A Festival for All Ages

 

 

Celebrating the winter waterfowl spectacle at the 10^th Annual Snow Goose Festival in Chico

 

No matter what your age or outdoor interest, there is something for everyone at the 10^th Annual Snow Goose Festival.   Headquartered in Chico but with field trips that spread over three counties, this four-day event, January 22 –25, 2009, serves up a rich offering of nature experiences.  The cast of wildlife characters are many but the main stars of the festival are the thousands of snow geese, swans, ducks and sand hill cranes that travel the great Pacific Flyway many hundreds of miles to their winter stop in the North Sacramento Valley.

 

From little ones to Grandpa, hardy adventurers to armchair enthusiasts, everyone can see the spectacular seasonal show of the majestic Snow Geese.  As they do from November to March, tens of thousands of snow geese will hold court in rice fields and wildlife refuges waiting for festival visitors.   How can visitors see the show?

 

The high adventure types have several day-long choices that will challenge their stamina as they travel high for sightings of Evening Grosbeaks and Varied Thrushes or low for the Eurasian Wigeon and Rough-legged hawks.  Another choice for the fit – a six-mile hike in the Sutter Buttes which is rarely open to the public or a walk along the Paradise Flume Trail.  To see Snow Geese galore, energetic visitors can travel from dawn to dusk and refuge to refuge with a dedicated birding expert.  Or they can learn about birds and other wildlife while snowshoeing in beautiful Lassen Volcanic National Park.

 

The many field trips that leave from the Center offer a range of outdoor experiences that are as varied as the species and habitats in the region.  Whether it’s birding by horseback or touring a rice farm, pursuing a Red-tail on the Raptor Run or finding the fairy shrimp in a vernal pool, there is an adventure awaiting everyone.

 

For kids of all ages, the Family Owl Prowl offers a unique glimpse into the amazing nocturnal world of owls.  Kids can also make Bird Tiles for a community project, have a lesson in beginning birding at the Chico Creek Nature Center  or learn to recycle food waste and grow worms through composting. 

 

Some families may never even leave the Festival Center.  The roomy Masonic Center in Chico will be bulging with exciting exhibits and activities for children and adults.  And it’s not just about birds, there are displays about all the best nature places in the area, the many agencies that contribute to the conservation of our land, workshops on Designing Gardens for Wildlife, How to Grow and Enjoy Slow Foods plus the original art of all the children who entered the State Junior Duck Stamp contest.  Speaking of art – special Festival shows of wildlife art will be open at two local galleries!

 

For those who like to take it easy, there are gentle trips to practice birding basics or workshops that will take you on armchair adventures.  At the Center, noted photographers will give shows on techniques; birding experts will give tips on identification and local authors will share their literary interpretations of the wonders of nature.   

 

Make It a Weekend:  With very affordable rates of $75 per room per night, the two Festival Hotels make it possible to come early and enjoy a Friday night Art Exhibit and Uptown/Downtown Reception or the “Gathering of Wings Banquet” on Saturday night.  The banquet will feature keynote speaker Ed Harper – well-know birder, world traveler and photographer.

 

 

 

Please help save the Barry R Kirshner Wildlife Foundation and Educational Programs!

 

The Barry R. Kirshner Wildlife Foundation is a 501(C-3) non-profit organization founded in 1994.  The mission of the Foundation is to educate the public about the care and preservation of wildlife and their habitats, both locally and globally.   Our mission includes providing quality care, non-invasive research and a loving home for abandoned, special needs and critically endangered animals.  The Foundation is supported completely by donations and is operated with a 100% volunteer staff.  There are no paid positions in the Foundation.

The Foundation is home to a variety of non-releasable, endangered, and exotic animals.  Over 80% of our 100 plus animals have special needs.  The Foundation houses a Mountain Lion with a degenerative hip disease, a Black Leopard with a heart valve problem,  a blind White Bengal Tiger, a 500 pound Bengal Tiger that is a cancer survivor, African Lions,  Servals,  a Caracal, Clouded Leopards, Lynxes and Ocelots. The Foundation is also home for Coatimundis, Fennec Foxes, a Wallaby, a blind deer, a river otter and coyote that was hit by a car and an assortment of exotic birds and reptiles.

The Barry R. Kirshner Wildlife Foundation provides the communities of Northern California with a valuable educational resource.  We offer both on-site and outreach educational programs lead by our trained volunteer animal handlers. The Foundation shares our animals with school classrooms, assemblies, churches, 4-H, scouts, senior citizens, at-risk youth, hospitals, special community functions and events. The foundation is truly a resource that is treasured by many.  The foundation has touched over 400,000 students and individuals over the last 14 years

Now the time has come to ask for your help to save this valued organization.  Due to the restrictions and location of the current animal sanctuary the foundation has been told to relocate or close.  The current sanctuary is in an agricultural area that has grown in population over the last 14 years and it has become necessary to move.   We are committed to continue our work caring for our animals, educating our schools and the public with our message of hope, care and love for animals, specifically animals with special needs and the habitats they live in.

The great news is we have found a new location that will allow us to continue our work and better serve the communities throughout Butte County, Northern California and visitors from around the country and the world. (We currently have a five year waiting list for schools due to the one bus per month restrictions)  We are now starting our biggest challenge ever and that is to raise the $250,000 to move.  This is the amount we must raise to build the enclosures, security fences, educational classroom and infrastructure for our new sanctuary.

To kick off this fund raising drive we are holding a major online auction in early March 2009.  We are hoping to raise over $25,000 from this event and this is where we need your help.  We are asking for donations of items for our auction.  We are looking for items that will get bidders to dig deep into their pockets for this wonderful cause.  All donations are tax deductable and receipts for your donations will be sent to you. Cash donations are always appreciated.

Please send your donations to the address below, for local pick-up, more information on additional ways you can help and to learn more about the Barry R. Kirshner Wildlife Foundation please call Roberta Kirshner at 530.345.1700 or visit us online at www.kirshner.org.

Thank you for your support and please feel free to forward this to anyone you think might like to help.

The Barry R. Kirshner Wildlife Foundation

Barry R. Kirshner Wildlife Foundation P.O. Box 841 Durham, CA. 95938 Telephone # 530.345.1700