Field Trip: Wings & Wine Tasting in Vina

Field Trip: Wings & Wine Tasting in Vina

$45 Adult

Thursday, Jan 26, 2023 8:45 am - 3:00 pm

Meet at Patrick Ranch Museum (Map)

Walking, could involve distance but largely flat Walking, could involve distance but largely flat

Description

Take a memorable trip to where California history was made and where monks and a winemaker now reside. As we leave Chico, our first travels will include Meridian and Lassen Roads. This is an excellent location to see Horned Larks, Prairie Falcons, Bald Eagles, Merlin, Rough-legged Hawk, and Ferruginous Hawk. Time permitting, we'll explore riparian and oak woodland habitats of the Sacramento River in search of resident and wintering birds such as woodpeckers, raptors, thrushes, sparrows, bluebirds, and ducks, and find a suitable spot for lunch in the Woodson Bridge County Park. Then we head on over to the Abbey of New Clairvaux in nearby Vina, California, home to a community of Trappist monks that was founded in 1955. A discussion of the history of the property and its relation to the history of California, the story of its current residents, a tour of the Twelfth Century Monastic Chapter House, and wine tasting will all be included. Tour and wine-tasting fees are included in the price. Bring lunch, water, and binoculars.

Field Trip Leaders

Bill Smith

Bill Smith is a retired Professional Forester who has resided in in Chico since 1975. He has a BS in Forest Management from Michigan Technological University and retired as the "Forest Silviculturist" from the Plumas National Forest in 2010. His forte in the Forest Service was large reforestation project logistics and Service Contract Administration. Notable accomplishments include serving on the Bidwell Park Commission, securing the three acre "Blue Oak Reserve" within Hillview Terrace Subdivision, and spearheadimg the design and build-out of Baroni Park, a Chico Neighborhood Park.

Bill leads a Chico Meetup Hiking Group and stays active in Community affairs. Currently, Bill is a docent at the Abbey of Our Lady of New Clairvaux, in Vina, Ca., where he leads tours. The Abbey is home to 25 Trappist monks, and the property played an important role in California history.

Bill Smith's Events

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.

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Karen White

Karen White has always felt a kinship with wildlife and the outdoors. She has been a backyard birder since childhood, moved to Chico in 1980, and after retirement has taken up photography to further enjoy birds and their behavior. She enjoys visiting the many refuges and birding hotspots in our area.

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