This family friendly event is our main one with expertly guided field trips, pre-festival Jamboree, free programs, including some new ones just for kids, exhibitors, vendors, live animals and Keynote Buffet Dinner.

The small-group guided field trips will be mainly in Group Vans but there will also be several Car Caravan style, in participants' own vehicles, to nearby easily-accessible locations. Each trip is led by an expert guide and this year we welcome two special guest guides, Greg Homel and Rick Wright.

Schedule of Events:

​7:00-9:00 AM: Eric Moore: Focus on Optics - Bird Walk Sponsored by Swarovski Optik

Eric is the owner of The Lookout (formerly Jay's Bird Barn) and will lead a guided bird walk. This bird walk will focus (no pun intended) on the basics of optical equipment designed to enhance a bird watcher’s experience in the field. Loaner pairs of both Vortex and Swarovski binoculars and spotting scopes will be available for participants to use at no charge. The bird walk will include a demonstration and instruction on digi-scoping - taking digital pictures using the latest spotting scope technology.

Meeting place: Parking Lot at Garden Canyon Linear Park

​10:30-11:45 AM: Stephen Vaughn: Bird Photography: It’s not about the gear, or is it?

Each of us has varied objectives when photographing birds. Some aim to meticulously document different bird species, while others seek to enhance their creativity in capturing bird images. There are also those who endeavor to capture specific bird behaviors or moments of peak action. Each of these approaches demands a distinct skill set and, potentially, different photographic equipment. Join Steve as he imparts valuable tips and techniques to elevate your proficiency in bird photography.

10:30-11:45 AM: Mark Johnson: The Tortolita Alliance & Conserving The Tortolita Preserve

The Tortolita Preserve (TP) covers 2,400 acres of pristine Sonoran Desert at the foothills of the Tortolita Mountains in Marana, AZ. TP was established on state land in 2000 as development mitigation land and is under lease by the Town of Marana for 99-years. The Tortolita Alliance (TA) was formed in 2019 when the Town and the Arizona State Land Department proposed to reconfigure and re-zone the land for development. TA was successful in stopping this effort and has since worked with the Marana Parks and Recreation Department on a number of conservation and preserve enhancement initiatives.

​12:00-1:15 PM: Rick Wright: Let Me Introduce You: Birds Where We Want Them

Starlings, house sparrows, pheasants, lovebirds: Transplanting birds from one part of the world to another is among the most conspicuous ways in which we humans have changed the environment to suit ourselves. As common as the activity is, introducing birds and other organisms into new regions always has consequences, and almost always unexpected consequences. Join Rick Wright of Victor Emanuel Nature Tours to learn more about the sometimes shocking, sometimes humorous history of bird introductions in the United States.

1:30-2:45 PM: Glenn Minuth: Are You **** Smart About Animals?

Yep!  You heard it right.  We are  looking at flatulence in animals. While it might seem like a gag topic, studying animal ***** offers valuable insights into animal biology and ecology.  So that begs the question:  Do all animals ****? You’ll be surprised at which ones **** and those that don’t. And you probably guessed it--not all ***** are created equal in terms of smell and frequency. So, we’ll look at the many factors that characterize ***** after the scientific definitions are laid out.  Then there’s the pseudo and fake ***** to consider.  There is a lot to know about expelled gas. Our trip into natural flatulence will take us around the world with the classic examples and then focus in around “home”, but not yours, in particular.

3:00-4:15 PM: Jim Koweek: A Grasslander Takes a Look at the Sonoran Desert

After decades of living in the grasslands near Sonoita, Jim, and photographer Dale Armstrong, decided to create an easy-to-use field guide to the plants of the Sonoran Desert. The uniqueness and survival strategies of the plants there were eye opening. The Sonoran Desert is way more than Poppies and Saguaros.  This presentation will combine examples of plant survival mechanisms, short readings from the book, and some of Dale’s amazing photography. I might even put in a bird photo or two.  (AKA -Jim Pimps His New Book – Sonoran Desert Plant ID For Everyone)

3:00-4:15 PM: Flyways - a PBS Nature special

This PBS Nature special highlights some of the more spectacular migrations of bird species around the world. Flyways spotlights the migrations of Hudsonian Godwits in the Americas, Far Eastern Curlews in Asia, and Red Knots in Europe. These birds travel hundreds or even thousands of miles every year, often flying non-stop without food or water. But their populations are crashing amidst climate change and urban development. Follow a conservation movement of bird-loving experts and citizen scientists as they mobilize to the challenge of understanding and saving shorebirds.

​4:00-5:30 PM: Rich Bailowitz: Another Glimpse at the Dragonflies of Southeast Arizona

This presentation will cover characteristics of members of the order ODONATA, which comprises both damselflies and dragonflies, what we see and what we don't. More than 100 species are known from Cochise County where our Festival is located, and many are featured in this discussion.

Click here to Register.