Schedule
The Wildflower Brunch takes place Saturday morning from 9 am to 12 noon outdoors on the open space across from the Visitor Center. Please note that the BRUNCH IS HELD ONLY ON SATURDAY, not both days.
On both Saturday and Sunday, the festival activities go from 9 am to 4 pm. During this time there are pontoon boat rides, bird walks, nature walks, speakers, exhibit booths, and children’s activities.
Plan your visit to include as many of these fun and informative activities as possible. If visiting from outside Lake County, we encourage you to enjoy a full weekend of events. There are several other local parks with great natural appeal, a number of wineries, a shoreline drive along Clear Lake, and many other activities. Enjoy a wonderful restorative time in a peaceful rural setting of great beauty.
The 2009 schedule of events is not yet available, but will be similar to the 2008 activities listed below.
Heron Festival and Wildflower Brunch
2008 Schedule of Events
SATURDAY, APRIL 26 |
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| 8:00am - 3:00pm | Pontoon Boat Tours (90 min) to tree-top heron rookeries leave hourly on the hour. Advance reservations required (See Registration). However, there may be some tickets available that day. $15 per person. Check-in at Boat Ramp. |
| 8:30am - 10:30am | Audubon Bird Walk with Park Docent Brad Barnwell. This walk follows the riparian habitat along creeks that meander through the park. See various wading birds, water birds, raptors, woodpeckers, and riparian animal species. Bring binoculars if you have them. Meet at Visitor Center entry ramp. |
| 9:00am - 12:00pm | Wildflower Brunch Enjoy a scrumptious brunch outdoors with "Create Your Own Omelets" that offer a wide array of omelet fillings for an individually-designed and perfect omelet, fresh fruit and pastries. $12 per person, advance reservations requested (see Register page or call 800/ 525-3743). Picnic Area. |
| 9:00am - 4:00pm | Nature Fair with exhibit booths highlight educational displays and information from nature-related government agencies, local environmental nonprofit groups, and nature-related artists and craftsmen. Open area across from Visitor Center. |
| 9:00am - 9:30pm | "Heron Festival and Birds of Lake County" DVD Filmed by Cornell University bird videographer at the 2005 Heron Festival and on two local birding trips. Visitor Center Auditorium. |
| 9:30am - 10:30am | Jazz in the Park Award-winning Kelseyville High School Jazz Band performs jazz favorites outdoors at the Exhibit Booths area across from Visitor Center. |
| 10:00am - 11:00am | Keynote Speaker Philip Greene, internationally known photographer of herons and egrets for over two decades. His spectacular photos and lecture focus on the nesting cycle of herons, with special emphasis on mating behaviors, nest building, and fledging. Visitor Center Auditorium. |
| 10:00am - 4:00pm | Visitor Center Tours Interpretive displays of Lake County's natural and cultural resources, large aquarium, dioramas of the woodland and riparian habitats, as well as a Pomo Village, an erupting volcano, and a mountain lion cave. Visitors can take a docent-led tour or wander at their own pace. Gift Shop. |
| 10:00am - 4:00pm | Children's Activities A wide range of fun educational activities for children to learn about nature, including owl masks, peanut butter birdseed feeders to take home, making a personalized Bird Journal, and Bird Bingo. Outside in Picnic Area. |
| 10:00am - 4:00pm | Children's Heron Art Show Enjoy local schoolchildren's creative gifts to the festival displayed in the children's activity center. |
| 11:00am - 12:00pm | Family Nature Walk Audubon guide Susie Kaplar welcomes kids and their parents to a fun exploration of nature's fascinating creatures along the creek trail. Meet at the children's activity area. |
| 12:00am - 4:00pm | Hot Dogs and Chili Booth Audubon offers hot chili, hot dogs, snacks, and drinks. Outdoors between Boat Ramp and Exhibit Booths area. |
| 1:00pm - 2:00pm | Wonder of Wildflowers slide presentation. Native Plants Society's Joe Callizo talks about Native Plants of south Lake County. Visitor Center Auditorium. |
| 2:30pm - 3:30pm | Keynote Speaker Philip Greene Repeat, see description above. |
| 3:00pm - 4:30pm | Wildflowers and Native Plants Hike with docent Glenn Smith follows the Dorn Trail to upland areas of the Park. See blooming native plants of the Oak Woodlands and Chaparral habitat. Great views of Clear Lake and Big Valley from overlook. Wear sturdy shoes for steep areas. Meet at Visitor Center entrance ramp. |
| 3:45pm - 4:45pm | "Hooked on Hummingbirds" This astonishing DVD shows close-ups and stop-motion of hummers building a nest, feeding hatchlings, and flying upside-down. Watch hummer "ballet" and other delights. Visitor Center Auditorium. |
SUNDAY, APRIL 27 |
FAMILY DAY |
| 8:00 am - 3:00pm | Pontoon Boat Tours See description above. |
| 8:30am - 10:30am | Audubon Bird Walk See description above. |
| 9:00am - 11:00am | Continental Breakfast Juice, coffee, pastries and fruit available Picnic area. $6 per person. Coffee alone also available. (Note: Omelets are only at the Saturday brunch.) |
| 9:00am - 3:00pm | Nature Fair exhibit booths. See description above. |
| 9:30am - 9:50am | Heron Festival and Birds of Lake County DVD See description above. |
| 10:00am - 4:00pm | Visitor Center Tours See description above. |
| 10:00am - 11:00am | Myths and Music of Clear Lake Dr. Harry Lyons offers an entertaining program that mixes biology, music and humor to tell the story of Clear Lake and its more than two million years of existence. Visitor Center Auditorium. |
| 10:00am - 4:00pm | Children's Activities A wide range of fun educational activites for children to learn about nature, including Bird Bingo games, dissecting owl pellets, Outside in Picnic Area. |
| 10:00am - 4:00pm | Children's Heron Art Show Enjoy local schoolchildren's creative gifts for the festival displayed in the children's activity center. |
| 11:00am - 12:00pm | Family Nature Walk Audubon guide Susie Kaplar welcomes kids and their parents to a fun exploration of nature's fascinating creatures along the creek trail. Meet at the children's activity area. |
| 12:00pm - 4:00pm | Hot Dogs and Chili Booth Audubon offers hot chili, hot dogs, snacks, and drinks. Outdoors between Boat Ramp and Exhibit Booths area |
| 1:00pm - 2:00pm | "Raptor Speak" Live owls and other birds of prey join Curator Jenny Papka from Native Bird Connections to offer an opportunity to see raptor behavior up close. Learn about these lively non-releasable raptors in a fun and informative talk and bird demonstration. Big tent next to the Visitor Center. |
| 2:00pm - 3:00pm | "Raptor Speak" Repeat presentation (See above). |
| 2:00pm - 3:00pm | Indian Nature Trail Hike Docent Walt Lyon leads this half-mile hike featuring plants historically used by local Pomo Indians. Learn how native plants have been creatively used through history for food, medicine, and art. See Pomo smokehouse. See Pomo. Wear sturdy shoes. Meet at Visitor Center entry ramp. |
| 3:00pm - 4:00pm | Jazz in the Park Enjoy great music from the award-winning Lower Lake High High School Jazz Band. Outdoors at the Exhibit Booths area. |
| --A perfect ending to a great weekend! | |