20th Annual Snow Goose Festival

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 damage their habitats (breaking branches, trampling vegetation). Turn off cell phones or other electronic devices. If you are taking children with you, explain to them proper etiquette before the trip. Always behave in a manner that will enhance the image of the birding communities in the eyes of the public.
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.
No dogs or pets allowed on any Snow Goose Festival event, workshop, or program. Please leave Fido with friends or family and not in the car during a field trip.

Home :: Past Festivals :: 20th Annual Snow Goose Festival :: Field Trips :: Field Trip: Birds & Trees of the Chico Seed Orchard

Field Trip: Birds & Trees of the Chico Seed Orchard

$22 Adult; $10 Youth

Saturday, Jan 26, 2019 8:15 am - 12:15 pm

Meet at Chico Masonic Family Center (Map)

Walking, could involve distance but largely flat

Description

Join us for a walk through the Chico Seed Orchard in South Chico. Here you will find a lovely arboretum nature trail that runs next to the creek. Enjoy the 209-acre center with exotic trees and shrubs, some over 100 years old. Joseph will discuss identification, including how to identify trees out of leaf. Tree resources for birds will also be covered. With the large variety of tree species and the creek and its neighboring open space, many species of birds flock to the center. We hope to see Western Bluebird, Downy Woodpecker, and raptors to name a few.

Field Trip Leaders

Joseph O'Neil

Joseph O'Neil is a Certified Arborist with over 30 years of experience in the tree and nursery field, working at Mendon's Nursery in Paradise for 9 years and currently as a consulting arborist. He has an Art degree from CSU Chico and has traveled the North State extensively. He's been birding since 2003 and loves sharing his knowledge regarding tree resources for birds.

Joseph O'Neil's Events

Colusa National Wildlife Refuge (1/25/2019)
Birds & Trees of the Chico Seed Orchard (1/26/2019)
Birds & Trees of Butte Creek Ecological Preserve (1/27/2019)

John Meserve

Is a professional Consulting Arborist and Horticulturist working throughout Northern California. He is Tree Risk Assessment Qualified and Certified by the International Society of Arboriculture, as well as being a member of the American Society of Consulting Arborists. Besides being a full time consultant he has worked as an adjunct instructor at U.C. Berkeley teaching horticulture and plant identification to Landscape Architecture students in the School of Environmental Design, as well as teaching Landscape Management in the U.C. Berkeley Cooperative Extension program. Meserve considers himself a tree and plant enthusiast, spending much free time in his garden and landscaped property, and helping others in theirs. New to birding, he is excited to share his extensive knowledge of the tree world with those that study and focus on the birds that live there. He looks forward to turning 'that tree' into something identifiable and known to participating birders.

John Meserve's Events

Birds & Trees of the Chico Seed Orchard (1/26/2019)