The following programs are available at no charge, and no need to register first! Just drop by the festival and check it out. All events take place at Marina Village Conference Center unless otherwise noted. 1936 Quivira Way.
Exhibit Hall
Thursday Feb 23 1:00 - 6:00 pm
Friday Feb 24 1:00 - 6:00 pm
Saturday Feb 25 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sunday Feb 26 10:00 am -2:00 pm
The Red Bird Bookstore
Thursday Feb 23 1:00 - 6:00 pm
Friday Feb 24 1:00 - 6:00 pm
Saturday Feb 25 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sunday Feb 26 10:00 am -2:00 pm
Silent Auction
Thursday Feb 23 1:00 - 6:00 pm
Friday Feb 24 1:00 - 6:00 pm
Saturday Feb 25 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Winner item pickup Sunday Feb 26 10:00 am -2:00 pm
Thursday February 23
Your Next Birding Festival with Hannah and Erik Go Birding!
4:00 - 5:00 pm
Did you know there are Bird Festivals that take place all over the country? Learn about some of the other festivals you can visit and what you'll see.
Free
Friday February 24
Photography Stroll and Gear Showcase with Fujifilm at San Diego River
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Meet us in the Field, with Fujifilm & Micheli Oliver!
Join the Fujifilm Flock out in the field, with Photographer Micheli Oliver as she guides us on a fulfilled field excursion on a search to witness and create beautiful bird images in their natural habitats. Fujifilm Techs and gear will be available so you can ask questions and try the latest and greatest Fujifilm GFX/X Series cameras, long zooms lens and Fujinon binoculars.
Meet at the Fujifilm booth in the Exhibit hall.
Free
Saturday February 25
Birding in Hawaii with Red Hill Birding Tours and Nathan Goldberg
11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Nathan Goldberg will take us on a birder's journey across all four major Hawaiian Islands - sharing what makes each island special, the birds you can find, and tips on how to enjoy the far reaches of the Pacific. Hawai'i is a well known paradise for visitors, but the native endemic birds are in peril and in the midst of an ongoing extinction crisis. The islands have lost over 2/3rds of their native species since humans arrived on the islands, with high potential to lose 4+ more in the next few years. In this talk, Nathan will also speak about the cause of these extinctions as well as what tools are being used to curb them, in an effort to save what remains.
Free
Panama: A Birding and Nature Paradise!
1:00 - 2:00 pm
Panama is blessed with an incredible natural beauty and biodiversity second to none. Over 1015 bird species, hundreds of mammals, reptiles & amphibians, and a staggering 10,000 plant species have been recorded here. Join knowledgeable and entertaining Canopy Family senior guide Carlos Bethancourt on a photographic journey of the tropical birds, bizarre mammals, unusual reptiles & amphibians and spectacular habitats from the former Canal Zone of Panama, to the foothills of western Panama and into the wilds of the Darién lowlands in eastern Panama. From toucans to hummingbirds, Panamanian Night monkeys, Kinkajou, Carlos will keep you spellbound with his stories of discovery and vivid images. Come experience why Panama is indeed a birding and nature paradise!
Free
A Photographic Journey around the Galapagos, Ecuador and Costa Rica with Krisztina Scheeff and Holbrook Travel
3:30 - 4:30 pm
Galapagos Islands, Ecuador and Costa Rica offer incredible opportunities for natural encounters, whether you are a photographer or not. Through the lens and stories of award-winning photographer Krisztina Scheeff, embark on an up-close view of these wonderful wildlife-rich places. Krisztina will take you on a photographic journey of some of the special places on Galapagos Islands: Booby traffic jams, Galapagos Tortoises, land iguanas as far as you can see, cute sea lions. Then embark to the Cloud and Rain forests of Ecuador and Costa Rica to see all the different species of Hummingbirds and more! Did you know Costa Rica has over 900 bird species? Join us for a session of photos, videos, stories and more of these three favorite places so close to each other yet so different.
Free
Photography Stroll and Gear Showcase with Fujifilm at Santee Lakes
11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Meet us in the Field, with Fujifilm & Micheli Oliver!
Join the Fujifilm Flock out in the field, with Photographer Micheli Oliver as she guides us on a fulfilled field excursion on a search to witness and create beautiful bird images in their natural habitats. Fujifilm Techs and gear will be available so you can ask questions and try the latest and greatest Fujifilm GFX/X Series cameras, long zooms lens and Fujinon binoculars.
Meets in the field.
Santee Lakes GPS: 32.857780842692904, -117.00664351117247
From Highway 52 going east, exit at the Mast Blvd. off-ramp, turn left to go under the freeway, proceeding east on Mast to Fanita Parkway. Turn left and proceed to the stop sign at Lake Canyon. Turn right and park. Enter the lake area at the walk-in gate and meet in the parking lot by the general store at Lake #5. Look for the Fujifilm flag!
Free.
Black Swamp Bird Observatory with Jasmine Cupp
4:00 - 5:00 pm
Are you ready for Warblers? Learn about the Biggest Week and the birding at Black Swamp Bird Observatory.
Free
Sunday February 26
Bird-Friendly Home and Garden Expo
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Are there things you can do that would help birds directly? You bet! We've assembled some of our community's sustainability leaders to help you connect with resources that help birds and people become more resilient in our changing world.
Meet the Birds from Free Flight
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Meet the parrots from Free Flight Sanctuary in Del Mar. Their mission is to maintain a sanctuary that shelters, nurtures and re-socializes parrots, while educating the public to inspire a lasting concern for the well-being of exotic birds.
Free
Milkweed and Monarch Butterflies with Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County
10:00 -11:00 am
Learn about monarch butterflies and their needs, and how you can provide habitat for them.
Free
Keep Looking Up: An interview with Tammah Watts
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Nora Ives interviews author Tammah Watts about her book "Keep Looking Up: Your Guide to the Powerful Healing of Birdwatching" newly published by Hay House. Copies of the book will be available, and there will be a book signing after the event. The official release date of the book is March 7, so this will be the first chance to have access to a copy of the book, and signed by the author! See the New York Times article about the book! The first 10 people in the room will receive a free copy of the book.
Free
Light Pollution and its Harmful Impact on Birds with Cathy Handzel
11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Light pollution is threatening wildlife and ecosystems, impacting human health, and blocking our view of the stars. Learn how birds are negatively impacted by artificial light at night, and what you can do to help protect birds migrating on the Pacific Flyway. The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) and the National Audubon Society work together to protect the natural night sky for both birds and people.
Free
Conservation of Burrowing Owls in San Diego
12:30 - 1:30 pm
The main focus of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA) Burrowing Owl Recovery Program is the ecology and conservation of burrowing owls in Southern California, particularly of the breeding population in San Diego County. SDZWA has been working with the San Diego population of burrowing owls since 2011 and the regional population since 2017. The SDZWA team uses a variety of techniques, including direct observations, remote cameras, GPS transmitters, color banding, translocation, and conservation breeding to monitor population dynamics and to help bolster the burrowing owl population. They use their expertise and data they gather to make recommendations about management of the species to local land and wildlife managers. In this presentation, they will share an overview of the SDZWA Burrowing Owl Recovery Program and what has been learned over the years.
Free
Live Raptor Program with Agua Hedionda
1:00 - 2:00 pm
Meet the education raptors from Agua Hedionda and learn about what makes them so special.
Free
