Field Trip Leader Bios
Read all the biographies here.
A special note about Field Trips
Please arrive at the location indicated 30 minutes prior to your scheduled event. This will allow us time to check you in and ensure the trip leaves promptly. We ask that you follow your field trip leader from the meeting location to the final destination. Anyone arriving after the field trip leader has left may not be able to join the group. Most field trips will be limited to the first 20 reservations. Walk-in registration may be available for some events during the weekend of the Festival.
Weather may change a trip's itinerary, but most trips will be conducted rain or shine. The weather in the valley during January is variable. It is generally cold and sometimes rainy, with daytime highs ranging from 50F to 65F.
Be sure to bring the following on your field trips: rain gear, waterproof footwear, layered clothing, binoculars, camera, field identification guide, water and snack or lunch as needed. Please also check out the Tips & Etiquette below to help you enjoy your day to the fullest.
Tips & Etiquette for Bird Watchers
To make your trip more enjoyable for yourself and others, we ask you to please use these following etiquette tips:
- Wear clothing suitable for the weather and area you'll be hiking in. It's practical to layer clothing to accommodate fluctuations in temperature. Wear comfortable shoes that have a good grip and are waterproof when necessary. You may want to take sunscreen, a hat or rain gear.
- Bring binoculars or a scope for a better viewing experience.
- Bring water on long outings to stay hydrated.
- Bring a Field Guide if you are interested in learning more about the birds you see. If you are a beginning birder, look for a guide that specializes in birds of northern California.
- Be courteous to other explorers. Stay with your group and pay attention to your trip leader. Walk quietly and slowly. Do not disrupt animals or their habitats. Turn off cell phones or other electronic devices. If you are taking children with you, explain to them proper etiquette before the trip.
- Tune up your senses and listen carefully. Scan the horizon and tree canopies. Look to the ground for prints, feathers and other traces of wildlife. Please remove litter and leave natural items where they belong. This will keep it enjoyable for others when they visit.
Field Trip: Bidwell Park Bird Walk - Sold Out!
$12 Adult; $8 Youth
Friday, Jan 29, 2016 8:30 am - 10:30 am
Meet at Chico Creek Nature Center (Map)
Walking, could involve distance but largely flat
Description
Enjoy a bird walk through Bidwell Park with ornithologist and author of Birds of Bidwell Park, Roger Lederer, and his wife, Carol. Learn amazing facts about the birds of the park and how to identify them. Bidwell Park is a wonderful place to see birds because it is both semi-wild and very accessible. It is excellent birding for both the beginner and expert. This trip is also offered on Thursday.
Field Trip Leaders
Roger Lederer
Dr. Roger Lederer is Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences at California State University, Chico. He published over thirty scientific research papers, written books entitled Ecology and Field Biology, Bird Finder and Pacific Coast Bird Finder, Amazing Birds (in seven languages), Birds of New England, Birds of Bidwell Park, Latin for Bird Lovers, and Beaks, Bones, and Birdsongs, a book on bird survival. Dr. Lederer has taught ornithology and ecology, consulted for governmental agencies, environmental organizations and schools, and presented hundreds of public presentations. He has been contacted by BBC, National Geographic, Weather Notebook, National Public Radio, National Canadian Television, Vanity Fair Magazine, the Guinness Book of World Records, The Weakest Link, Real Simple Magazine, the Detroit Free Press, Voice of America, ABC News, and many other organizations and individuals for authoritative information on wild birds through his popular website, Ornithology.com. Dr. Lederer has traveled to and birded in nearly 100 countries, having seen over 3000 avian species.
Roger Lederer's Events
- Bidwell Park Bird Walk (1/28/2016)
- Bidwell Park Bird Walk (1/29/2016)
Carol Burr
Carol Burr, PhD, is Professor Emerita from Chico State, where she taught literature in the English Department for 37 years and served in a number of administrative positions. Married to Roger Lederer, an ornithologist, she learned about birds and became an active bird watcher on travels around the world. In retirement, she returned to a childhood love of drawing and illustrated Dr. Lederer’s The Birds of Bidwell Park (2009), using pen and colored pencils. She is also the co-author with her husband of Latin for Bird Lovers, published by Timber Press in 2014.
Carol Burr's Events
- Bidwell Park Bird Walk (1/28/2016)
- Bidwell Park Bird Walk (1/29/2016)