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: Divide Ranch (includes lunch)
$35 Adult; $15 Youth
Thursday, Jan 28, 2016 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Meet at Patrick Ranch (Map)
More vigorous hiking, some elevation gain/loss
Description
Nestled in the beautiful foothills of Western Glenn County, you’ll visit areas of the Divide Ranch cattle operation. This is a family owned and operated 2000-acre cattle ranch with an additional 3000-acre ranch that the family leases. The family’s love for the land and its agricultural heritage has inspired them to create numerous riparian areas for wildlife habitat and a grazing management plan that places a strong emphasis on the health of the range. Numbers of deer, turtles, beavers, raptors, ducks, and other birds have increased greatly in these areas. Following your time outdoors, you will enjoy lunch at the ranch house with Divide Ranch’s 100% Grass-Fed Beef on the menu. An extra pair of waterproof boots is a must due to a creek crossing.
Divide Ranch's 100% Grass-Fed beef will be available for sale, so bring your ice chests! Http://thedivideranch.com/
Field Trip Leaders
Pamela Waldsmith
Pamela Waldsmith enjoys a variety of interests: birding; hiking; yoga; kayaking; painting; travel; local, national, and world affairs; reading; pickleball; and photography. As an educator of thirty-five years, she most enjoyed teaching science and expanding her young students’ educational experience through field trips. Fueled by her passion for science, she coached her students for the annual Nature Bowl, a fun environmental competition, with her students often placing very high in the final state competition. Since her retirement, she misses the youngsters yet has had more time to pursue her many interests, and she continues learning every day in new ways.
Pamela Waldsmith's Events
- Divide Ranch (includes lunch) (1/28/2016)
Mike and Kathy Landini
Mike and Kathy Landini own and manage the Divide Ranch with the help of their adult children Nicole and Tony. They are passionate about creating environments on both land that they own and land that they lease, which support the family and the cattle as well as the land and the wildlife. They also direct-sell their 100% Grass-Fed Beef at farmers’ markets, including the Chico Certified Farmers’ Market on Saturdays.
Mike and Kathy Landini's Events
- Divide Ranch (includes lunch) (1/28/2016)