Sandhill Crane Festival

See the Cosumnes River Preserve through the eyes of artists. Leisurely stroll the marsh loop, do a little birding, and visit with stationed artists along the way.

Accomplished artist and former University of the Pacific art instructor Marika Wolfe is rallying a group of wonderful talent to paint the scenes that you’ll enjoy. Learn more about the Preserve at www.cosumnes.org.

Saturday at 1:40 PM (#23)

Duration: 2 hours and 20 min

Travel by Car (35 min)

Adult: $15 - Youth: $10 - Child: $5

Enjoy a drive toward the Sierra Nevada foothills in route to Pardee Reservoir. There you will meet EBMUD biologist James Jones and search for early arrivals of golden and bald eagles.

This boat tour also offers uncommon bird species not seen on other Crane Festival tours, including loons, grebes, mergansers, and bufflehead. Learn more about Pardee Recreational Area by visiting www.pardeelakerecreation.com.

Saturday at 8:00 AM (#8)

Sunday at 8:30 AM (#35)

Duration: 4 hours and 45 min

Travel by Car (50 min)

Adult: $25 - Youth: $15 - Child: $10

Join an expert birder as you learn basic birding techniques in a fun and easy way in an old growth riparian habitat.

Lodi Lake’s Nature Area is targeted by San Joaquin Audubon Society as the “best place” to see birds in the county. Pick up those great tips on identifying songbirds and hawks that you can only get by birding with a pro! Grab your binocs and be ready to learn!

Saturday at 11:10 AM (#18)

Sunday at 11:45 AM (#44)

Duration: 2 hours

Travel by Car (5 min)

Adult: $10 - Youth: $5 - Child: $3

Join fellow experienced birders as you visit 4 local hot spots in search of the Lodi area’s many resident and wintering birds. The differing habitats provide great variety of birds from shore birds to wintering warblers.

Visit old growth riparian habitat, farm fields, and local ponds in attempt to beat the single tour festival record of 67 birds. Expect to caravan from site to site, and enjoy light walking at each stop. Binoculars, food, and water are highly recommended.

Tour guide Tim Manolis is the former president of the Western Field Ornithologists and the Central Valley Bird Club. He currently is an author, artist, illustrator, and biological consultant. He recently authored and illustrated Dragonflies and Damselflies of California. Returning to guide this tour, Tim knows where to find ‘em!

Saturday at 7:00 AM (#6)

Sunday at 7:00 AM (#31)

Duration: 5 hours

Travel by Caravan (varies)

Adult: $15 - Youth: $10 - Child: $5

Jointly managed by the Nature Conservancy and the Bureau of Land Management, the Cosumnes River Preserve is the finest Valley Oak riparian forest and wetland in California.

Explore this key link on the Pacific Flyway and learn why its management is considered a model in conservation partnerships. Learn more about the Preserve at www.cosumnes.org.

Experienced tour guides from the Preserve will lead you along the boardwalk, spotting shorebirds, waders, raptors and cranes. Evening tour #s 2, 27, 48 include viewing a crane fly-in, the daily highlight of the crane season.

Friday at 3:10 PM (#2)

Saturday at 9:30 AM (#14)

Saturday at 3:00 PM (#27)

Sunday at 10:15 PM (#39)

Sunday at 2:30 PM (#48)

Duration: Less than 3 hours

Travel by Bus (30 min)

Adult: $20 - Youth: $10 - Child: $5

This tour takes center stage as the festival highlight! Sandhill cranes spend their days eating and lounging in the surrounding fields. At dusk, they all converge in large groups that often number into the thousands.

Back-dropped by stunning sunsets behind Mt. Diablo, cranes fly in, vocalize, and are sure to put on a show!

Experienced volunteer docents from the Department of Fish and Game share the natural history of the cranes, taking advantage of the Sandhill crane preserve, managed to ensure that cranes have suitable habitat when arriving for the winter. Book this tour first. They promise to fill quickly!

Friday at 3:20 PM (#3)

Friday at 3:30 PM (#4)

Saturday at 3:30 PM (#29)

Saturday at 3:40 PM (#30)

Sunday at 3:20 PM (#50)

Sunday at 3:30 PM (#51)

Sunday at 3:50 PM (#52)

Duration: 2 hours and 30 min

Travel by Bus (15 min)

Adult: $20 - Youth: $10 - Child: $5

During the day cranes may be vocalizing, feeding, dancing, flying, or resting. Often cranes ‘bounce’ from one feeding field to another, offering good opportunity to observe behaviors not seen in the evening fly-in.

 Bright sunshine makes it easier to view the cranes’ mud-stained wings and bright red forehead, as well as comparing adults with juveniles, and greater with lesser Sandhill cranes.

Department of Fish and Game docents will take you to them! Learn about the natural history of the cranes and the land that they call their winter home.

Saturday at 9:00 AM (#13)

Saturday at 11:20 AM (#19)

Saturday at 12:40 PM (#22)

Saturday at 2:00 PM (#24)

Sunday at 9:15 AM (#37)

Sunday at 10:45 AM (#41)

Sunday at 11:40 AM (#43)

Sunday at 1:00 PM (#46)

Sunday at 2:00 PM (#47)

Duration: 2 hours

Travel by Bus (15 min)

Adult: $20 - Youth: $10 - Child: $5

Staten Island is haven for both the greater and lesser Sandhill cranes.

Early morning tour time includes fly-out viewing and the last tour time includes fly-in viewing. Roving the fields for cranes provides opportunity to compare the two species and to learn how model agricultural practices provide wildlife habitat in conjunction with growing food and fiber for our country.

Tour guides from the Nature Conservancy’s Cosumnes River Preserve will share the natural history of the birds and the land.

Friday at 3:00 PM (#1)

Saturday at 8:50 AM (#12)

Saturday at 2:45 PM (#25)

Duration: 2 hours and 20 min

Travel by Bus (35 min)

Adult: $20 - Youth: $10 - Child: $5

Take advantage of the Delta waterways as you cruise along through the Sandhill crane habitat. Skies fill with cranes, swans, geese, and ducks, but don’t forget to keep an eye on the banks for other birds and mammals.

This tour ranks up there with the crane fly-in tours as the hardest ticket at the festival to get your hand on!

Suitable for all ages, children are required to have parent supervision. Docking from Tower Park Marina provides the opportunity to enjoy the restaurant and other amenities.

For more information about the marina visit www.towerparkresort.com.

Saturday at 7:10 AM (#7)

Saturday at 9:50 AM (#15)

Saturday at 12:30 PM (#21)

Saturday at 3:10 PM (#26)

Sunday at 7:10 AM (#32)

Sunday at 9:50 AM (#38)

Sunday at 12:30 PM (#45)

Sunday at 3:10 PM (#49)

Duration: 3 hours and 10 min

Travel by Car (20 min)

Adult: $25 - Youth: $15 - Child: $10

Enjoy the mid-morning hours of the Delta with a view that few have seen.

Nestled amidst the Sacramento and Mokelumne rivers this naturalist-led canoe trip takes you through 2 miles of riparian retreat.

Learn the natural history of the delta, its plants, and animals. This tour is offered only once per day and is limited to the first 11.

A map to the town of Locke, and all canoe equipment is provided, sponsored by the California State Parks. Grab your paddle!

Saturday at 8:30 AM (#10)

Sunday at 9:00 AM (#36)

Duration: 3 hours and 20 min

Travel by Car (35 min)

Adult: $20 - Youth: $10 - Child: $5

Calling all budding naturalists! This tour provides the opportunity to interact with nature in a fun and hands-on way with former park ranger Mary Fuhs.

Now a docent for Lodi Lake, Mary enjoys facilitating the younger hands as they learn about aquatic invertebrates, animal tracks, colors and sounds of nature, and anything else that might catch our eye!

Saturday at 10:40 AM (#17)

Duration: 2 hours and 20 min

Travel by Car (5 min)

Adult: $10 - Youth: $5 - Child: $3

Get acquainted with one of the area’s best-kept secrets. Top birders frequent this “hot spot” location for the variety of species.

The old growth riparian habitat provides great opportunity for migrating songbirds, accipiters, wood duck, and much more.

David Yee, one of San Joaquin County’s most respected birders, returns to lead this small group for a wonderful learning experience. Last year envious festival organizers even wanted to drop what they were doing so they could join along! A great way to start your morning!

Saturday at 8:40 AM (#11)

Duration: 2 hours

Travel by Car (5 min)

Adult: $10 - Youth: $5 - Child: $3

Join local birders in a light hike along the upper Mokelumne River near Camanche Dam, where they will help you scout 35+ species, including bluebirds, night heron, woodpeckers, merganser, osprey and other raptors. Keep an eye out for salmon jumping up river!

 Birders Kathy Schick and Liz West return to the Festival ready to share their knowledge of the land and of birds specific to this area. Kathy has participated for a number of years in the Christmas count, and Liz leads a monthly census.

Saturday at 8:15 AM (#9)

Sunday at 8:15 AM (#34)

Duration: 3 hours and 30 min

Travel by Car (30 min)

Adult: $10 - Youth: $5 - Child: $3

Experiencing the fly-in is often described as breath taking. Many who view the Sandhill cranes hope to capture the beauty of cranes dancing in the field or flying across the sunset. Here’s a new tour combining the majesty of the cranes with expert techniques of photography.

Bill and Bridgette Clough return to the Festival to share their love of wildlife photography. Barb Williams will join the group as your experienced birder, ready to share the natural history of the cranes. Truly, the best of both worlds!

Saturday at 3:20 PM (#28)

Duration: 3 hours

Travel by Bus (15 min)

Adult: $20 - Youth: $10 - Child: $5

Late fall is a great time of year to see birds of prey in the Central Valley. As many as 14 species of diurnal raptors can be found on this driving tour near Linden. Learn techniques for identifying hawks, both in flight and perched.

Craig Swolsgaard, Environmental Scientist for the California State Parks is ready to share! Ferruginous hawks, peregrine falcon, and merlin have highlighted tours of the past.

If raptors are your passion, then the drive will be worth it! 10X50 binocs and a good camera will capture the beauty of the untamed.

Saturday at 12:00 Noon (#20)

Duration: 4 hours

Travel by Car (40 min)

Adult: $10 - Youth: $5 - Child: $3

Take advantage of a special pass and a behind-the-scenes look into our local zoo. Micke Grove Zoo features bird species such as bald eagle, Swainson's hawk, hooded merganser, scarlet ibis, smew, bamboo partridge, and much more.

Also, enjoy a peaceful stroll through the Japanese garden, birds in the Regional Park, or let loose on the playground.

Saturday at 8:30 AM (#10)

Duration: 2 hours and 30 min

Travel by Car (10 min)

Adult: $10 - Youth: $5 - Child: $3

What a combination! Start off with a stroll through the Turner Road Vintners front ponds, birding for ruddy duck, black swans, geese, and songbirds. Learn how their innovative water reclamation practice benefits the waterfowl that are attracted here.

Then take a quick bus ride to Jessie’s Grove Winery for a bit of free wine tasting of up to 10 varietals. Wine by the glass will be for sale. A box lunch, provided by Panera Bread, will await you as you relax at the Grove’s picturesque landscape.

To learn more about Jessie’s Grove visit www.jgwinery.com ( Must be 21+ )

Saturday at 10:30 AM (#16)

Sunday at 11:00 AM (#42)

Duration: 3+ hours

Travel by Bus (15 min)

Adult: $25

Here’s a great opportunity to learn technique and tips for improving your craft of the lens. Micke Grove Zoo is the backdrop, offering a variety of birds from around the world, lemurs in a natural setting, and a host of other creatures.

With this controlled setting you will have an opportunity for discussion and to ask questions of our experienced nature photographer.

Sunday at 8:00 AM (#33)

Duration: 2 hours and 45 min

Travel by Car (10 min)

Adult: $10 - Youth: $5 - Child: $3