​
​2023 Grebe Festival
​
Field Trips and Activities

Dear Grebe Festival guests, 

​We thank you for your participation in the world's only Grebe Festival! This event is made possible by your participation and your donations (activities have set recommended donation prices). Of course we appreciate your generosity and rely upon it, but we would never turn anyone down from participating in these events because of financial challenges. As a small grassroots organization in a rural area we understand that, and recommend you donate what you can, and enjoy yourselves! If you simply can't afford it, register anyways, and enjoy these amazing birds - we’d love to have you there! If you have a bad time, you can file a grebence with me. 

Thank you,
​
Ryan Thoni, PhD
Executive Director
Plumas Audubon Society


​Important Information Regarding trips

Please check the trip details for information on meeting place and time and refer to festival maps and directions.
​
Please arrive 30 minutes prior to scheduled trip to ensure everyone is checked in and all trips leave on time.  Anyone arriving after the field trip leader has left will not be able to participate in the event and will not be eligible for a refund.  All field trips have a limited number of participants.  Walk-in registration for some trips may be available on the weekend of the Festival.  Walk-in registrants MUST register at the Grebe Festival headquarters: Olsen Barn, Chester, California 96020.
 
Most trips will be conducted rain or shine.  Only unsafe weather will cancel the boat trips (high winds, thunderstorms, etc.)  Please bring the following on your trip: layered clothing and clothing appropriate to weather conditions, comfortable shoes suitable to walking on uneven ground, binoculars and field guide (if you have them, some will be provided), camera, snacks, water, sun protection, hat, jacket.
​

Tips & Etiquette 

Be courteous, pay attention to the leader, stay with the group, walk quietly and slowly, turn off electronic devices, do not disrupt the plants and animals that live where you are exploring, and always stay at least 300 feet away from nesting grebes.
 
Turn up your senses, look all around the sky and horizon including the tops of trees and the ground for traces of wildlife.  Remove litter and leave natural items where they belong.

Field Trip Descriptions

Click on the field trip/activity title links below for more details.  Check trip details for information on meeting place and time and refer to festival maps and directions.  Many trips will meet at Grebe Festival headquarters (Almanor Recreation Center), but not all trips.

^Activity Level

  1. Wheelchair accessible.
  2. Easy walking, fairly flat, two hours or under.      
  3. Moderate, uneven terrain, some distance involved, longer than two hours.
  4. Boat tour, water travel. Sun & wind protection needed.
  5. Kayak, ability to paddle with rests for two hours. Sun protection & water.

Registration for each trip can be found by clicking the Trip/Activity title in the tables below!

​Walk-in registration opens starting at 7am on Saturday, August 5 at the Festival Headquarters, located at the Olsen Barn in Chester!

**Walk-in registration does not apply to Trip #1 due to its early start time.

*Please note that the suggested donation for certain trips will increase after July 28, 2023.

SATURDAY, August 5, 2023

Trip #
Trip/Activity
Time
Leader
Activity Level^
Suggested Donation *
1
**Pontoon Boat Tour (#1)
7:30am-9:30am
Ryan Thoni
1 and 4
$40
​ >> $50*
2
Kayak Tour Northshore Lake Almanor (#1)
9:00am-11:30am
Liz Ramsey
5
$30
>>
​$40*
3
Chester Railroad Grade Birdwalk (#1) 
8:30am-10:00am
Paul Hardy
2
$20
4
Scoping from Shore
8:30am-10:00am
Ozzie Miller
1
FREE
5
Pontoon Boat Tour (#2)
9:30am-11:30am
Lauren James
1 and 4
$40 >> 
​$50*
6
Scoping from Shore
10:00am-11:30am
Abby Hester
1
FREE
7
Pontoon Boat Tour (#3)
1:00pm- 3:00pm
Liz Ramsey
1 and 4
$40
​>>
​$50*
8
Kayak Tour Northshore Lake Almanor (#2)
1:00 pm-  3:30 pm
Ryan Thoni
5
$30 
>>
​$40*
9
Osprey around Lake Almanor (#1)
1:00 pm-2:30pm
Lauren James
3
$20
10
Kayak Tour Northshore Lake Almanor (#3) 
3:30pm-6pm
Abby Hester
5
$​30
>>
​$40*
18
Silent Auction and Social Mixer
11:30am- 4:00pm
Olsen Barn Meadow
1
FREE
19
Birding the Feather River Riparian Corridor (#1)
10:00am- 11:30am
Kelby Gardiner 
2
$20
20
Birding the Feather River Riparian Corridor (#2)
2:30pm-
​4:00pm
Mitch Poling
2
$20

Stay tuned, more trips and activities to come!

*Please note that certain trip prices will increase after July 28, 2023.  


​SUNDAY, August 6, 2023

Trip #
Trip/Activity
Time
Leader
Activity Level^
Suggested Donation*
11
Kayak Tour Northshore Lake Almanor (#4)
8:00am-10:30am
Abby Hester
5
$30
>>
$40*
12
Pontoon Tour (#4)
8:00am-10:00am
Ryan Thoni
1 and 4
$40
>>
​$50*
13
Osprey around Lake Almanor (#2)
10:00 am- 11:30am
Lauren James
3
$20
14
Scoping from Shore
10:00am- 11:30am
Ozzie Miller
1
FREE
15
Kayak Tour Northshore Lake Almanor (#5)
12:00pm-2:30pm
Ozzie Miller
5
$30
​>>
​$40*
16
Pontoon Boat Tour (#5)
12:00pm - 2:00pm
Liz Ramsey
1 and 4
$40
​>>
​$50*
17
Olsen Barn Self-Guided Tour
8:00am-2:00pm
 
2
FREE
21
Chester Railroad Grade Birdwalk (#2)
8:30am- 10:00am
Mitch Poling
2
$20

​Stay tuned, more trips and activities to come!

Free Activities

There is also free information, activities, vendors, artwork, and prize drawings all weekend at the Festival headquarters (Almanor Recreation Center) at 451 Meadowbrook Loop in Chester.
Trip #
Trip/Activity
Day
Time
Leader
Activity Level^
4
Scoping from Shore
Saturday
10:00am-12:00pm
Ozzie Miller
1
6
Scoping from Shore
Saturday
10:00am-11:30am
Abby Hester
1
14
Scoping from Shore
Sunday
10:00am- 11:30am
Ozzie Miller
1
17
Olsen Barn Self-guided Tour  
Saturday
​Sunday
​8:00am-2:00pm
  
2
18
Silent Auction and Social Mixer
Saturday
11:30am- 4:00pm
Olsen Barn Meadow
1

​Stay tuned, more trips and activities to come!

Waivers and Cancellation Policy

Grebe Festival Cancellation Policy
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