The Environmental Action Committee of West Marin & Amigos Alados Present
Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival
FREE Family FUN Day | Sunday, April 24th, 2022 | 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Calling all families with fledglings ages 5 - 16! Join us for our FREE Family FUN Day in collaboration with Amigos Alados and made possible though our Friends of the Festival sponsors, individual donations, and our volunteers. View the full event schedule below. Registration coming soon.
Attendees are encouraged to dress WILD for this family fun day on the green! Think wildlife-inspired costume wigs, wings, head wear, masks, face paint, etc. or birds, butterflies, jellyfish, or your favorite animal. Families are also encouraged to bring a blanket, snacks, and lunch so you can hang on the lawn.
Please bring a mask, just in case we need to social distance based on County regulations.
Rain cancels the event, but attendees will receive updates via email.
Event Schedule
Self-Guided Activities
Join our volunteers for a variety of hands-on activities through out the day. Start your day off by picking up your activity passport at the Amigos Alados table, and collect a stamp from each activity station to receive a goodie bag once you have completed the activities.
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM | These activities are ongoing throughout the day
Science Activities
Barn Owl Pellet Dissection Station, courtesy of Pellets, Inc
Discover what Barn owls eat through dissecting their “pellets”.What’s Your Wing Span?
Check our our wing span banner and compare your arm span to common birds.Binocular Boot Camp
Learn how to use binoculars, and about 16 birds who migrate between Marin and Mexico.Bird “Study Skin” Identification
Observe and draw a preserved bird and use a simplified bird guide to identify it.Visit our Pacific Flyway office exhibit to learn about bird and wildlife migration, including skull, feather and egg identification.
Wildlife Games: Bird Bingo, Puzzles, Matching Game and More!
Art & Crafts: Bird mask making, animal origami and more!
In addition, our friends from the Point Reyes Marin Country Free Library will display nature-inspired books, and introduce the birding backpacks that are available in Point Reyes Station for loan throughout the year.
Guided Activities
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM | Give a Hoot: All About Owls Presentation
Our event will kick off with an a visit from the All About Owls docents and two rescue owl bird ambassadors. Docents will introduce our feathered friends, and share a little life history of each owl. This is a rare and memorable opportunity to see these owls up-close, learn about their natural history, their fascinating adaptations, and the essential roles they play in our local ecosystems. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please arrive on time, take a seat on the lawn, and help us keep the birds calm by listening with your owl ears!
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Wetlands Discovery Walk
Suggested Ages 7+ with accompanying adult | Space Limited
Join naturalists Natalie Clark and Bryan Flaig for a discovery walk in the Giacomini Wetlands just minutes from our bird hub aka our office on 65 Third Street. Natalie and Bryan will help families discover the WILD beauty of the restored wetlands in the southern part of Tomales Bay using a variety of methods to engage your family including: using your eyes and ears, binoculars and scopes, and a Habitat bingo game for nature discovery. If you have binoculars bring them, but we will have some available for loan. This event is limited 20 people, so please have one adult per family/friend group if possible, so can we can engage the most youth.
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM | Story Time & Drawing with Ane Carla Rovetta
Come, enjoy a lively legend about a local bird, then learn how to draw it from a professional illustrator. Ane Carla will guide you with a few swift strokes that produce the feeling of the bird. We will then color in this "gestalt" drawing using brightly colored chalks. You will be delighted by your results from this light-hearted activity!
Bio: An illustrator since 1974, Ane Carla Rovetta has produced the artwork for 6 books and numerous scientific and educational periodicals. Her unique approach of combining art, science and storytelling delights audiences of all ages. She received the Terwilliger Environmental Educator of the Year Award in 2015 and has been the artist of the ongoing Artworking the Wetlands Project at Hamilton Field since 2016.
