Bird watching and bird photography are popular in Central California, not just because they're fun but because our valleys are one of the nation's largest wintering grounds for migratory and resident birds.
The great Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys are prime winter destinations or stops along the Pacific Flyway for birds migrating south for the winter from Alaska and Western Canada. For birds heading to the Salton Sea and western Mexico, our area is a convenient feeding ground and rest stop for putting on weight to sustain their journey.
Bird festivals
Sacramento-area fall and winter festivals celebrate the birds and help draw attention to efforts to preserve them and their natural environment.
The migratory season is roughly defined as happening between November and February, and the first festival to kick off the season is the Sandhill Crane Festival in Lodi every November.
This weekend is Galt's fifth annual Winter Bird Festival. On Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, the city of Galt and the Cosumnes River Preserve host a full day of guided tours to the preserve so visitors can photograph or watch the birds. There will also be fun and educational activities at the festival site, McCaffrey Middle School in Galt. Get additional information and register for the tours here.
To kick off the festival, the photography department of Cosumnes River College and Canon Camera are hosting a two-hour seminar Friday, Jan. 27. Bird and wildlife photographer George Lepp hosts the free seminar, 6 to 8 p.m., at Cosumnes River College Recital Hall.
On Saturday, Jan. 28, stations will be set up at several tour stops to allow photographers to photograph the birds with telephoto lenses, 200mm through 800mm. Canon is making cameras and lenses available free (bring your own memory card), and Canon staff will be available to help you set up your camera and get the best photos. Get more information here.
Reserves and preserves
For years, Sacramento-area groups have worked with government agencies and private landowners to set aside large areas of wild lands and farmland to create and preserve habitat for these migratory birds and other wildlife.
The Cosumnes River Preserve is one of the largest preserves and land partnerships in the region and is just 20 miles south of Sacramento on Interstate 5. It is a partnership of nine entities working to preserve large tracts of land and restore a natural habitat that once thrived for centuries. All total, the partners manage more than 46,000 acres.
Local farmers cooperate by flooding their fields during the winter and provide the birds with lucrative feeding grounds and nesting areas.
More than 250 species of birds have been recorded on the preserve, according to the website.
One of the best websites that lists the reserves, preserves and wildlife areas in our area is the California Department of Fish and Game.
Coming at Sacbee.com/birds
There are numerous reserves and preserves in the Sacramento region. In the coming weeks I'll write about them at sacbee.com/birds, show you photographs of the birds you'll find there and provide tips to improve your bird photography.
Tips for photographers
If you're a bird photographer, DFG and California Watchable Wildlife sponsor a photography contest with cash and merchandise prizes. The contest runs until Feb. 29, 2012. Additional information with guidelines and submission details is available here.
If you have questions about how to photograph birds or want to suggest an area we should cover, email me: davehenryphotography@gmail.com.
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "Report Abuse" link below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.