3rd Annual Yosemite Birding Festival is an Action-Packed and All-Inclusive Adventure Weekend May 5-7

Full Weekend of Guided Field Trips, Nature/Photography Walks, Book Signings, Guest Speakers and Social Activities Tailored for All Levels of Birding Enthusiasts

Regarded by nature enthusiasts to be one of the Yosemite National Park’s most enlightening and entertaining annual special events, the 3 rd annual Yosemite Birding Festival is slated for May 5-7, 2006. This year’s program features an extraordinary team of birding professionals, park rangers, naturalists, guest authors and wildlife artists for a full weekend of activities appealing to both novice and experienced birders.

Hosted by the non-profit Yosemite Association, as one of their award winning Outdoor Adventures programs, the weekend schedule of events will be highlighted by renowned guest speakers such as wildlife artist Keith Hansen and condor biologist Joe Burnett, as well as numerous guided field trips to locations in and around Yosemite Valley, book signings, art classes, photography walks, interpretive discussions and social gatherings for a nominal all-inclusive price.

Birding Festival attendees will likely enjoy spectacular encounters with species such as White-Throated Swifts, American Dippers, Belted Kingfishers, Peregrine Falcons, Canyon Wrens, Great Grey Owls, Vireos, Grosbeaks, Tanagers, Orioles, numerous Warblers and the Sierra’s diverse guild of woodpeckers. An event schedule and a list of species seen at last year’s event is posted online at www.yosemite.org/seminars/birdfestival.

Advanced reservations for the 3rd Annual Birding Festival are required and are available by calling (209) 379-2321 or online at www.yosemite.org. Fees to attend the Festival are $111 for Yosemite Association members and $130 for non-members, and include (optional) three free nights of camping in Yosemite Valley, Yosemite Park entrance fees, welcome reception, all field trips and interpretive programs, plus commemorative gifts.

For non-campers, a limited number of accommodations have also been set aside at the Yosemite View Lodge, located on Highway 140 in the town of El Portal at $124 and $154 per night. Yosemite View Lodge reservations can be made by calling 888-742-4371. Additional lodging may be available in Yosemite Valley, and reservation information can be obtained by calling 1-559-252-4848.

For beginning bird enthusiasts, the Yosemite Association also offers a “Birding For Beginners” pre-course on May 5 designed to introduce basic tips of sound and sight identification, behavioral understanding, use of equipment such as binoculars, field guides etc… The cost for this beginner course is $70 for YA members or $82 for non-members.

About the Yosemite Association

The non-profit Yosemite Association’s award winning Outdoor Adventures 2006 program offers 94 field courses on a wide variety of outdoor related topics throughout Yosemite. Subjects include art and writing, astronomy, birding, cultural history, interpretive backpacks, Native Americans, natural history, outdoor skills, photography, volunteer service, wildflowers and botany, as well as classes designed specifically for families, children and women.

Founded in 1923, Yosemite Association revenues are used to support education, museum, research and environmental programs in Yosemite through donations to the National Park Service.

Outdoor Adventure participants do not have to be a member of Yosemite Association to attend field courses. However, those who wish to become a steward of Yosemite, one of the world’s most beautiful places, can join the Yosemite Association with memberships starting at $35 per year. Membership benefits include discounted room rates in and around Yosemite, a 15% discount on all Outdoor Adventure programs, subscription to “ Yosemite,” the quarterly journal of the Association, 15% discount on all books, maps, posters and calendars, and regular email newsletters. More information in available online at www.yosemite.org.

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