January is the peak time to see hundreds of thousands of migratory birds that winter in the Sacramento Valley. Seeing a huge flock of several thousand snow geese whiten the winter sky is truly one of the wonders of the world.
And you have an excellent way to explore the many fantastic birding areas of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge and other spots by attending the Snow Goose Festival in Chico this weekend from Thursday through Sunday.
Here’s a bit of what the Record Searchlight says about the Snow Goose Festival:
“Geese, swans, ducks and sandhill cranes have been spending their winters in the Sacramento Valley for thousands of years,” said Marvey Mueller, spokeswoman for the festival. “They come here by the millions from as far away as the Arctic regions of Alaska, Canada and Siberia, making this valley the most important wintering area along the Pacific Flyway.”
This year’s festival will run Thursday through next Sunday. Events include field trips, a wildlife art reception, workshops and exhibits. A banquet will be held from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday at Chico State University’s Bell Memorial Union. Keynote speaker is birder, traveler and photographer Ed Harper.
More than 40 field trips are scheduled throughout the weekend and include hikes to areas that serve as the seasonal homes of rare plants and animals, a great egret rookery on the Feather River and refuges including the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge and the Colusa National Wildlife Refuge. Costs for the field trips range between $15 and $45 for adults and start at $5 for children ages 15 and younger.
Many of the field trips involve hiking on local trails, so all hikers should try to attend the festival. You can get your hiking in and also learn a lot about birds.
And Chico itself is a great town, in my opinion the best of all of California’s valley towns. It’s home to Chico State University (a gorgeous campus) and also has many miles of trails in Bidwell Park. I lived in Chico from 1990 to 1996 back when I taught political science courses at nearby Butte College, and I fell in love with the huge trees, the inviting neighborhoods, and the lively culture.
Snow geese at the Colusa National Wildlife Refuge, part of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex.
(Photo courtesy of the Fish and Wildlife Service.)
