A must attend event for birders and nature lovers alike!
“The Seashore is home to over 54% of North American avian species and nearly 18% of California’s plant species are found in the park due to the variety of habitat and uniqueness of the geology. Thirty-eight threatened and endangered species exist within the Seashore.”
Our Festival Fledged in 2010
The Environmental Action Committee of West Marin (EAC) launched the Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival in 2010 to help foster awareness, appreciation, and stewardship of the area, while also raising funds for our nonprofit mission to protect and sustain the unique lands, waters, and biodiversity of West Marin. Learn more about our work.
Festival Overview
Our festival is typically held the third week of April and celebrates spring bird and wildlife migrations along the Pacific Flyway in Marin and Sonoma counties. Point Reyes National Seashore provides the main backdrop for our festival, where the Pacific Flyway, Pacific Ocean, and other influences provide an ideal location for birding and wildlife viewing. Point Reyes and the surrounding area have been named the National Audubon Society’s #1 birding hotspot for multiple years, where 54%+ of all North American bird species have been seen and recorded.
Attendees can choose from over 40+ educational field events focused on birds, wildlife, plants, and marine life + hiking, kayaking, art, and field photography, and led by some of the Bay Area’s award-winning naturalists and birders. Our festival engages birders, artists, and nature lovers by providing quality birding and nature experiences, and is open to a variety of ages and experience levels. Families with chicks 3+ are typically invited to join us for our Sunday Family Fun activities.
These events are geared to bring a broader awareness, appreciation, and stewardship of the area to novice and expert birders/naturalists alike. Participants are primarily from Marin, Sonoma, and the greater Bay Area or California, but participants also come from the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon), Rocky Mountains (Colorado), the Southwest (New Mexico and Arizona), the Midwest (Illinois and Ohio), East Coast (New York), Hawaii, and even as far as Mexico, Australia, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Join the EAC for Early-Bird Registration
Protecting WEST MARIN did not happen by accident. For over 50 years, we have protected coastal Marin’s (affectionately known as West Marin) unique lands, waters, and biodiversity through advocacy and education efforts thanks to the generosity of individual donors and grants. As a special thank you to members who pay annual dues to help our mission, we provide them with early-bird registration, a week before the general public and waived registration fees. Members also receive 10% off in our Advocate store in Point Reyes Station. For popular events, membership is a must, as tickets to popular events sell out within a few hours. In addition to early-bird registration, you will receive exclusive EAC member invitations to events year-round. Become a member or renew your support to get early-bird registration and more. Member benefits start at $35 per individual and $50 per household. All membership contributions are 100% tax-deductible as EAC is a 501(c)3 non-profit.
COVER PHOTOGRAPH: DANIEL DIETRICH, POINT REYES SAFARIS
