Join expert leaders Will Knowlton & Morgan Bing for a bus trip to Carrizo Plain. Possible sightings are: Golden Eagle, Merlin, Prairie Falcon, Ferruginous Hawk, Mountain Plover, Bell's and Vesper Sparrow, Roadrunner, and more. This is a unique habitat of semi-desert scrub, open grassland and juniper foothills. Time includes 4 hours round-trip travel many in/out bus stops in comfortable bus. Meets at Morro Bay Comm. Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.

A short cruise out of Morro Bay offers likely views of whales, sea lions, sea otters and near-shore Pacific seabirds, including several species of shearwaters and auklets. Meet your leaders Tom Edell, Curtis Marantz, Peter Gaede, Chris Henry and Wes Fritz at Morro Bay Landing in Morro Bay. Bring liquids, lunch and sunscreen, and take motion sickness medication prior to arriving. Dress for cold and wind, including gloves. The boat is typically used for fishing; no outdoor seating with seating available in the cabin. Note that the boat does not wait for late arrivals. Meets at Morro Bay Landing, 1213 Embarcadero, Morro Bay. Weather conditions may cancel.

Join Ann Stockert & Todd Easterla for a BIG DAY of birding! Expect a fast-paced day, with the possibility of rapid ID of over 100 species at hot spots in SLO County. Special effort on regional specialties and rarities. Pace to be determined by the leader with input from the group. Travel in bus with leader and many in/out stops. Meets at Morro Bay Comm. Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.

Montana de Oro is a spectacular 8,600-acre state park with untamed coastline and coastal uplands. Join Janney & Steve Tillmann to search for rocky-shore shorebirds, water birds, raptors, and passerines in various habitats. Includes 1-2 miles of slow walking. 20 miles round trip by personal vehicle. Moderate. Meets at the Spooner Ranch House, 3550 Pecho Valley Road, Los Osos. From Los Osos, west on Los Osos Valley Road, becomes Pecho Valley Road. Ranch House is 5.2 miles from Los Osos.

Join xxxxxxxx and Isaiah Woodard for a slow-paced walk of 1.5-2 miles along a beautiful and wild ocean bluff trail. Expect rock-loving shorebirds such as Black and Ruddy Turnstones, Surfbirds, Whimbrels, scoters, terns, gulls and maybe a Harlequin Duck. 20 miles round trip by personal vehicle. Moderate. Meets at the "Fig Tree" parking lot on CA-1 north of Cayucos. The Fig Tree Parking lot  is the third parking area 2.1 miles north of where CA-1 becomes single-lane.

Explore the spectacular scenic coastline at Point Buchon with seasoned leaders Sally Krenn and Eric Wier. Learn the background of this historic ranch and the efforts to regenerate the Bishop pine forest along the ridges overlooking the ocean. Look for marine mammals, gulls and shorebirds -- maybe even a peregrine falcon. Bring your camera to capture the striking sea stacks that dot this coastline and peek into a dramatic sink hole. Be prepared for wind and cool weather. 22 miles round trip by personal vehicle. Active four-mile round trip hike. Active 3.5 mile round trip hike. Meets at the Coon Creek Parking Lot in Montana de Oro. From Los Osos, west on Los Osos Valley Road, the road becomes Pecho Valley Road. The Parking Lot is 5.9 miles from Los Osos.

Join a guided kayak tour of Morro Bay for an up-close look at birds in their natural habitat. Possible sightings include White Pelicans, Brant, Common Loons, and a variety of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds. Along the way, you’ll paddle past the Heron Rookery, Grassy Island oyster farm, expansive mudflats, and winding Back Bay channels.
The tour uses stable double kayaks, and no prior kayaking experience is required. Please dress in layers and follow these guidelines: wear synthetic or wool clothing (avoid cotton), bring a windbreaker jacket, a hat for sun and wind protection, and shoes that can get wet. Note: trips may be canceled due to weather conditions.
Meets at the Morro Bay State Park Marina Kayak Shop. 10 State Park Road, Morro Bay.

Join Roy Poucher in the field for the hands-on companion to the Bird Sounds Master Class Workshop. Solidify the general principles learned with practical experience and field identification of specific local bird songs and calls. We will stand at different locations, silently noting bird sounds, then discuss as a group. Notebooks needed, but binoculars are not! The Thursday morning Master Class Bird Sounds Workshop (#112) is a prerequisite for this event. You must attend that class to join this field trip. Total walking distance will be about 1.2 miles. Easy. Travel by personal vehicle to meet at Cerro Alto Campground, just off CA- 41, 8 miles east of CA-1 in Morro Bay. 

Bird with Eva Moylan & Torrey Gage-Tomlinson on Cambria's Fiscalini Ranch on a moderate three-mile hike through grassland, mixed oak/Monterey pine forest and coastal bluffs. Expect a diversity of birds, including sparrows, birds of prey, Pygmy Nuthatches and rocky shore shorebirds. Pace will be determined by leader and desires of the group. 50 miles round trip by personal vehicle. Meets at Fiscalini Ranch south end, 2799 Windsor Blvd, Cambria.

Join Evan Weissman for a long walk (4 miles round trip), to bird various habitats beginning at a riparian zone, moving through grasslands, past vernal pools, and to the cliffs above the rocky coast. Meets at the Harmony Headlands trailhead parking lot, Hwy 1, 5 miles north of Cayucos, across from the Linn's Pies billboard."

Join Rouvaishyana and Michael Mulroy to explore the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden. There are some hummingbird-specific plants which we will visit, hoping to see hummers, flycatchers, and probably other songbirds. We will take a trail that climbs out of the garden and crosses a ridge, which should provide good viewing for raptors and other birds. The trail returns to the east end of the Garden on Dairy Creek Road. We'll walk along this road, looking for woodpeckers, songbirds, and more raptors. We will return along Dairy Creek Rd. to our parking area. Spotting scopes not needed, but optional. VERY IMPORTANT: bring rubber mud boots (such as gum boots). If there has been recent rain, the unimproved portion of the trail will be muddy, and it won't be practical to turn back. BE PREPARED for a great experience. Meets in the parking lot at SLO Botanical Garden (inside El Chorro Park), 3450 Dairy Creek Road, San Luis Obispo.

Bird beautiful wooded habitats in the Atascadero area east of Morro Bay with leaders Roger Zachary & Dale Ball. Stops include Atascadero Lake and Creek, Salinas River and nearby oak habitats. Find Acorn Woodpeckers, Yellow-billed Magpies and others. 50 miles round trip by personal vehicle. Moderate. Meets at 9100 Morro Road (CA-41) in the parking lot next to the Central Coast Zoo.

Join Ben Kolstad & owner Jean Pierre Wolff to explore one of the first certified sustainable vineyards on the Central Coast. With native resource enhancement of bird habitat, wildlife corridors, and steelhead trout restoration on boundary creeks, there should be a varied list of different bird species. Vintner, Jean-Pierre Wolff, PhD, will accompany us as we bird along the riparian corridors and to the on-site pond. Approximately 1.5 miles of walking along slightly sloping terrain. Afterwards Jean-Pierre will share a short presentation on ecology, the goals of sustainable farming and a couple research projects at Wolff vineyards. We will finish up with an optional wine tasting at Wolff Vineyards (discounted fee of $10, refundable with bottle purchase), so bring your lunch and enjoy the panoramic view of the Edna Valley and some of Wolff Vineyards award winning wines! Meets at Wolff Vineyards. 6238 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo.

Big Green Day Birding by Bicycle in Morro Bay. Join Dorian Anderson & Jim Royer for a birding tour of the area on bicycle and on foot. This has moderate hills by bicycle and short walks of up to a mile. It starts and ends at the Morro Bay Community Center. The pace will be slow with frequent stops to discuss bird field marks and vocalizations. Bring multi-speed bicycle, lock, helmet, water, snacks and lunch, tools, spare tube and patch kit. Also bring: binoculars, layered clothing (it can be very cold at the beginning and warm by the end). Leader will have a scope. Beginning birders welcome, but not recommended for beginning cyclists. You must be able to very comfortably ride 10 hilly miles. We have seen over 100 species on this trip before. Rain or high winds cancel. Be present with your bike and ready to go at 7:45 AM at the front of the Morro Bay Community Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.

Join Aaron Kreisberg & Scott Inman to enjoy close views of waterfowl and occasional bitterns and rails from the boardwalk over Oso Flaco Lake and marsh. Bird two prime willow habitats for wintering warblers. Includes 2-3 miles of slow walking. Moderate. Meet at Oso Flaco parking lot, 3004 Oso Flaco Lake Road, Arroyo Grande. State Parks requires a parking fee of $5.

Join Bob Keally & Terri May to observe birds at the Washburn Day Use area of San Simeon State Park. Moderate 1.5- 2 mile walk by riparian areas by reek, wetlands, shoreline, then onto chaparral, and pine forest habitats to discover a variety of land, shore and ocean birds including mergansers, terns, Pygmy Nuthatches, and a variety of raptors. Meets at Washburn Day Use parking lot, on Hwy 1, 1.8 miles north of last traffic light in Cambria. Right turn into the parking lot with public bathrooms available.

Be one of the first to explore the rolling grass-covered foothills of the Santa Rita Ranch within the Santa Lucia Mountains. You will be joined on your adventure by Daniel Elting. The crown jewel and so focus of this trip is the 234-acre foot lake, the fourth largest privately-owned lake in the county. You will also explore the downstream riparian habitat, chaparral and coastal oaklands. Walking boots are a necessity! Meets at Santa Rita Ranch in Templeton. 3520 Old Creek Road, Templeton.

Join VIP Scott Weidensaul and Mark Mushkat for a special birding experience that combines a morning walk with a scenic bay cruise and lunch. The outing begins at Morro Rock, where Scott and Mark will lead the group in search of Peregrine Falcons, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, sparrows, and the elusive Canyon & Rock Wrens. Additional sightings may include cormorants, Brown Pelicans, a variety of gull species and age classes.

After birding at Morro Rock, participants will drive a short distance to the Chablis Cruises loading ramp. The Chablis, a distinctive 50-foot, two-story riverboat, features panoramic windows and a rooftop deck—an ideal setting for observing the bay’s birdlife. Lunch is included and features homemade clam chowder, a turkey croissant sandwich, and Caesar salad.

Meets at Morro Rock. Coleman Drive, Morro Bay. Meet across from bathrooms, next to Morro Rock.

This is slower paced Big Day for beginning and intermediate birders led by Jon Dunn, Emma Cox & Nora Livingston. Starting at a reasonable morning hour and getting back right after lunch, you will be in a spacious bus with large windows, visiting local birding hot spots, returning with a new long list of birds! Meets at Morro Bay Comm. Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.

This field class is for beginners, but all birding levels are welcomed. Travel to nearby locations where Ed Harper, Seth Greene & Harnawaz Boparai will help you identify some easy-to-see birds around Morro Bay. Bring your favorite field guide and binoculars. 10 miles round trip by personal vehicle. Easy. Meets at Morro Bay Comm. Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.

Enjoy a leisurely boating tour of the bay and estuary in an open-deck 34-foot power catamaran with Claudia Freitas & Karen Watts. View a variety of shorebirds and waterfowl, often at close range. The boat will move slowly enough for you to see details of many species that you normally see only through a scope from shore. Good photo opportunities, but no tripods. Dress warmly. Meets at Sub Sea Tours, 699 Embarcadero, #9, Morro Bay.

Join leader Griffin Davies, Teodelina Martelli and Clara Thomas for this bird walk around Atascadero Lake which will be approximately one mile long, at a slow to moderate pace, depending on where and how often we are seeing birds. The terrain is gentle, over flat surfaces. Expect to see numerous species in a variety of habitats, with likely sightings of: Red-shouldered Hawk, California Quail, California Scrub-Jay, Woodpeckers and a variety of Waterfowl. Meets at 9100 Morro Road (CA-41) in the parking lot next to the Central Coast Zoo.

Prefumo Creek Restoration Site at City Farm SLO is an important natural corridor in between the Target shopping center and agricultural lands of San Luis Obispo! This small strip of creek, trees, shrubs, and native plants provides important habitat, food, and a safe space for numerous birds and other animals and was an historical spawning site for steelhead trout. Join Steven Marx and Anne Marie Bergen to learn more about its history, discover the many birds along the creek, in the willows and cottonwoods, and learn how to engage with this city treasure through nature journaling. In this session you will be introduced to the Prefumo Creek restoration site by Steven, learn some basic nature journaling strategies with Anne Marie, then select your favorite sit spot along the creek to journal and bird watch!  
What to bring: Binoculars along with your Notebook or Journal and pencil/pen.
What will be provided: 1) high quality watercolor sets and water brushes; 2)watercolor paper you can add to your notebook or journal.
Meets in the parking lot BEHIND Dick's Sporting Goods, 11970 Los Osos Valley Rd, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405.

Join Jeff Miller at Cloisters Park Azure Street. The coastal scrub to the beach will offer a variety of birds, such as White- and Golden-crowned Sparrows, California Thrasher, Yellow-rumped Warbler and possible Ospreys in the nearby trees. On the beach, expect to see a myriad of shorebirds and waterfowl in the surf line. Further north on the beach, the Alva Paul pond is an excellent location for terns and shorebirds. Two miles from the Community Center. Moderate walk, a short distance through sand. Meet at Cloisters Azure Street Park. Meets in the parking lot across from 150 Azure Street, Morro Bay.

Join a guided kayak tour of Morro Bay for an up-close look at birds in their natural habitat. Possible sightings include White Pelicans, Brant, Common Loons, and a variety of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds. Along the way, you’ll paddle past the Heron Rookery, Grassy Island oyster farm, expansive mudflats, and winding Back Bay channels.
The tour uses stable double kayaks, and no prior kayaking experience is required. Please dress in layers and follow these guidelines: wear synthetic or wool clothing (avoid cotton), bring a windbreaker jacket, a hat for sun and wind protection, and shoes that can get wet. Note: trips may be canceled due to weather conditions.
Meets at the Morro Bay State Park Marina Kayak Shop. 10 State Park Road, Morro Bay.

Join Grace Hayes & Marin Romero for a walk at Pecho Willows and Cuesta Inlet.This small but highly important bay habitat is an ebird hotspot where shorebirds and ducks gather during migration and in the winter.  The Pecho Marsh is thick with willows and a special birding spot for locals where a number of rare birds have been seen over the years. Meets in the parking area at the north end of Pecho Road, address is 2-1798 Pecho Rd, Los Osos. If the parking lot is full, park out on Binscarth Road.

Join Rick Grijalva to explore San Simeon Point. 

Meets at the entrance to the pier in the upper parking lot, 750 Hearst Castle Drive, San Simeon. Enter the parking lot via the State Park kiosk.

Join Kara Hagedorn and Charlie DeBerry for a leisurely morning walk along the shore of the lake observing migrating waterfowl. Great marshland and open water habitat. Along the road we will also experience Oak woodland and chaparral habitats. Scopes will be available for up-close looks! Meets at Santa Margarita Lake Ranger Station. 4695 Santa Margarita Lake Road, Santa Margarita. Past the Ranger Station, drive to White Oak Parking Lot.

The Morro Bay State Park Marina boardwalk provides opportunities for viewing a variety of shorebirds, ducks, geese, loons, grebes, gulls, terns and herons. Peregrine Falcons and other raptors are often seen. Led by Elena & Dave Keeling, the level half-mile walk is especially suited for photographers, wheelchairs and those using walkers and canes. Easy. Meets at the Peninsula Trail Head, southeast end of the State Park Marina parking lot, across from Morro Bay State Park Campground.

Join Rust Scalf, Debbie Jo Bird & Richard Neidhardt for an unhurried walk around the edges and through the heart of the Morro Coast Audubon Sweet Springs Preserve. This trip will look for wintering songbirds as well as waterfowl and shorebirds in the nearby estuary. Previous trips have seen hawks, falcons, owls, osprey and kingfishers in this area. The effort will be easy to moderate and the walk should appeal to all birding levels. Meets at Sweet Springs, 660 Ramona Avenue, Baywood-Los Osos.

You will be introduced to the art of bird carving and guided through the woodcarving process by three expert wood carvers from the Pacific Flyway Decoy Association. After a day of using hand and power tools, participants will leave with a miniature Green Heron that they can then paint on their own. "The Concepts of Woodcarving" will be used as a reference. The small-group setting will provide participants with the attention needed to be successful with their project. This workshop is intended for beginners, but those with all levels of experience may participate, (must be 15 years old or older with parent signature on participation for). This workshop includes a one-year membership in the Pacific Flyway Decoy Association. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit art association dedicated to the preservation of wildfowl art through education. To learn more about the association, visit pacificflyway.org. Meets in the Conference Room at Sea Pines Golf Resort. 1945 Solano St, Los Osos.

Join Captain Scott Stellar on a pontoon boat ride adventure birding Santa Margarita Lake. We'll cruise pretty much the entire lake taking in all the migratory and permanent birds as well as shoreline wildlife that abound. Restrooms are available along the route. Meets at the Marina at Santa Margarita Lake, 4695 Santa Margarita Lake Road, Santa Margarita. After checking in at the entry kiosk, drive down to the boat dock and the Marina store parking area.

Join Greg Miller, Doug Stinson & Steve McMasters to explore the Villa Creek headlands, beach and estuary, part of Estero Bluffs State Park. This will be a slow-paced walk of 2-3 miles along a beautiful and wild ocean bluff trail along with a sandy beach stroll to Villa Cove. Expect rock-loving shorebirds such as Black and Ruddy Turnstones, Surfbirds, Whimbrels, scoters, terns, gulls. Look for herons and egrets in the estuary created by Villa Creek. Moderate hike due to hiking through sand for 1/2 mile. 21-mile roundtrip carpool from Morro Bay. Meets at the Villa Creek parking lot on CA-1 north of Cayucos. The parking lot  is the fourth parking area 3.3 miles north of where CA-1 becomes single-lane.

Join Bob Isenberg and Jerry Pyle, Peregrine Watch, for pastries (while they last) and to search for owls and Peregrine Falcons at Morro Rock. Morro Rock is home to two pairs of breeding Peregrine Falcons. NOTE: this is a stop and scope event, not a planned walk. Stop by anytime from 9am and 2pm. Meets at Morro Rock. Coleman Drive, Morro Bay. Meet across from bathrooms, next to Morro Rock. Look for Bob's van with awning, scopes and Peregrine statue.

Join Dawn Beattie at Cloisters Park. The Park, with pond and nearby dunes, offers an interesting variety of birds, such as White- and Golden-crowned Sparrows, California Thrasher, Yellow-rumped Warbler and Black-crowned Night-Heron. The pond also attracts migratory ducks and geese. People in wheelchairs or using walkers or canes will find all paths accessible. Two miles from the Community Center. Easy. Meet at Cloisters Park. From Hwy 1 at the north end of Morro Bay, turn west (toward the water) at the San Jacinto traffic light, then take first left (south) on Coral Avenue; in a few blocks enter the parking lot on the right, next to the restrooms.

The elusive western snowy plover lives and breeds on the sand on only a few of our local natural beaches. A small federally threatened shorebird, this grey/brown and white bird has darker breeding plumage. It blends in well on the sandy beach, making it difficult to spot. Following a short talk by Sharon Iranpour about plover life, a  demonstration of a replica nest, and other shorebirds we might see,  we’ll walk across the grassland to the bluff and down onto the beach to look for them and other shorebirds. If there is time, we can also check out beach drift and some interesting rock formations. This is an easy walk, partially on soft sand and the distance is approximately a mile roundtrip. Bring binoculars, wear sturdy shoes and layer up.  This event requires walking a short distance in soft sand. Walking distance about 1 mile. Meets at the Villa Creek parking lot on CA-1 north of Cayucos. The parking lot  is the fourth parking area 3.3 miles north of where CA-1 becomes single-lane.

Join Robert Lindsay for a leisurely boating tour of the bay and estuary in an open-deck 34-foot power catamaran. View a variety of shorebirds and waterfowl, often at close range. The boat will move slowly enough for you to see details of many species that you normally see only through a scope from shore. Good photo opportunities, but no tripods. Dress warmly. Meets at Sub Sea Tours, 699 Embarcadero, #9, Morro Bay.

Join Jim Bland for a deep dive into the ducks and geese of the Morro Bay Region. All waterfowl species that frequent Morro Bay, Estero Bay, and nearby freshwater wetlands will be covered. The class will be comprised of two afternoon lectures, each lavishly illustrated with Jim’s high-quality photographs. Topics will include waterfowl habitats of the region, taxonomic relationships of the waterfowl "tribes", tips for distinguishing similar species, and the migration patterns, foraging ecology, and reproductive biology of each species. Jim Bland is a retired avian ecologist, former college lecturer on Ornithology, and experienced wildlife photographer. Meets in the Conference Room at Sea Pines Golf Resort. 1945 Solano St, Los Osos.

Join Friends of the Elephant Seal docents Reinhard Hohensee & Van Dees for a "prime time" tour of the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal rookery. This is one of the best times to visit the rookery. Mid-January is the peak of birthing. The beaches will be full of big bulls, birthing and nursing moms and pups. Be ready to dive deep into their natural history and adaptations. We will meet at the Kiosk at the SOUTH END of the main Elephant Seal viewpoint, 5 miles north of Hearst Castle.

Called the 'Grebe Whisperer' by many of her students and fellow photographers, professional wildlife and nature photographer Krisztina Scheeff has spent years studying and photographing grebes on Lake Hodges in San Diego County. The unique mating behavior of grebes, rushing, is one of the most photographed of all animal behaviors. Krisztina will take you on a photographic journey into the world of grebes and provide details on why and how they 'walk on water' to find a mate. Krisztina will also share her filming project with the BBC Natural History Unit. In Jnauray 2024 she spent 3 weeks with the BBC in San Diego to film the Grebes.  Meets xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Based on a true story about Peregrine Falcons and humans living at the intersection of wild and urban habitats, "Flight Lessons" is a two-act, six-character, 17-song folk opera exploring themes of home, adaptation, recovery and intra and interspecies relationships in an urban environment. The narrative-in-song follows an urban wildlife biologist (“Lenny”), who monitors the lives of a breeding pair of once-endangered Peregrine Falcons (“Haya” and her mate “Hiko) who nest on a bridge between two cities, and how their lives intersect with each other and those of the other human (“Daniel”, a subsistence fisherman), and falcon inhabitants (“Evvie,” a floater falcon) of the neighborhood after Haya is shot by a pigeon fancier (“Hank”). When Haya goes into a long-term rehabilitation center, Hiko returns to the nest territory and eventually chooses a new mate in Evvie.

Drawing on the author/composer Deborah Crooks's studies of natural history and experiences with raptor conservation, the story both celebrates the wonder of the avian world while highlighting the threats to its existence.

The Elfin Forest of Los Osos encompasses 7 habitats visible from a boardwalk, with bay overlooks. Join Cindy Roessler to see raptors, passerines and shorebirds in this easy-paced walk. Beginners welcome! The 'Magic' of the Elfin Forest is in the adaptability of the various plant communities with hidden beauty found everywhere. This trip is accessible to wheelchairs or people using walkers and canes. Total walking distance will be about 1.5 miles. 15 miles round trip by personal vehicle. Easy. Meets at the entrance on the north end of 16th Street from Santa Ysabel Avenue in the town of Los Osos. Parking at the street end is very limited, however you can park anywhere along 16th Street as long as you do not block driveways or mail boxes. You can even park on an adjacent street and walk the short distance to the 16th Street entrance.

Join Sharon Stiteler & Trevor Wimmer for a leisurely boating tour of the bay and estuary in an open-deck 34-foot power catamaran. View a variety of shorebirds and waterfowl, often at close range. The boat will move slowly enough for you to see details of many species that you normally see only through a scope from shore. Good photo opportunities, but no tripods. Dress warmly. Meets at Sub Sea Tours, 699 Embarcadero, #9, Morro Bay.

Join Rouvaishyana and Peggy Burhenn for owling. Leaving from the Morro Bay Community Center at 3:30 PM and returning around 9:00 PM, we begin searching for daytime owls 3:30-5:30 PM, then eat dinner together 5:30-6:30 PM, finishing up listening for nighttime owls 6:30-8:30 PM.

Details: Daytime owling for Short-eared, burrowing and roosting owls. We will stop for no-host dinner to share stories as we wait for dark. After dark, we listen for nighttime owls. Dress warmly in quiet clothes - no nylon. We will be walking quietly through mud, standing silently in cold weather, while it is pitch black, listening for owls! Sounds like a good time to me!

Possibilities: Great-horned, Western Screech, Saw-whet, Short-eared, Barn Owls, Poorwill and more. Travel with leader in bus with many in/out stops. Heavy rain will cancel field trip. Meets at Morro Bay Comm. Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.

Even as scientists make astounding discoveries about the navigational and physiological feats that enable migratory birds to cross immense oceans or fly above the highest mountains, go weeks without sleep or remain in unbroken flight for months at a stretch, humans have brought many migrants to the brink. Based on his bestselling book "A World on the Wing," author and researcher Scott Weidensaul takes you around the globe -- to the shores of the Yellow Sea in China, the remote mountains of northeastern India where tribal villages saved the greatest gathering of falcons on the planet, and in the field with researchers using the latest tracking tools to follow even the smallest travelers -- to learn how people are fighting to understand and save the world's great bird migrations.

The Keynote address takes place at the Harold J. Miossi Cultural and Performing Arts Center (CPAC) at Cuesta College, Romauldo Road, SLO (CA-1 & Hollister Road).