Field Trip Leader Bios
Read all the biographies here.
A special note about Field Trips
Please arrive at the location indicated 20 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. 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.
Field Trip: Paddle the North Forebay - Sold Out!
$50 Adult; $35 Youth
Friday, Jan 27, 2023 10:00 am - 1:30 pm
Meet at Forebay Aquatic Center (Map)
Walking, could involve distance but largely flat
Description
Participants will meet the trip leaders at the North Forebay Aquatic Center, at 10am, and be on the water from 10:30am to 1:00pm, with experienced guides who are familiar with the abundant and diverse wildlife. These ecological tours will educate flat-water boaters on safe boating practices and the ecology of the area. We will also do a short walking tour of our beautiful habitat. There are 15 seats available in either a single or tandem sit-on-top or sit-in kayaks, canoes, pedal boats, or stand-up paddle boards depending on your experience. Guests will be provided with all boating equipment and fundamental paddling instruction for novice to experienced. Guests are advised to bring appropriately warm and waterproof clothing, cameras and binoculars. The Forebay Aquatic Center (FAC), is a facility in a State Park Recreation Area, that supports recreation throughout the Thermalito complex and the Feather River Watershed. It is an approximately 30 minute drive from Chico to the center. Floats are appropriate for ages 8 and up and are a low impact, physically active, great way to view the wildlife and migratory waterfowl prominent during this time. Our trip has access to the non-motorized State Park areas which are inaccessible to motorized vehicles and boats. No need to stop and pay the State Park entrance fee, it's included in the price. Keep left after the front entrance kiosk and park near the big metal building. This trip is also offered on Saturday morning.
Field Trip Leaders
Brad Cooke
Brad Cooke has a California Chico State University degree in Recreation Administration. Since 1999, he has been an associate faculty at Butte Community College in outdoor education and has worked for 25 years in Butte County supporting natural history, native ways, and environmental education with an appreciation and knowledge for the hidden gems in Northern California. He has been a consultant for National Wildlife Refuges and an education programs director throughout Northern California. He has served as an experiential educator for thousands of students and teachers throughout Northern California. Brad is a eco-tour and raft guide with a huge variety of knowledge on our amazing North State.
Brad Cooke's Events
- Paddle the North Forebay (1/27/2023)
- Paddle the North Forebay (1/28/2023)
Carol Anderson
Carol Anderson is a retired high school biology teacher with a life-long interest in nature. A member of Altacal Audubon Society since retirement, she enjoys learning from experienced birders. She has assisted in the grebe survey at the Thermalito afterbay, the birding class of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at CSU, Chico, and the Northern Saw-whet Owl banding project.
Carol Anderson's Events
- Paddle the North Forebay (1/27/2023)
Barbara Haskin
Barbara Haskin is a retired nurse, and has lived in Butte County for 40 years. She is a member of Altacal Audubon Society and has participated in the Chico and Oroville Christmas Bird Counts. Interests include hiking, kayaking, and exploring the natural world.
Barbara Haskin's Events
- Paddle the North Forebay (1/27/2023)
Diane Brown
Diane Brown is a retired elementary school teacher who was blessed to commute through rice fields teaming with migratory waterfowl and the raptors that hunt them. Over the course of many years, she saw the benefit of changing farming practices from burning rice straw to flooding fields as the population of winter migrants grew before her eyes. Living in the foothills of the Sierra, Diane believes in the importance of gardening with native plants to benefit wildlife. She hikes daily with her beloved springer spaniels. Through a friendship with Carol Anderson, Diane has met a community of birders who enjoy kayaking and bird watching.
Diane Brown's Events
- Paddle the North Forebay (1/27/2023)
Jon Aull
Jon has been a naturalist around Chico since the turn of the century, designing and implementing environmental education programs for children and adults. He has a master's degree from CSUC in Parks and Natural Resources. His particular interests are plants, birds, and butterflies, but practically anything in nature can stop him in his tracks and lead him down a rabbit hole of ecological relationships.
Jon Aull's Events
- Up the Creek with a Pair of Binoculars (BCCER) (1/26/2023)
- Paddle the North Forebay (1/27/2023)
- Birds & Trees of Butte Creek Ecological Preserve (1/29/2023)