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54 WINTER 2025 slovisitorsguide.com
Morro Bay
JEWELRY, FURNITURE,
FINE ART, GLASS , POTTERY
and MORE!
(805) 225-1400 • 2200 Main St., Morro Bay, CA
Visit us on Instagram @richmanpoorman_antiques
ANTIQUES MALL ANTIQUES MALL
RICH MAN-POOR MAN
Morro Bay Bird Festival
celebrates 28 years of flying high
From January 16-20, 2025, the Morro
Bay Bird Festival celebrates 28 years
of attracting bird enthusiasts to the
Central Coast. This year’s festival offers
the most extensive list of activities yet.
With over 250 events led by 141 expert
leaders, beginners to seasoned birders
find activities suited for their interests.
Considered one of the top five bird
festivals in the nation, the five days of
events include destination field trips to
habitats including Carrizo Plain, Kern
National Wildlife Refuge, Oso Flaco
and Point Buchon, birding by bike, bay
cruises and kayaking, master classes,
journaling and sketching and more.
There are opportunities for boating
tours, and the pelagic trips onto the
Registration open
now for 5 activity
packed days
ocean can turn up sightings of whales,
dolphins, albatross, and more. Inland
tours are to ranch lands and oak wood-
lands offering sightings of raptors, and
meadowlarks, bluebirds, woodpeckers,
and more.
Guided Big Days of Birding offer
the potential to identify over 100 spe-
cies at hot spots throughout San Luis
Obispo County. There are also Casual
Big Days at a slower pace for beginning
and intermediate birders. A special ef-
fort is made to sight regional specialties
and rarities during the many opportu-
nities for up-close observations.
Along with all of the birding
activities, participants can visit the
Atascadero beavers, learn more about
the southern sea otters, the 19 species
of bats found on the Central Coast,
visit the elephant seals and monarch
butterfly over-wintering sites, explore
mushrooms, learn to use birding
technologies with a cell phone, and
map making.
Meet the VIPs
The festival presents two welcome
receptions, one on Friday and one
on Saturday. Enjoy wine, cheese,
live music, and visiting with fellow
birders, VIPs and event leaders. Visit
the Bazaar to browse vendor booths
featuring books, music, nature art and
photography, woodcarvings, jewelry,
educational exhibits and festival swag.
Reception attendees receive a free
MBBF logo etched wine glass. Sign up
for one of the two receptions, and an
entry ticket is required.
This year’s VIPS include:
• David Lindo, known as the
urban birder, is a broadcaster, writer,
educator dedicated to inspiring city
dwellers worldwide to appreciate their
environment through birds. He has
contributed numerous articles on
urban bird conservation and wildlife to
various publications and is a familiar
face on BBC, ITV, and Channel 4,
among others.
• Kenn Kaufman, renowned
naturalist and author, began his birding
journey at age six. He gained fame as
a teenage birder hitchhiking across
North America to observe bird species.
Kaufman has authored numerous
books, including the popular Kaufman
Field Guides series, and received
multiple honors for his contributions to
ornithology.
• Kimberly Kaufman has dedicated
her career to bird conservation and
education. As the executive director
of the Black Swamp Bird Observatory,
she has significantly impacted birding
initiatives, including founding the Ohio
Young Birders Club and organizing
The Biggest Week in American Birding
festival. A contributing editor for Birds
& Blooms magazine and coauthor of
several field guides, Kimberly received
the 2015 American Birding Associa-
tion's Chandler Robbins Award for her
contributions to bird education and
conservation.
• Jon Dunn, a renowned ornitholo-
gist, has been passionate about birds
since childhood. He has authored
numerous influential books on bird
identification and distribution, includ-
ing collaborations with Kimball Garrett
and Jonathan Alderfer. Dunn has
served on prestigious ornithological
committees and contributed sig-
nificantly to the National Geographic
Society's bird guides. His expertise
includes history and the works of
Leonard Cohen.
Events and activities fill up quickly
for this popular event. To register and for
more information visit morrobaybird-
festival.org.
Bird watching for everyone.