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39 sessions
7:00am – 9:30am5 seats left
Meet at the boardwalk at first light for the day's best birding — songbirds are most active and vocal in the cool morning air. Bring binoculars or borrow one of ours.
9:00am – 11:30am8 open
Learn to tell peeps from plovers. A hands-on session at the Harbor Community Center covering shape, behavior, and habitat cues for Central Coast shorebirds, followed by a short practice walk.
11:00am – 1:30pm10 open
A moderate climb to Pine Ridge for a raptor-migration vantage point — bring water and layers; the ridge is exposed and can be windy.
1:00pm – 3:30pm23 open
A slow-paced outing built around getting the shot, not the checklist — composition, light, and patience with a working pro leading the way.
3:00pm – 5:30pm1 seats left
A naturalist-led walk through the coastal dune system, covering native plant restoration work and the shorebirds that depend on it.
5:00pm – 7:30pm14 open
An after-dark walk for owls — quiet feet and red-light flashlights only. Great chance at Great Horned and Western Screech-Owl.
7:00pm – 9:00pm16 open
A relaxed field-sketching session at the jetty — no drawing experience required, just curiosity and a pencil (we'll supply the rest).
7:00am – 9:30am9 open
An easy, flat boardwalk walk through the estuary — great for first-timers, families, and anyone who wants close looks at herons, egrets, and shorebirds without a long hike.
9:00am – 11:30am11 open
A guided boat trip along the harbor mouth for close looks at gulls, terns, and the occasional pelagic surprise. Dress warm — it's breezy on the water.
11:00am – 1:30pm24 open
New to birding? We'll get you comfortable with a pair of binoculars — focus, field of view, and finding the bird — before your first walk.
1:00pm – 3:30pm2 seats left
A playful, low-pressure bingo walk for kids and first-time birders — spot the bird, mark the card, win a prize. Free and open to all ages.
3:00pm – 5:30pm15 open
This year's keynote — a Willow Creek Bird Observatory researcher shares new tracking data on Central Coast migration routes. Doors open 30 minutes early; seating is limited.
5:00pm – 7:30pm17 open
A free primer before the Pelagic Seabird Trip — what to expect, what to bring, and which species you're most likely to see offshore.
5:33pm – 7:33pm, Full · join waitlist
Live now — scopes are up at the jetty overlook. Drop in any time during the window; leaders rotate through target species as they show.
6:23pm – 8:23pm10 open
A free, casual scope station on the boardwalk — come and go as you please, no registration commitment beyond showing up.
7:00pm – 9:00pm19 open
Park yourself at Marina Dock B for the day and see how many species come to you — drop in any time, stay as long as you like. Free.
7:48pm – 9:48pmFull · join waitlist
A working photo walk around the marina at golden hour — bring whatever camera you've got, phone included.
8:18pm – 12:18amFull · join waitlist
The marquee trip of the festival — a full-day offshore run in search of albatross, shearwaters, and storm-petrels. Limited to 10 seats; dress for open water and possible seasickness.
7:00am – 9:30am12 open
Learn to tell peeps from plovers. A hands-on session at the Harbor Community Center covering shape, behavior, and habitat cues for Central Coast shorebirds, followed by a short practice walk.
9:00am – 11:30am14 open
A moderate climb to Pine Ridge for a raptor-migration vantage point — bring water and layers; the ridge is exposed and can be windy.
11:00am – 1:30pm3 seats left
A slow-paced outing built around getting the shot, not the checklist — composition, light, and patience with a working pro leading the way.
1:00pm – 3:30pm5 seats left
A naturalist-led walk through the coastal dune system, covering native plant restoration work and the shorebirds that depend on it.
3:00pm – 5:30pm18 open
An after-dark walk for owls — quiet feet and red-light flashlights only. Great chance at Great Horned and Western Screech-Owl.
5:00pm – 7:30pm20 open
A relaxed field-sketching session at the jetty — no drawing experience required, just curiosity and a pencil (we'll supply the rest).
7:00pm – 9:00pm9 open
Meet at the boardwalk at first light for the day's best birding — songbirds are most active and vocal in the cool morning air. Bring binoculars or borrow one of ours.
7:00am – 9:30am14 open
A guided boat trip along the harbor mouth for close looks at gulls, terns, and the occasional pelagic surprise. Dress warm — it's breezy on the water.
9:00am – 11:30am28 open
New to birding? We'll get you comfortable with a pair of binoculars — focus, field of view, and finding the bird — before your first walk.
11:00am – 1:30pm6 seats left
A playful, low-pressure bingo walk for kids and first-time birders — spot the bird, mark the card, win a prize. Free and open to all ages.
1:00pm – 3:30pm8 open
This year's keynote — a Willow Creek Bird Observatory researcher shares new tracking data on Central Coast migration routes. Doors open 30 minutes early; seating is limited.
3:00pm – 5:30pm21 open
A free primer before the Pelagic Seabird Trip — what to expect, what to bring, and which species you're most likely to see offshore.
5:00pm – 7:30pmFull · join waitlist
Park yourself at Marina Dock B for the day and see how many species come to you — drop in any time, stay as long as you like. Free.
7:00pm – 9:00pm12 open
An easy, flat boardwalk walk through the estuary — great for first-timers, families, and anyone who wants close looks at herons, egrets, and shorebirds without a long hike.
7:00am – 9:30am18 open
A moderate climb to Pine Ridge for a raptor-migration vantage point — bring water and layers; the ridge is exposed and can be windy.
9:00am – 11:30am7 open
A slow-paced outing built around getting the shot, not the checklist — composition, light, and patience with a working pro leading the way.
11:00am – 1:30pm9 open
A naturalist-led walk through the coastal dune system, covering native plant restoration work and the shorebirds that depend on it.
1:00pm – 3:30pm22 open
An after-dark walk for owls — quiet feet and red-light flashlights only. Great chance at Great Horned and Western Screech-Owl.
3:00pm – 5:30pmFull · join waitlist
A relaxed field-sketching session at the jetty — no drawing experience required, just curiosity and a pencil (we'll supply the rest).
5:00pm – 7:30pm13 open
Meet at the boardwalk at first light for the day's best birding — songbirds are most active and vocal in the cool morning air. Bring binoculars or borrow one of ours.
7:00pm – 9:00pm15 open
Learn to tell peeps from plovers. A hands-on session at the Harbor Community Center covering shape, behavior, and habitat cues for Central Coast shorebirds, followed by a short practice walk.