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 Thermalito Afterbay
$70 Adult; $40 Youth
Saturday, Jan 24, 2026 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Meet at Forebay Aquatic Center (Map)
More vigorous hiking, some elevation gain/loss
Description
Participants will meet at 10:00 am at the Forebay Aquatic Center (FAC), and carpool to the Thermalito Afterbay launch site. You will be on the water from 10:30 am to 2:00 pm, with experienced guides who are familiar with the diverse local wildlife. Located about six miles southwest of the city of Oroville, Thermalito Afterbay is an off-stream reservoir which is one of Butte County's birding hot spots for winter waterfowl and raptors. There are 15 seats available in either a single or tandem sit-on-top or sit-in kayaks. Participants will be provided with all equipment. This trip is not for novice paddlers; more open water and longer paddle expected. Trip is appropriate for ages 8 and up with an adult in a double kayak, and is a low impact way to view the wildlife and migratory waterfowl prominent during this time. Bring appropriately warm and waterproof clothing, camera and binoculars; also bring lunch and water - we will have a lunch break on an island. A gentler paddle trip is also offered on Friday 12:00pm - 2:00pm at the North Forebay. RAIN CANCELS
Field Trip Leaders
Jon Aull
Jon Aull is the Outdoor Education Coordinator for California State University, Chico's Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve. He has been a naturalist around Chico since the turn of the millenium, designing and implementing environmental education programs for all ages. He received a master's degree from CSUC in Parks and Natural Resources. Among his accomplishments are curation of and contribution to temporary and permanent science museum exhibits, authoring a local guide to wildflowers, and participation in citizen science projects involving birds, butterflies, and plants.
Jon Aull's Events
- Up the Creek with a Pair of Binoculars (1/22/2026)
- Paddle the Thermalito Afterbay (1/24/2026)
- Plants & Birds of Butte Creek Ecological Preserve (1/25/2026)
Brad Cooke
Brad Cooke has been teaching and exploring in the North State for 35 years, he is faculty at Butte Community College 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 currently is the executive director of the Feather River Center / Forebay Aquatic Center and is an avid birder and California Naturalist.
Brad Cooke's Events
- Paddle the North Forebay (1/23/2026)
- Paddle the Thermalito Afterbay (1/24/2026)
- Paddle the Feather River (1/25/2026)
Tess McGuire
Tess McGuire has been birding and making hats for the last twenty years. She became an avid kayaker when she bought a house on Clear Lake. Now that she lives near Mendocino she paddles the local rivers and birds the coast. Perhaps some day she'll be brave enough to go out on the ocean.
Tess McGuire's Events
- Book Family Farms & Llano Seco Viewing Platform (1/23/2026)
- Paddle the Thermalito Afterbay (1/24/2026)
- Gray Lodge & Cordi Winery (Harvest Host) (1/25/2026)