VENTURING TO A PLACE... that is famous for its feathery visitors? It can be just the sort of vacation-in-nature that a bird buff craves. But there's further craving beyond just reaching the spot that's known for its sky-soaring visitors: You want to find that one bird you haven't yet seen. It might be a California Condor or a Surf Scoter or a Cooper's Hawk or another flying wonder that has eluded you, and your all-important "Birds I've Seen" list, for some time now. That's why heading for a wing-wonderful festival, one that's at a beautiful location that's known for its beak-rocking, flight-soaring visitors, can help the birder who is eager to find that quail or hawk or duck they've longed to see. And as anyone who has ever kept a "gotta find it" list knows, the start of the calendar year can rev up the passions to finally fill out your finds (whatever the topic of your "gotta find it" passion list happens to be). Good thing, then, that the...
MORRO BAY WINTER BIRD FESTIVAL... alights upon the Central Coast just a couple of weeks into January. The 2017 dates are Friday, Jan. 13 through Monday, Jan. 16, and the schedule of go-outs, talks, and field trips covers all corners of birddom love. There's a Morro Bay State Park hike, a trip to a regional oyster farm, a talk on drawing birds to your garden, a workshop devoted to bird sounds, an owling field trip, bird photography tips, and kayaking opportunities. Could this be a return to a former hobby for you, a passion you loved but had to bid adieu due to life's busyness? Make a new year's resolution to return to it. Or, if you're deep into your devotion to all things with wings, consider a visit to Morro Bay the birdly burnishing of your skills and enjoyment. But will you finally find that one bird you've longed to see? The crisp-of-air January skies shall soon reveal all.
