Panama, though scarcely the size of South Carolina, but perfectly positioned as a narrow land bridge between North and South America, is blessed with an incredible natural beauty and biodiversity second to none. Over 975 birds species, hundreds of mammals, reptiles & amphibians, and a staggering 10,000 plants species have been recorded here. Join the knowledgeable and entertaining head guide of the Canopy Tower, Carlos Bethancourt, on a photographic journey across Central Panama, where myriad tropical birds, bizarre mammals and unusual reptiles and amphibians are seen in their natural setting! From toucans to hummingbirds, Mouse Opossums to tongue-wielding Orange Nectar Bats, Carlos will keep you spellbound with his stories of discovery and vivid images. Come experience why Panama is indeed the country of Natural Splendor!

Carlos was born in Panama City in 1978 and raised in the small rural village of Huile, next to the Canal Zone. It was here where he learned many lessons of nature from his mother and grandmother, both of whom were deeply connected to nature and involved with conservation.

8:00 AM Bird Carving Jim Burcio

Join master carvers from the Pacific Flyway Decoy Association for a three hour carving seminar. All of the necessary materials, including a study guide and the best knives on the market, will be provided for this seminar. Short lectures with lots of hands-on carving will enable you to complete a life size Lewis's Woodpecker decoy. Topics include where to get your supplies, how to use reference material, wood selection, and how to use hand tools and power tools. There is a $25 fee for materials. The price includes a one-year membership in the Pacific Flyway Decoy Association, and a club directory, so you'll know who is carving in our area.  Must be fifteen years old or older. Pre-registration necessary.

8:00 AM "A Century of Field Identification"  Joe Morlan

Joe Morlan will present a history of bird identification starting with early pioneers in sight identification, and a personal look back at how birding and bird identification has changed over the decades. Sight identifications considered by Ludlow Griscom to be impossible in 1922 are routine today. Likewise our knowledge of bird distribution has grown dramatically since the days of Griscom and other pioneers. But what will future generations think of our own conventional wisdom when it comes to bird identification and distribution? Technology continues to advance in the fields of optics and photography. These advances have been an integral part of the rapid evolutionary changes in the way we see birds and the way future generations will see them. Join us for this entertaining and thought provoking presentation. Joe has been a fixture at this event for many years. He is one of the nation's leading birders and has served on the CA Bird Records Committee for many years.  Joe teaches very popular birding classes at the College of San Francisco.

9:45 AM Bird ID Workshop Jon Dunn

Jon will cover those bird groups that are particularly difficult for many of us such as flycatchers, sparrows, hummingbirds and shorebirds. He will pay particular attention to those species encountered in the Central Valley and surrounding areas. Jon is one of the world's leading field ornithologists and has few peers when it comes to explaining the finer identifcation points within challenging bird groups.  Jon has authored many books/articles on bird ID, status and distribution and his most recent book is the "Gulls of the Americas" co-authored with Steve Howell. He also leads birding tours for Wings.

Please note the codes in parentheses after the descriptions are ratings provided as a service to our participants with limited mobility. Explanations are given after the Specialized Field Trips section.

5:30 AM departures    A) Colusa NWR

6:00 AM departures    G) American River Parkway

6:30 AM departures Q) Birding with Jon Dunn

American River Parkway: Approximately 5,000 acres of open space & wildlife habitat have been preserved along 23 miles of the American River from its confluence with the Sacramento River to Lake Natomas. Setting aside valuable land in the middle of a heavily urbanized area was model civic planning on a national scale--it is five times larger than New York's Central Park! Habitat gradations over its length, from giant cottonwoods festooned with grape vines on the valley floor to live oaks & steep bluffs at its upper end, make for a diverse birding experience. Expect a mix of riparian & oak woodland birds, good numbers of Common Mergansers & Common Goldeneyes, with a good chance for Barrow's, and a selection of gulls (the latter somewhat dependent on conditions and the extent of the salmon run). Multiple access points will be visited, with short to moderate walks at each. (SS/2) Limited to 20 participants.

Birding with Jon Dunn: Jon will lead this special field trip dedicated to the study & identification of wintering birds, including gulls, in the Central Valley. The day will start off at the Nimbus Fish Hatchery, which is one of the premier spots to view rare pink-legged gulls in the Central Valley (Note: the variety of gulls will depend on the conditions and the extent of the salmon run). For the remainder of the field trip a mix of riparian, oak woodland, and grassland habitats will be visited. Fundraisers for the Youth Scholarship Fund, donations are $25. (3/R) Limited to 15 participants.

Eastern Stanislaus Co: The focus of this field trip is the rolling grasslands, Oak Savannah and foothill reservoirs of Eastern Stanislaus Co. We will travel first to Turlock Lake State Park to look for early Mountain Plovers and then work our way east to Joe Domecq/Basso Bridge (sneak peeks at the salmon) and north along Cooperstown Rd., Wilms Rd., Knight's Ferry, and Sonora Rd. In the event that roads are wet, we will travel north on Crabtree Rd. instead of Willms Rd. Expect to see Lewis' Woodpeckers, many raptors (including both eagles and 3 falcon species), Vesper Sparrows, Mountain Bluebirds, wintering songbirds and more. Restrooms available at three stops, but no food or gas services available after the meeting spot. Meet at the Fruit Yard Restaurant (the corner of Hwy 132 & Albers Rd) East of Modesto at 7AM or at the Stockton Hilton at 5:30 AM. (2)

Merced Refuges: East of the O'Neill Forebay in central Merced County, the wildlife refuges attract an abundance of cranes, waterfowl, waders, and shorebirds.  Ibis, pelicans, and eagles are also likely.  In the past, we have seen rare birds such as Swamp Sparrow, Eastern Phoebe, Vermilion Flycatcher, Stilt Sandpiper and Ruff, so although we cannot predict seeing a rare bird, this area provides a great opportunity to discover an unexpected species.  We will visit Merced NWR and San Luis NWR and if time permits, the Los Banos Wildlife Area and Gun Club Road marshes.  Driving time is about 100 minutes each way.  (2/SS)

O'Neill Forebay and San Luis Reservoir: This area lies 90 miles south of Stockton, on the west side of Hwy 33 & I-5, and north of Hwy 152, off Hwy 5 and 152. This area attracts large numbers of divers, including loons, grebes, scaups, Redhead, Canvasback, and an occasional scoter or Long-tailed Duck. Also regularly attracts rare inland gulls such as Western, Glaucous-winged, and Thayer's.  Campground and boat launch areas attract a variety of land bird in the pine and eucalyptus trees.  If time permits, we will check the Gustine sewage ponds for gulls, waterfowl and the rare Pacific Golden-Plover.  Driving time is about 90 minutes each way. (1)

Pardee Reservoir Eagle Boat Tour: This scenic foothill reservoir is normally closed to the public during the winter months. This field trip features a four-hour boat tour led by East Bay MUD Fisheries and Wildlife Biologist James Jones. Eagles, Ospreys, and winter waterfowl are expected. (C) Limited to 20 participants.

Sacramento Co. Bufferlands & Stone Lakes NWR: This tour provides an opportunity to visit sites with limited public access and to see the fruits of local conservation and restoration efforts. The 2500-acre Bufferlands surrounding the Sacramento Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant provide an open space buffer between the treatment plant and the community. Large-scale habitat restoration has been underway since 1992. We will visit restored and remnant habitats, including wetlands, riparian forest, and grasslands to find a high diversity of bird species. This is an excellent chance to look for rails, raptors, winter songbirds, shorebirds, and waterfowl. Adjacent to the Bufferlands, the Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is a fairly new refuge, having been established in 1994. There we can expect to see numerous waterfowl as well as Sandhill Cranes and grassland species. We will visit several sites, with short to moderate walks at each. (2/R) Limited to 20 participants.

San Joaquin River NWR: The San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge is located west of Modesto, California, within the historic floodplain of the confluences of the San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne Rivers. Refuge lands consist of oak-cottonwood-willow riparian forest, pastures, agricultural fields, and wetlands. The refuge has an approved refuge boundary of 12,877 acres with over 1,900 acres of pristine riparian woodlands and 800 acres of newly restored riparian woodland. It is the primary wintering site of 98 percent of the Aleutian Canada Geese that winter in the Valley and an important area for cranes and other geese.  The riparian forest provides important wintering habitat for many landbirds.  Least Bell's Vireos have even bred at this site in recent years.  We should get close to 100 species on this trip. (3/C)

ALL SUNDAY FIELD TRIPS DEPARTURE TIME: 11:30 AM

Cosumnes River Preserve: We will visit the River Walk Trail. 6:30AM departure time/Sat. (3/C)

Lodi WTP: These small settling ponds are near the intersection of I-5 and Hwy 12. Highly productive over the years, they are the spot to see Pacific Golden-Plover locally if they are around. When the conditions are right, they can attract good numbers of other shorebirds as well as gulls, terns and ducks. 7AM departure time/Sat. (1)