California Swan Festival

About the Event

Come celebrate the wildlife and habitats of our abundant Northern Sacramento Valley!

Highlights:

Guided tours for birders and families
Kid’s Activities
Live animal presentations from West Coast Falconry, Wild Things, and NorCal Bats
Unique and interesting presenters, film showing of Yuba Water Agency’s “The Tricky Yuba”
Vendors and Exhibitors

Schedule of Events:

Tours:

The Swan Festival will have a variety of tours for all interest levels and ages. Enjoy bird-watching tours, explore the beauty of local flora and fauna, hike in the mysterious Sutter Buttes volcanic range, visit a local rice farm, or get an introduction to birding.

Tour registration and departure will take place at the Swan Festival Hub at Yuba College, Marysville, CA.

Click Here To Register For Tours

Schedule:

Birding Beale Air Force Base:

Beale AFB tour registration will end October 29th to allow for military staff to fully vet all participants. This is rare opportunity to look for birds on Beale Air Force Base. Department of Defense facilities preserve some of best remaining habitats in the U.S. and Beale is a great example. The base includes one of largest and best-preserved areas of Central Valley grassland, a habitat under severe threat from urban development and conversion to agriculture. A base biologist will accompany us as we search the grasslands for Ferruginous and Rough-legged Hawks, and several other raptor species, maybe even a Bald or Golden Eagle. Falcons may include American Kestrel, Merlin, and Prairie Falcon. Horned Larks and Western Meadowlarks should be abundant. Surprises like Mountain Bluebirds are also possible this time of year. We will also visit some large ponds that can harbor several species of waterfowl and an oak riparian zone with its own suite of typical species. The trip will be by carpool/small buses with multiple short stops and one short walk on flat ground. If there’s enough time, we may drive by some other points of interest on the base, including an SR71 Blackbird strategic reconnaissance aircraft that flew over Mach 3!

Important Note: The tour group will be required to check-in at the Schneider gate where Security Forces will check IDs. Vehicles will be left in the parking lot and participants will load onto buses for base entry. Once on the bus, the tour will head out to Miller Lake and Upper Blackwelder. The tour will also have an opportunity to visit the SR71 or U2 display. To gain access to the base, each adult participant must provide their full legal name, social security number, date of birth, and driver’s license number at least 1 week prior to the event for pre-screening. Participants must also provide a Real ID or two forms of ID (birth certificate, social security card, driver’s license, or passport) to enter the base. Participants over age 16 must have a current photo ID to show base security personnel. Any and all weapons and/or drugs brought on base is considered a federal crime.

Leaders: Tamara Gallentine (Beale AFB), Elsa Chen (CSU-CEMML), and Lilly Douglas (USFWS)

Tour # 201
Bus with light walking
Time: 7:30am - 12pm
Meet: Swan Central Hub - Yuba College
Difficulty: 2
Limit: 26 people
Cost: $20/adult, $10/youth/Kids
Registration Closes Oct 29th

Nature of the Sutter Buttes - Hike on Dean Place:

Lace up your hiking boots, grab your trekking poles and binoculars, and join this rare opportunity to gain access to an area normally not open to the public! Explore the secluded depths of the interior of the Sutter Buttes, the smallest mountain range in the world, as we visit the 100-year-old Dean Place Cattle Ranch. The focus on this three-mile walk will be on the birds of the Buttes and we’ll hopefully see such gems as Golden Eagle, Phainopepla, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Mountain Bluebird, Varied Thrush, lots of winter sparrows, and with luck, geese and swans flying high over the Buttes. Prepare for some moderate climbing and mostly uneven ground. Be sure to bring binoculars, lunch, water, and sturdy boots/shoes and hiking sticks, if you have them. Bring food and water. No early departures on this trip.

Leader: Rose Hoskinson

Tour # 202
Hike
Time: 8:00am - 2:30pm
Meet: Swan Festival Hub - Yuba College, 2088 N Beale Rd, Marysville, CA
Difficulty: 2
Limit: 20
Cost: $35/person

Swan Tour:

Come along on this exciting tour featuring Yuba County’s wintering tundra swans. Be prepared to witness the Pacific Flyway in all its glory. A naturalist from California Department of Fish and Wildlife will be your guide to the remarkable migratory bird populations using flooded rice fields to forage and overwinter. This area boasts one of the largest seasonal concentrations of tundra swans in the Central Valley, as well as abundant geese, ducks, shorebirds and raptors. Bring your binoculars and field guides. Dress for the weather.

Leader: California Department of Fish & Wildlife Naturalist

Tour # 203
Car Tour
Time: 8:00-10:30am
Meet: Swan tour staging area, address available upon tour registration
Duration: 2.5 hours
Difficulty: 2
Limit: 10 vehicles
Cost: $20/adult, $10/youth, Free/kids

Birding at Bobelaine Sanctuary:

Bobelaine is a 430-acre National Audubon Sanctuary along the Feather River, managed by Sacramento Audubon Society. It’s a rare remnant of the riparian forests that once extended two to five miles on either side of the rivers in the Central Valley. Bobelaine is listed as an “Important Bird Area” by the National Audubon Society and the extensive forest of giant cottonwood, valley oak, sycamore, and willow is home to a wide variety of birds and wildlife throughout the seasons. We’ll explore the trails and search for the resident and wintering birds. Woodpeckers of various species should be abundant. Black-crowned Night Herons, Wood Ducks, egrets, grebes, and cormorants may be on the water. Cedar Waxwings, Yellow Warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and a variety of sparrows will be settling in for the winter. We may get looks at some of the woodland raptors such as Red-shouldered Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, and Sharp-shinned Hawk as well. If we’re lucky, we may even see deer or a family of river otters frolicking along the river. Expect to walk about 2 miles on mostly level ground. Heavy rain will cancel trip.

Leader: Cliff Hawley

Tour # 205
Hike
Time: 8:30am - 12:00pm
Meet: Swan Festival Hub - Yuba College, 2088 N Beale Rd, Marysville, CA
Difficulty: 3
Limit: 15
Cost: $20/adult, $10/youth/kids (not recommended for children 12 years and under)

Swan Tour:

Come along on this exciting tour featuring Yuba County’s wintering tundra swans. Be prepared to witness the Pacific Flyway in all its glory. A naturalist from California Department of Fish and Wildlife will be your guide to the remarkable migratory bird populations using flooded rice fields to forage and overwinter. This area boasts one of the largest seasonal concentrations of tundra swans in the Central Valley, as well as abundant geese, ducks, shorebirds and raptors. Bring your binoculars and field guides. Dress for the weather.

Leaders: California Department of Fish & Wildlife Naturalist

Tour # 209
Car Tour
Times: 11:00am - 1:30pm
Meet: Swan Tour staging area, address available upon tour registration.
Duration: 2.5 hours
Difficulty: 1 (car tour; little to no walking)
Limit: 25 people or 10 cars
Cost: $20/adult, $10/youth, Free/kids

Nature/Wildlife Photography at Colusa National Wildlife Refuge:

Join professional nature photographer Stephen Fischer on a field trip to the Colusa National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) to practice nature and wildlife photography techniques, many of which he will discuss Saturday morning at his indoor presentation and slide show (see Swan Festival program schedule). Steve will share some “tricks-of-the-trade” with us regarding equipment and techniques to capture great photos of birds and other wildlife. Colusa NWR regularly has some of the best waterfowl photography opportunities in the region and Steve will guide participants to the ideal locations at the refuge for bird photography. He will review the essentials and, since it will be a small group, he will provide individual coaching and feedback on how to improve our results. The focus will be on birding or photography enthusiast that would like to up their game and get better results. At the Colusa NWR we expect to capture photographs of some of the typical birds found in the Central Valley wetlands during the winter months, including a variety of geese, ducks, and raptors. We’ll have the pleasure of being able to photograph during the “magic hour” right before sunset, when the light is at its best. Then we’ll enjoy sunset and twilight at the refuge. A perfect way to end your day in the field! Be sure to bring a camera that you are familiar with, such as a DSLR with a telephoto lens along with a tripod. Also bring warm clothes in layers, insect repellent, and water.

Important Note: Stephen will also be hosting “The Essentials of Bird Photography” workshop on Saturday, November 9th from 9:00-10:30am. There is no fee to attend the workshop. Additional workshop details can be found at www.caswanfestival.org, under “Festival Events”.

Leader: Stephen Fischer

Tour # 210
Nature/wildlife photography at Colusa National Wildlife Refuge
Time: 1:30pm - 5:30pm
Meet: Swan Festival Hub - Yuba College, 2088 N Beale Rd, Marysville, CA
Difficulty: 2
Limit: 15
Cost: $25/adult, $15/youth

Sunset Swan Tour:

Come along on this exciting tour featuring Yuba County’s wintering tundra swans. Be prepared to witness the Pacific Flyway in all its glory. A naturalist from California Department of Fish and Wildlife will be your guide to the remarkable migratory bird populations using flooded rice fields to forage and overwinter. This area boasts one of the largest seasonal concentrations of tundra swans in the Central Valley, as well as abundant geese, ducks, shorebirds and raptors. Bring your binoculars and field guides. Dress for the weather.

Leaders: California Department of Fish & Wildlife Naturalist

Tour # 211
Car Tour
Times: 2:30 - 5:00pm
Meet: Swan tour staging area, address available upon tour registration
Duration: 2.5 hours
Difficulty: 1 (car tour; little to no walking)
Limit: 25 people or 10 cars
Cost: $20/adult, $10/youth, Free/kids

Activities, Presentations and Workshops:

The main festival “Hub” will be located at the Yuba College, in the cafeteria and theater. The “Hub” will be the tour check-in location, vendor hall, and unique speakers. The “Hub” will be offering free live animal presentations from West Coast Falconry, Wild Things, and NorCal Bats. Get up-close and personal with a variety of raptors, large reptiles, and mammals. Festival admission, including speakers, and Kid’s Zone” are free, with tours and special activities requiring a per person fee and/or pre-registration.

Schedule:

8:00am - 9:00am: Beginner Photography Workshop Guide

Greetings and Introduction (5 minutes)

Greet Participants: Welcome everyone into the workshop & introduce yourself.
Set Expectations: Define workshop structure and key objectives.

Understanding Your Camera (10 minutes)

Camera Types

Dissect Camera Models: DSLR, mirrorless, compact.

Features: Briefly show features like the lens, viewfinder, and dials.

Settings and Modes

Basic Camera Settings: Describe ISO, aperture, and shutter speed.

Shooting Modes: Explain Auto, Manual, Aperture Priority, & Shutter Priority.

How to Explain ISO, Aperture & Shutter Speed (20 minutes)

ISO

Definition: Explain that ISO measures the camera’s sensitivity to light. Lower ISO means less sensitivity for bright settings, and higher ISO is used for low light.

Practical Example: Show how increasing ISO brightens an image but may introduce noise and affect picture quality.

Aperture

Definition: Specifically define aperture as the opening in the lens that controls how much light reaches the camera sensor. It is expressed in f-stops (e.g., f/1.8, f/16).

Practical Example: Use visuals to demonstrate that a wider aperture (lower f-stop number) creates a shallow depth of field for portraits, while a narrow aperture (higher f-stop number) captures more of the scene.

Shutter Speed

Definition: Shutter speed refers to how long the camera shutter is open, allowing light to enter the sensor. Fast speeds freeze motion, while slow speeds create blur.

Practical Example: Photograph something moving at different shutter speeds to show how sharp, frozen motion differs from dynamic, artistic blur. Reinforce understanding through experimentation with participants’ own cameras to reinforce concepts.

Composition Basics (15 minutes)

Leading the Viewer: Discuss the most important rule in photography – leading the viewer. This is achieved via standard photography rules and editing.
Rule of Thirds: Explain how the rule of thirds might help you compose photos. Examples show how to position subjects along grid lines to achieve balanced images.
Leading Lines: Describe how leading lines draw attention to the focal point. Give tips for spotting natural lines like paths or rivers in the environment.
Framing and Perspective: Fuse shots creatively with nature – teach techniques for framing shots.

Post Processing/Editing

Dark to Light

Cool to Warm
More Contrast versus Less Contrast

Conclusion/Next Steps (10 minutes)

Wrap-up: Recall key points from the workshop.
Call to Action: Encourage participants to keep practicing and exploring photography.
Q&A Session: Last question/comment: Open the floor.
Optional Handout: Give a handout highlighting key points and resources for further learning.

Presented by: Jeremy Vesely, For more info visit Jeremy Vesely Photography

Cost: Free

11:15am - 12:15pm: The Tricky Yuba - Yuba Water Agency Documentary

Sit back and enjoy a screening of the Yuba Water Agency’s documentary, “The Tricky Yuba”. Released in May 2022, the film highlights the Yuba Water Agency’s history, the reason for its formation, its significant accomplishments over the past 60+ years, and what’s next for the agency. The Yuba Water Agency’s history is a story of courage, commitment and perseverance, overcoming incredible devastation. Popcorn provided by Yuba Water Agency and available while supplies last. The film is 53 minutes long.

Cost: Free

9:00am - 11:00am: The Essentials of Bird Photography with Stephen Fischer

Join professional nature and adventure photographer Stephen Fischer for this intensive introduction to Bird Photography. This workshop will cover the essentials for obtaining successful high-quality photographs of birds in the wild. Photography skills such as focusing and panning, composition, lighting and weather, and field strategies for successful bird photography, will be discussed. Stephen will present and display some of his best photographs and have his bird photography equipment on site for discussion. So, bring your gear! DSLR’s and telephoto lenses are encouraged in this workshop for some hands-on assistance.

Important Note: A follow up field trip to Colusa National Wildlife Refuge will be offered on Saturday afternoon, to further sharpen your skills. Fieldtrip pre- registration is required and has a per person fee to attend. Space is limited. Additional tour details can be found at www.caswanfestival.org, under “Festival Events”.

Presenter: Stephen Fischer

Cost: Free

12:30pm - 1:45pm: Corky Quirck of Nor-Cal Bats, Natural History of Bats

Learn about natural history of several species of bats, their importance as insect control, and the harmful myths that surround these animals. Learn about these fascinating flying mammals, the myths that surround them, and meet live bats native to California. Be amazed by their size and the many special characteristics that allow bats to be such an essential part of the environment. It includes a short but informative and entertaining video, and the opportunities to view live bats of California. There’s time for questions and comments too. Seating will be limited so please arrive early.

Presented by: Corky Quirk of NorCal Bats, an organization that is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of bats in Northern California.

Cost: Free

12:30pm - 1:45pm: West Coast Falconry - Bird of Prey Photo Op!

Get your cameras ready for this one-of-a-kind photo opportunity from West Coast Falconry. For a small fee you can put on a falconry glove and hold a bird of prey on your arm while West Coast Falconry snaps a few photos with your phone or camera. West Coast Falconry will also have falconry – oriented key chains for sale and a display of birds, wings, feathers and equipment used for training birds of prey. Get up close and personal with a falcon, hawk, owl or eagle!

Cost: Free

2:00pm - 3:15pm: Wild Things , North American Wildlife Presentation

Get ready to embark on an incredible journey of discovery! Join Gabe Kerschner with Wild Things as they explore the fascinating world of wildlife, featuring some of the most intriguing and beautiful animals that live right alongside us in North America. From fur to feathers to scales, they’ll take you up close and personal with a diverse range of native species. Through their individual rescue stories, and with fun and humor, Wild Things will share a conservation message and inspire an appreciation for the amazing creatures that share our world. So bring your sense of wonder and come along on a wild ride! Seating will be limited so please arrive early.

Presented by: Gabe Kerschner

Cost: Free

3:30pm - 4:30pm: Sacramento Valley Waterfowl and Salmon Sharing the Floodplain

Spring Run Chinook Salmon populations in Butte Creek hit a low in the 1970s and waterfowl populations in the Sacramento Valley hit a low in the 1980’s. By the 1990’s Butte Creek Spring Run Chinook had increased 25 fold from the 1970’s and millions of waterfowl were once again returning to the Sacramento Valley each winter. Today, innovative work and modern technology are helping biologists understand the ecology of these species to guide habitat restoration and management and highlight how the needs of waterfowl and salmon overlap as we face the challenges presented by a changing climate.

Presented by: Cliff Feldheim, Ducks Unlimited

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