Lodi

A tranquil Lodi Lake and the meandering Mokelumne River provide the rare opportunity for Crane Festival participants to enjoy a leisurely sunset patio boat ride. Join a local naturalist as you glide along viewing the lake's verdant scenery, resident birds, and wildlife.

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.

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.

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.

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.

If you have never experienced an early morning fly-out, you won’t want to miss this. Sandhill Cranes begin their day as the sun starts to rise and you’ll want to be there to see it. Best of all, Dr. Gary Ivey will be there to share his knowledge 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.

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.

Join Lodi Boathouse staff for an enjoyable paddle along the Mokelumne River. The tour will be guided by an experienced boathouse staff member. This is a great way to enjoy a day on the water while you learn about the flora and fauna found along the Mokelumne River.

This paid workshop and field trip is focused on Nature drawing. 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 drawing in an exploration of the Cosumnes River Preserve .

Join master carvers from the Pacific Flyway Decoy Association to learn how to carve a bird from wood. All the necessary materials, including a study guide and carving knives, will be provided.

With instant information as to where birds are precisely being found, identification apps for your phone that can immediately identify birds either by sound recordings or downloaded photos, and the ability to communicate with friends and other birders so easily, it's an easy statement to make.  But is the quality of birding truly better than in years past?  Are bird sightings as significant now as in the recent past?  David has been an active birder for over 50 years.  He will address this, using San Joaquin County and the neighboring areas from the coast to the mountains as points of reference.

Congruence, With Sandhill Cranes of the Pacific Flyway, by Robert Steelquist, presents the three major populations of Sandhill Cranes of the West Coast with both the intimacy of observation and the expansiveness of geographic scope of their wintering, migrating and breeding ranges.

Dr. Gary Ivey has studied cranes for over 30 years. He will speak about the Sandhill Crane populations that breed and winter in California and the broader Pacific Flyway. He will discuss the behavior, range and biology of the three subspecies that use the flyway and also their conservation needs.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

Join Native Bird Connections for an intimate look at the behaviors, life experiences, and personal stories of several birds of prey. See hawks and owls up close and learn their unique stories. This presentation is also at 10 AM on Saturday.

Join Native Bird Connections for an intimate look at the behaviors, life experiences, and personal stories of several birds of prey. See hawks and owls up close and learn their unique stories. This presentation repeats on Saturday at 1:40 PM.

Paul Tebbel, representing ICF, presents an overview of cranes worldwide, with an emphasis on those found in North America. He has spent over 45 years watching, researching, and learning about cranes.

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. 

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

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.

In this introduction to Sandhill Cranes, learn about their life history, behavior, migration routes, and the importance of the California Delta to cranes along the Pacific Flyway. Learn more about the California version of a great migration and the habitats that support this awesome, and very reliable, natural phenomenon.

The endangered California Condor population, once near the brink of extinction, has been recovering with the help of innovative management techniques and dedicated work by staff biologists and volunteers. The road to recovery has had many twists and turns for the biologists monitoring these critically endangered birds. Join Erin Lehnert for a glimpse into the life of a condor biologist.