait listed

Colusa National Wildlife Refuge, Sutter Buttes, & District 10: The focus will be Colusa NWR, one of the best places in the Central Valley to view large waterfowl concentrations. There will be myriad ducks on the tour and skeins of Snow, Ross's and White-fronted geese, and many raptors overhead—possibly including Bald Eagle and/or Peregrine Falcon. Eurasian Wigeon is almost a cinch. There will be some easy walking on a level trail through a riparian forest next to the main viewing pond. If time allows on the return trip, we will drive around the Sutter Buttes to look for Rough-legged Hawk, Sandhill Cranes, and diving ducks. Then we will proceed to District 10, northeast of Marysville, a winter haven for thousands of easily viewed geese and swans, including occasional Trumpeter & Bewick's swans, and White-faced Ibis. Driving time from Stockton to Colusa NWR is about 2 hours. (2)

Cosumnes River Preserve: Cosumnes River Preserve has the finest valley oak riparian forest in California. The preserve also has extensive wetlands, fallow fields, oak savannas, and fresh water tidal marshes and swamps. There are two possible routes: 1) River Walk trail, Lost Slough Boardwalk, along Desmond Road, and wetlands around “The Barn,” (~ 4-5 miles), or 2) Tall Forest, Accidental Forest, along Desmond Road and wetlands around “the Barn” (~ 4-5 miles). The River Walk and Lost Slough Boardwalk trails are flatter, unobstructed, and a better sampler of all the habitats of the lower preserve. Birding the Tall Forest requires following animal trails through thick shrubs and over and under fallen trees. Ten years of accumulated deadfall, without a cleansing flood, has made transit of the Tall Forest very difficult. Rubber boots are encouraged due to standing water and low spots. Participants on both tours can expect to see many cranes and waterfowl, a diverse variety of raptors and many songbirds. Most specialty birds are found on the River Walk, but Pacific Wren, Varied Thrush, Hutton’s Vireo, and Wrentit are a possibility in the Tall Forest. Driving time is about 30 minutes. (3/C)

Eastern Stanislaus Co.: The focus of this field trip is the rolling grasslands, Oak Savannah and foothill reservoirs of Eastern Stanislaus Co. We will travel first to Turlock Lake State Park to look for early Mountain Plovers and then work our way east to Joe Domecq/Basso Bridge (sneak peeks at the salmon) and north along Cooperstown Rd., Willms Rd., Knight's Ferry, and Sonora Rd. In the event that roads are wet, we will travel north on Crabtree Rd. instead of Willms Rd. Expect to see Lewis' Woodpeckers, many raptors (including both eagles and 3 falcon species), Vesper Sparrows, Mountain Bluebirds, wintering songbirds and more. Restrooms available at three stops, but no food or gas services available after the meeting spot. Meet at the Fruit Yard Restaurant (the corner of Hwy 132 & Albers Rd) East of Modesto at 7AM or at the Stockton Hilton at 5:30 AM. (2)

Merced Refuges: East of the O’Neill Forebay in central Merced County, the wildlife refuges attract an abundance of cranes, waterfowl, waders, and shorebirds. Ibis, pelicans, and eagles are also a possibility. In the past, we have seen rare species such as Swamp Sparrow, Eastern Phoebe, Vermilion Flycatcher, Stilt Sandpiper, and Ruff, so although we cannot predict seeing a rare bird, this area provides a great opportunity to discover an unexpected species. We will visit the Merced NWR and the San Luis NWR and if time permits, the Los Banos Wildlife Area & Gun Club Road marshes. Driving time is about 100 minutes each way. (2/SS)

O’Neill Forebay & San Luis Reservoir: This area lies 90 miles south of Stockton, on the west side of Hwy 33 & I-5, and north of Hwy 152, off Hwy 5 and 152. This area attracts large numbers of divers, including loons, grebes, scaups, Redhead, Canvasback, and an occasional scoter or Long-tailed Duck. Also regularly attracts rare inland gulls such as Western, Glaucous-winged, and Thayer’s. Campground and boat launch areas also attract a variety of land birds in the pine & eucalyptus trees. If time permits, we will check the Gustine sewage ponds for gulls, waterfowl, and the rare Pacific Golden-Plover. Driving time is about 90 minutes each way. (1)

Pardee Reservoir Eagle Tour: This scenic foothill reservoir is normally closed to the public during the winter months. This field trip features a four-hour boat tour led by East Bay MUD Fisheries and Wildlife Biologist James Jones. Eagles, Ospreys, and winter waterfowl are expected. (C) Limited to 20 participants.

Sacramento Co. Bufferlands & Stone Lakes NWR: This tour provides an opportunity to visit sites with limited public access and to see fruits of local conservation and restoration efforts. The 2500-acre Bufferlands surrounding the Sacramento Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant provide an open space buffer between the treatment plant and the community. Large-scale habitat restoration has been underway since 1992. We will visit restored and remnant habitats, including wetlands, riparian forest, and grasslands to find a high diversity of bird species. This is an excellent chance to look for rails, raptors, winter songbirds, shorebirds, and waterfowl. Adjacent to the Bufferlands, the Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is a fairly new refuge, having been established in 1994. There we can expect to see numerous waterfowl as well as Sandhill Cranes and grassland species. We will visit several sites, with short to moderate walks at each. (2/R) Limited to 20 participants.

San Joaquin River NWR: The San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge is located west of Modesto, California, within the historic floodplain of the confluences of the San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne Rivers. Refuge lands consist of oak-cottonwood-willow riparian forest, pastures, agricultural fields, and wetlands. The refuge has an approved refuge boundary of 12,877 acres with over 1,900 acres of pristine riparian woodlands and 800 acres of newly restored riparian woodland. It is the primary wintering site of 98 percent of the Aleutian Canada Geese that winter in the Valley (October - April), plus it is a major wintering/migration area for Lesser & Greater Sandhill Cranes, Cackling Geese, and White-fronted Geese. The refuge's riparian forest provides important migration and breeding habitat for Neotropical migratory land birds with the most recent celebrity, Least Bell's Vireo. We should expect to get close to 100 species on this trip. (3/C)

Salt Springs Valley & Vicinity: East of Stockton, in the low foothills of Calaveras County lies the Salt Springs Valley. Due to the variety of habitats visited, a nice selection of birds will be viewed. Expected birds will include good numbers and variety of raptors and waterfowl. These usually include Bald & Golden eagles, Ferruginous Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk, & Prairie Falcon. Waterfowl will include a mix of geese, dabbling and bay ducks, mergansers, grebes, shorebirds, herons, moorhens, and coots. The ranch is also good for Lewis’s Woodpecker & Phainopepla. Driving time is 60-90 min. over a narrow country road. Restroom opportunities are limited. (3/R) Limited to 20 participants.

Southeastern Solano County: The grasslands and farmlands between Dixon and Rio Vista provide some of the best open country birding in the Central Valley. Target species include Mountain Plover and numerous raptors: Ferruginous & Rough-legged Hawks, Prairie Falcon, Merlin, and both eagles are possible. This is one of the best areas for the regionally declining Long-billed Curlew and Loggerhead Shrike. Scattered wetlands harbor waterfowl and forested patches shelter songbirds. Much of the birding will be along lightly traveled roads (1).

Staten Island & Delta Meadows State Park: From Stockton we will drive about 25 miles north on Interstate 5 and west on Walnut Grove Road to Delta Meadows State Park. This will be our first and longest stop as we walk the trails of this undeveloped, seldom-visited, and relatively unknown state park. The park consists of a remnant of valley oak riparian woodland, with sloughs, ponds, seasonal wetlands, and meadows at the confluence of the Cosumnes and Sacramento Rivers. Rubber boots are recommended, as some low-lying areas may be flooded in winter. Afterward, we will head to the nearby 9,200-acre Staten Ranch on Staten Island, a Nature Conservancy property that is still actively farmed, but also managed for wildlife. The farm’s corn and wheat fields are flooded in winter to provide critical habitat for Sandhill Cranes and other waterfowl. (3)

Sutter Buttes: The trip will be an opportunity for birders to get a close up look at the only mountains in the Central Valley. The time of year will limit the diversity of birds but it will be a good opportunity for those working on their Sutter County bird lists. (3/R) (Cost is $30, Donation to the Middle Mountain Foundation) Limited to 18 participants; Carpooling mandatory.

Western Amador County: East of Sacramento in the foothills of Amador County, numerous ponds, a large reservoir, fields, riparian woodlands, and oak savanna harbor a high diversity of birds. We will visit all of the hotspots to see waterfowl, grebes, pelicans, and eagles. In the past, rare wintering species have included Red-naped Sapsucker, Pacific Loon, Thayer’s Gull, Tundra Swan, Burrowing Owl, Eurasian Wigeon, Eurasian Green-winged Teal, and Black-and-white Warbler. This area provides a great opportunity to see many birds for your Amador County list. We will visit Comanche Reservoir, the Ione area and numerous ponds in between. Driving time is about 60 minutes each way. (1)

Yolo County: Some of Yolo’s premier birders will guide participants to sites offering the county’s largest variety of wintering birds. This trip goes to wetlands, sewage ponds, lake, and riparian habitats. Some possible stops are: Putah Creek riparian for passerines (Rufous-crowned Sparrow), and waterfowl along the creek (Hooded Mergansers, Barrow’s Goldeneye); Lake Solano (Osprey); Davis landfill and waste water treatment plant for gulls (Glaucous-winged, Thayer’s) and shorebirds; Yolo Bypass marshes for waterfowl (Blue-winged Teal, mixed geese) and shorebirds (Ruff). This outing consistently produces the highest species total among symposium field trips. Easy to moderate walking, mostly driving. Plan to meet leaders in Davis by 7am Park & Ride on the Northeast corner of the intersection of Interstate 80 and Mace Blvd. (2)

ALL SATURDAY’S FIELD TRIPS: 11:30 AM—3:00 PM with BOX LUNCHES available for purchase.

SUNDAY’S FIELD TRIP DEPARTURE TIMES VARY. PLEASE CHECK EACH TRIP FOR TIMES.

Mokelumne Day Use Area: This is small, delightful riparian oak woodland along the banks of the Mokelumne River northeast of Lodi. Expect mergansers, sparrows, warblers, and an occasional Osprey or eagle. There are maintained trails in this area leading from the parking lot to the river and riparian forest. 6:30 am departure time/Sun. (3/WS/SS)

Cosumnes River Preserve: We will visit the River Walk Trail. 6:30 am departure time/Sun. (3/C)

Flood/Waverly Roads: The Flood/Waverly rangelands in eastern San Joaquin County are a “Raptor Wonderland” in winter. Birds likely to be seen include Ferruginous and Rough-legged hawks, perhaps a Prairie Falcon or Merlin. Eagles, owls, and numerous other raptors are possible. Other birds to be looked for include Mountain Bluebirds and perhaps rare gulls at the landfill. 6:30 am departure time/Sun. (1) Wait listed

Lodi Lake: A 40-acre oak riparian jewel along the Mokelumne River is near downtown Lodi. Maintained trails make for very easy walking. It is a great spot for wintering passerines such as Varied Thrush, Pacific Wren, and Golden-crowned Kinglet. A good vagrant trap, with some of the rarest birds in the county found here. 7 am departure time/Sun. (3/WM, SM)

Lodi WTP: These small settling ponds are near the intersection of I-5 and Hwy 12. Highly productive over the years, they are the spot to see Pacific Golden-Plover locally. If the conditions are right, they can attract good numbers of other shorebirds as well as gulls, terns and ducks. 7 am departure time/Sun (1)

Sacramento Co. Bufferlands & Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge: An abbreviated version of Friday’s trip. 6:30 am departure time/Sun. (2/R)

Stockton WTP: Some of the largest ponds in the world, this complex attracts large numbers of gulls, waterfowl, and shorebirds all year round. In previous years, these ponds produced a Franklin’s Gull and Peregrine Falcon for the Symposium. 7 am departure time/Sun. (1)

Turner Rd. Vintners: This wildlife-friendly winery features sewage ponds and 40-acre wetlands created with wastewater from winery operations. Winter visitors in 2003 included Common Loon, Ross's Goose, and a second county record of Vermilion Flycatcher! 7 am departure time/Sun. (1)

Woodbridge Regional Park: This park consists of lush riparian woodlands nestled along the south bank of the Mokelumne River in the town of Woodbridge. Dirt trails meander throughout the park. It is a great spot for wintering passerines such as Varied Thrush, Pacific Wren, and residents like Wrentit. This is a good vagrant trap, very similar to Lodi Lake. (3/R) (SAT. ONLY)

Woodbridge Rd: This road is just north of Hwy 12 off I-5. This is one of the most accessible areas in the state to see Greater Sandhill Cranes. Raptors, waterfowl, and shorebirds are also present, especially at the special crane preserve. 7 am departure time/Sun. (1)

Registration fee ($95) includes Programs and Field trips for Thursday-Sunday and membership/renewal fees for the Central Valley Bird Club. If you are unable to attend the full Symposium, but wish to attend a single day there is a $45 Single day fee available. College age students (ID required) will only pay $50 for the entire event, or $25 Single day. All other students through high school age are free! Spaces at the CVBS are limited. Please send in your registration by November 10 to ensure a space. Make checks payable to: Central Valley Birding Symposium.

Upon receiving your registration, a confirmation notice will be e-mailed. Registration packets, which contain your name badge & meal tickets, may be picked up beginning at 3:00 PM on Thursday November 17at the Stockton Hilton Hotel. Registration packets will also be available on Friday morning (prior to field trip departures), Friday afternoon and evening, and again on Saturday morning. Email Frances Oliver at CVBSreg@gmail.com if other arrangements need to be made.

If you cancel your registration, either by telephone or in writing, you will receive a full refund, minus a processing fee. Notification must be received by November 10. Beginning November 11, no cancellations, or “no shows” will be refunded.

Lodging is not included in the registration fee. Our headquarters, the Stockton Hilton Hotel, is providing a limited number of rooms at the discounted rate of $99 night, so register early! Make reservations directly with the hotel by calling (209)957-9090 and tell them you are attending the CVBS.

A “Hot Breakfast” will be available Friday through Sunday morning from the Stockton Hilton Hotel. Box lunches, with a vegetarian option, are available for both Friday’s & Saturday’s field trip. Sunday buffet lunch will include soup, salad, sandwiches and drinks. Friday & Saturday dinners are available at the Stockton Hilton Hotel prior to the keynote speaker. They will be served buffet style, and will include meat, chicken and vegetarian entrees. We try our best to accommodate special needs, but bringing your own is the only way to be certain that your dietary requirements are not compromised. Please indicate on the registration form which meal you are interested in attending/purchasing. Meal prices are indicated on the registration form.

For those of you not choosing to participate in the meals, there are a few fast food places surrounding the Stockton Hilton Hotel. Unfortunately, there are very few early breakfast places available.

T-shirts and sweatshirts have been a big hit for the last 14 years. This year’s artist will be Rene Reyes.

In November, in the Central Valley, rain and fog are to be expected. In fact, anything except snow and high temperatures are possible. Participants should plan accordingly. Since conditions commonly change during the course of a day, it is usually best to be dressed in layers that can be shed or added as necessary.

Car-pooling is encouraged, so be sure to start the day with a full tank of gas. Friday will be a long field day, so bring plenty of water, snacks and pack a lunch for the day. Due to the variation in weather condition participants should be well prepared. Dress in layers; bring an outer rainproof/windproof shell, wool gloves and caps, and perhaps a hat to shade the eyes. Good sturdy shoes are necessary, and perhaps rubber knee boots will be useful for some areas.

Binoculars are essential, with spotting scopes useful to help optimize looks at distant waterfowl, raptors, shorebirds, or gulls. Please do not forget your optic cleaning equipment. If you are inclined, familiarize yourself with tape recordings of different birdcalls for the area. Bring your own field guides for birds, mammals, butterflies, insects, animal tracks, etc. Unfortunately, the local amphibians and reptiles will have withdrawn into winter quarters by mid-November. A daypack is desirable to carry your personal gear. Do not forget a thermos of your favorite hot beverage! If you are planning to take part in the photographic field trip, you will need your camera & lenses.

Please judge your own limits for walking. For those birders that have limited mobility, the field trips are rated. For further information, please contact Kurt Mize k1mize@aol.com.

No matter what you are looking for, you are sure to find it at the Birding Nature Fair and Art Show located in the Stockton Hilton Hotel. We will have many vendors and artists from across the nation selling their goods. The items will range from books & software, clothing, optics to fine arts and collectibles. Vendors are available to help you find that perfect birding gear, gift, or equipment.

We are proud to have the following vendors and exhibitors attending the symposium

Artists and Photographers

MARY CZECHAN COLDREN and LEE COLDREN

RICHARD KIRKMAN

PETER L. KNAPP PHOTOGRAPHY

RON LEVALLEY PHOTOGRAPHY

TIM MANOLIS

RHETT REGINA OWINGS

RENE REYES

ROSETT FINE ART

CLAUDIA SCHWALM NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY

Join us for the