Coming up this week, a couple of special events are planned through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, while weekend activities are ongoing and open to all those interested.
Wednesday, Sept. 21, join in the Delta Conservation Framework Outreach Workshop. CDFW is inviting other agencies and stakeholders for the second workshop in a consecutive series of four, to help develop a 25-year Delta Conservation Framework for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, Yolo Bypass and Suisun Marsh by 2017. The workshops are hosted by the Delta Restoration Network and additional workshops are planned in October and November to provide participants an opportunity to inform concepts and work products as they are developed for inclusion in the Delta Conservation Framework document. For more information, visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/watersheds/dcf#41062401-participate or contact Chad Dibble at chad.dibble@wildlife.ca.gov.
Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 24 and 25 are Youth Waterfowl Hunt Days for the Northeastern Waterfowl Zone. To participate in these youth waterfowl hunts federal regulations require that hunters must be 17 years of age or younger at the time of the hunts and must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult 18 years of age or older. Hunters who possess a California junior hunting license are not required to purchase a California Duck Validation, however a federal duck stamp is still required for any waterfowl hunter who is 16 years of age or older. The Youth Waterfowl Hunt Days are applicable to all lands, including private lands, state wildlife areas and federal national wildlife refuges. For more information, contact the area you wish to hunt or Melanie Weaver at melanie.weaver@wildlife.ca.gov.
Various Days – Guided Wetland Tours, By Reservation, at Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, 3207 Rutherford Road, Gridley (95948). A wildlife naturalist will lead any group, school or organization on a half-mile route through the diverse wetlands of the Gray Lodge Wildlife Area. General information includes wildlife identification, behavior patterns and conservation efforts. The experience can be customized to include requested information. The minimum group size is 18 people. For more information, please call (530) 846-7505 or email lori.dieter@wildlife.ca.gov.
Other activities offered include:
The Yolo Basin Foundation’s Bat Talk and Walk events run from through mid-September and begin at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area Headquarters, 45211 County Road 32B (Chiles Road), Davis (95617). The cost is $12 for adults each, and youths 15 and under are free. For more information and to register, visit http://yolobasin.org/battalkandwalks2016/.
Elkhorn Slough Ecological Reserve has volunteer-led walks every Saturday and Sunday, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Binoculars and bird books are available for the public to borrow at no cost. The visitor center and main overlook are fully accessible. The day use fee is $4.12 per person, ages 16 and older. Groups of five or more need to notify staff that they are coming and groups of 10 or more can request a separate tour. For more information, visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/lands/places-to-visit/elkhorn-slough-er.
