This festival is for the birds

Bird lovers will flock to Davis again Saturday to participate in California Duck Days, a wetlands and wildlife festival for the entire family. Thirteen field trips around the region are featured, along with lots of bird-related workshops and plenty of activities for kids.

Events will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area Headquarters in South Davis. California Duck Days is organized by Yolo Basin Foundation and hosted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Two new trips are planned this year — one to the Nimbus Fish Hatchery and the other to the Grizzly Island Wildlife Area to search for elk as well as birds.

Workshops will be offered throughout the day, such as waterfowl identification, wood duck box building and hydrology for beginners. There also will be a special workshop with live bats and a falconry demonstration in the field.

The Duck Days Exhibit Hall will have interactive displays from 20 area environmental organizations and will feature the crowd-pleasing mallard ducklings, as well as live raptors.

Food will be available on site for purchase.

One of the most popular events at Duck Days is the kids’ fishing activity. Children may fish for trout in the demonstration wetlands or in a special pond for young children, and then have their fish cleaned and packed to take home. There also will be a large mobile aquarium filled with local fish, including many native species, for everyone’s viewing pleasure.

Duck Days officially begins with a welcome reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Davis Art Center, 1919 F St. The evening will feature an exhibit of wildlife art created by high school students in Yolo County, as well as a display of California Junior Duck Stamp art. The reception is free and open to the public.

The cost for California Duck Days activities on Saturday is $20 to $25 per person, depending on the number of field trips attended. Children under 16 are free when accompanied by an adult. All participants are encouraged to pre-register due to limited space on field trips.

Duck Days takes place at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area Headquarters, 45211 County Road 32B (Chiles Road) in Davis. For a complete schedule of events and to register, visit www.yolobasin.org and click on “Duck Days” or call the Yolo Basin Foundation at 530-757-3780.