FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Registration has started for event / Event Date: January 18-21, 2008
Contacts for media questions only:
Janice Peters, festival coordinator – (805) 772-4656;
Katy Budge, publicity coordinator – (805) 462-1643, ktbudge@sbcglobal.net

Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival Registration Opens

MORRO BAY, CALIFORNIA -- Mark your calendars for the 12th Annual Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival being held January 18-21, 2008. Registration is open now through December 31, 2007; however, space is limited for the festival itself and for many of the more popular events, so you are encouraged to make your reservations as soon as possible. Festival program brochures are available by calling the Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce at 805-772-4467 or 1-800-231-0592, or you can download a brochure from the Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival web site at www.morrobaybirdfestival.org. Online registration is also available.

The Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival makes it a point to offer a variety of events for all levels of birders. Both local and state-wide birding experts will lead over 35 land, ocean, and bay field trips, plus discussions and presentations, social events and workshops focusing on everything from warblers to elephant seals. Field trips will include pelagic trips, birding by kayak, trips to see Sandhill Cranes and Bald Eagles, shorebird field trips, and the popular “Big Day” — a marathon field trip to see as many species as possible. This year’s festival will also feature a special opening reception on Friday, as well as evening presentations on Saturday by Brian Sullivan and on Sunday by Dr. Kevin Padian.

The weekend vendor show at the Morro Bay Community Center is open to festival attendees and the general public at no charge. Participating vendors will be offering the latest in bird-related optical and photography equipment, books, clothing, artwork, backyard bird feeding supplies, etc. The vendor show runs on Friday from 10-7, and Saturday and Sunday from 10-6. In addition, there will be a series of special events on Saturday featuring live raptors from Pacific Wildlife Care.

Full registration for the four-day Festival costs $65, and one-day registration options -- $35 for Friday through Sunday and $25 for Monday -- are also available. The registration includes: most field trips and workshops; a Festival T-shirt; bird checklist; and free admission to the Museum of Natural History in Morro Bay State Park. Van and boat trips have an extra fee. Youngsters 12 and under are free (except for the van and boat trips). For more information about the Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival, log onto www.morrobaybirdfestival.org.

Located on the Pacific Flyway, on California’s Central Coast approximately halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, Morro Bay is recognized as a globally important birding area and typically ranks in the top five nationally during the Audubon Christmas Bird Count. Over 200 bird species either overwinter here or call it their permanent home, including such birds as the California Brown Pelican and Peregrine Falcon.
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