Events

Lodi Sandhill Crane Association Board Meeting

Lodi Sandhill Crane Association Board Meeting

Want to get your kids involved in the Lodi Sandhill Crane Festival? This tour is the perfect way to start. Join us at the Cosumnes River Preserve boardwalk where your family will have a chance to see waterfowl and maybe Sandhill Cranes through our spotting scopes.

Leave the driving to us. This tour combines a crane fly-in with birding on Staten Island, a premier Nature Conservancy/Conservation Farms and Ranches location, to learn what the birds already know - this is one of the best places in the Delta to spend the winter.

If you have never had the opportunity to visit with Dr. Gary Ivey about Sandhill Cranes, you won’t want to miss this tour. Join Gary on a bus ride around the delta to see cranes feeding in the fields.and watch them during the evening fly-in.

This tour has all the excitement of the other fly-in tours in the area, but visitors will be able to view the Sandhill Cranes (and other birds) from the comfort of a viewing shelter. Seating is provided and maps, charts, and pictorials are on display. Also, visitors will be treated to a presentation by Department of Fish and Wildlife docents.

The Woodbridge Ecological Reserve is one of the few locations where Sandhill Cranes consistently roost in the Delta. At dusk, in large groups that can number from several hundred to several thousand, the cranes converge on the South Unit’s flooded fields for the night. CDFW Docents will give a presentation on the cranes in a private viewing area. The cranes determine end times for evening tours.

The LSCA welcomes everyone to the Lodi Sandhill Crane Festival with a reception and awards ceremony. Light snacks and wine tasting are included. An awards ceremony will recognize individuals who have contributed to Sandhill Crane conservation and environmental protection.

Early morning fly-outs are special. If you have never experienced one, you won’t want to miss this. It is so peaceful at the Woodbridge Ecological Reserve as the night gives way to scarlet colors in the east. Best of all, Dr. Gary Ivey will be there to share his knowledge about Sandhill Cranes and answer your questions.

Bring your binoculars and enjoy a leisurely walk on flat ground through the old growth riparian habitat at Lodi Lake Nature Trail with a local birding expert.

Take a light morning hike along the lower Mokelumne River as it spills from Camanche Dam. Birding experts Liz West and Joanne Katanic will share their knowledge about the local landscape and help you scout 35+ species including bluebirds, night herons, several woodpecker species, mergansers, Osprey and other raptors.

If you are wanting to explore the Delta by boat, this is the tour for you. Cruise leisurely along the waterways of the California Delta through prime waterfowl licensed boat operator and a birder/naturalist.

Enjoy your drive through the Sierra foothills to Pardee Reservoir, where you will board a boat with East Bay Municipal Utility District naturalists and biologists. You will have a chance to see early season Golden and Bald Eagles, hawks and many local species.

Join us for a two and a half mile walk along the Mokelumne River levee on Staten Island to see how agriculture and migrating birds can live in harmony.  Staten Island biologists will highlight agricultural practices that enhance wildlife habitat. From the vantage point of the levee, which is not open to the public, you will see a wide variety of migrating birds in diverse settings. There will be opportunities to see cranes in areas where they feed.

Join Mary DuBose for an interpretive walk around this incredible preserve. You will likely see a diverse selection of ducks, geese, shore birds, raptors, and woodland birds. Sandhill Cranes are also commonly found along the edges of the marsh lands. This region was inhabited by the Miwok tribe prior to the arrival of European settlers and Mary will also share information about their culture.

This tour incorporates birding along the Mokelumne River, strolling through lush vineyards, handcrafted wines, and a picnic. Who could ask for more? Take this opportunity to visit one of the area’s fine wineries and learn about local species from local birding expert David Yee. Relax on the Heritage Oak Winery patio after an enjoyable walk.

This is your chance to see one of the most unique wetlands habitat in the Delta. You definitely will want to see the “Black Hole.” Trevor Carlson will meet you at the clubhouse for an introductory discussion before loading a small bus for a tour of the grounds. You will see areas of habitat restoration that have been specifically designed for Wood Ducks and Mallards.

This paid workshop and field trip is focused on Nature Journaling. With guidance from John Muir Laws and his Wild Wonder Foundation, explore new ways of looking at nature while recording your observations in words and images. Following the workshop, apply the techniques of nature journaling in an exploration of the Lodi Lake Nature Area, a unique riparian resource on the Mokelumne River in the heart of Lodi.

Learn origami crane folding from our volunteer “experts”.  This activity is FREE … and everyone is welcomed to give it a try.  Stop by to learn more about the cultural significance of origami cranes and the history of this unique Japanese art form. 

Stop by for hands on exploration that gives people of all ages the opportunity to expand their knowledge … and have fun doing it. Jay Bell, former Lodi USD Science Specialist, shares his collection of artifacts and equipment to offer a closer look, and a better understanding, of cranes and their adaptations.

The Festival Exhibit Hall is open to all Festival attendees, free of charge, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday, November 4th and 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Sunday, November 5th. The Hall houses commercial vendors, public agencies, non-profit agencies, education organizations and activities that focus on Sandhill Cranes, and the diverse wildlife and their habitats found in the Lodi area.

Sandhill Cranes migrate through a number of states as they fly to and from their summer nesting sites in Alaska and Canada to warmer states and Mexico for the winter months. No place gets more Sandhill Cranes than the Platte River outside of Kearney, Nebraska, where over 500,000 Sandhill Cranes and several hundred Whooping Cranes spend up to 6 weeks.

If you have never had the opportunity to visit with Dr. Gary Ivey about Sandhill Cranes, you won’t want to miss this tour. Join Gary on a bus ride around the delta to see cranes feeding in the fields.and watch them during the evening fly-in.

Gabe Kerschner with Wild Things! returns with some of their special animals for this fun and educational program.  In past years he has shared a mountain lion, brown bear, raccoon, Golden Eagle, Barn Owl, rattlesnake, and other rescued animals that could not be returned to the wild. This presentation repeats on Sunday at 1:40 PM.

If you are wanting to explore the Delta by boat, this is the tour for you. Cruise leisurely along the waterways of the California Delta through prime waterfowl licensed boat operator and a birder/naturalist.

Get inspired and join artists from the Lodi Community Art Center to create your own mini painting on paper or canvas to take home.  Supplies and encouragement provided, open to all ages. Also on Saturday from noon to 3 PM.

Welcome back Denis and James Kurata, who will perform this ancient form of Japanese music that has been a Festival highlight for 24 years.

John Muir “Jack” Laws, a leader and innovator in the worldwide nature journaling movement, will set the tone for the 2024 Festival.  Jack has dedicated his work to connecting people to nature.  As founder and president of the Wild Wonder Foundation, he encourages nature connection and conservation through attention, curiosity, art, science, and community. 

Gabe Kerschner with Wild Things! returns with some of their special animals for this fun and educational program.  In past years he has shared a mountain lion, brown bear, raccoon, Golden Eagle, Barn Owl, rattlesnake, and other rescued animals that could not be returned to the wild. This presentation is also on Sunday at 10:30 AM.