Birding Festival nears

First photo: A pair of brown pelicans soar above Manresa Beach. Such feathered beasts will be the topic of the eighht annual Monterey Bay Birding Festival that is based in Watsonville and runs Sept. 13-16. Field trips, lectures, pelagic outings and special events fill the festival that is geared for beginning backyard birders to experts. Second photo: A group taking part in the Monterey Bay Birding Festival search for birds at Elkhorn Slough in 2010 on opening day of the four-day event. (Photos by Tarmo Hannula).

WATSONVILLE — The eighth annual Monterey Bay Birding Festival is a month away with its line-up of lectures, field trips, pelagic journeys and scintillating slide shows of the latest and greatest in the birding world.

Based in Watsonville, the festival, which lures birders in from around the world, is deigned for the whole family and offers field trips and information for the most basic backyard birders to the supreme expert and nature lovers.

The Pajaro Valley has long been recognized as the “home of one of the most spectacular birding and wildlife venues in North America. Birders can expect to see soaring golden eagles to effortlessly gliding California Condors, cheeky Bushtits, Townsend's Warblers, scampering Snowy Plovers, and flocks of thousands of Sooty Shearwaters.

“Few places can match the diversity of habitats as Monterey Bay,” said organizer Dave Brockmann.

Birder Greg Miller, featured in the movie "The Big Year" will be the keynote speaker this year. Miller is portrayed by actor Jack Black in the recent box office comedy, also starring Steve Martin, about the world of competitive birding. If you're interested in birding or bird-listing or traveling and stories behind the book, the festival will offer the opportunity for Miller to share his joy of birding.

For the complete article see the 08-14-2012 issue.

Click here to purchase an electronic version of the 08-14-2012 paper.

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