Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival May 5-8

Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival

2011 Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival

Sections

Wednesday Events
Thursday Events
Friday Events
Saturday Events
Sunday Events

2011 Event descriptions

Field events, workshops and presentations are free of charge and sponsored by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service unless stated otherwise. Limited entry events are filled on a first come, first served basis.

HANDICAPPED SPECIFIC TOURS are especially geared toward elderly and movement-impaired Festival participants. All workshop and presentations offered during the Shorebird Festival, as well as a number of the boat tours, are handicapped accessible. The Birding from the Bus Tour is specifically for physically challenged individuals only.

A current bird sightings list will be posted at the Island & Ocean Visitor Center.

All boat tours leave on time. Please be at the slip, ramp or meeting location no later than 15 minutes before your departure time. Refunds will NOT be issued if you are late for the boat.

Event Key


Field Events	Workshops &Presentations	Boat Tours

Entertainment	Family Friendly	Jr. Birder Badge

Handicapped-Specific Event

Wednesday, May 4-High tide 4:26 pm 17.4 ft

Junior Birder Discovery Lab 3pm-5pm. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Kids ages 5 to 10 will have the opportunity to earn a Junior Birder Badge during this year's festival. Join us for this hands-on, family-friendly Birder Discovery Lab that will kick off family Festival activities and is one of the required activities for the Badge. There is another Junior Birder Discovery Lab on Saturday, May 7th 11am-1pm A Jr. Birder Badge activity. Sponsored by Kachemak Bay Research Reserve, Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies.

Thursday, May 5-High Tide 4:54 Pm 17.1 FT

FESTIVAL REGISTRATION 8am-7pm Homer Chamber of Commerce

Cranes and Croissants CLOSED 7am-10am. Seaside Farm.
View the large flocks of migrating Sandhill Cranes that feed and rest on the Seaside Farm hayfields each spring. Birder Mossy Kilcher will share her knowledge of cranes, as well as other local birds’ songs, calls and habits, during a bird identification walk. Coffee and continental breakfast included. Please note that participants are required to park and walk 1/8 mile down a gravel road to access the Farm, and as such this event is not handicapped, physically-challenged or stroller accessible. Limit 25. $20pp, $15 kids 12 & under. Sponsored by Seaside Farm.

Cold Duck Time 8:30am-11am. Harbor top of Ramp 2, Mako's Water Taxi.
As the shorebirds arrive in Kachemak Bay, sea ducks prepare to head north to their happy nesting grounds. Hop aboard for a tour of Kachemak Bay’s southern shore in search of the Mergini tribe. Goldeneye, Harlequin and Long-tailed Ducks are just a few of the fine feathered friends that inhabit our bays and coves. Dress warmly. Enclosed boat with open back access; no facilities. Limit 6. $60pp. Sponsored by Mako’s Water Taxi.

Kachemak Bay Birding & Wildlife Natural History Tour 8:30am-3pm. Harbor Ramp 6,
slip EE-19, M/V Lady Hawke
Kachemak Bay at its best! This full-day birding and wildlife tour will take you to the waters off the Homer Spit, to Yukon Island, Sadie Cove and Eldridge Passage area, Gull Island and Halibut Cove area, including the community of Halibut Cove. Watch for several species of marine mammals, waterbirds and seabirds, as well as mountain goats, and learn about the fascinating geology and natural history of Kachemak Bay. Enclosed boat with open back access; has facilities. Limit 6. $150pp, $130 kids 12 & under. Sponsored by Seaman's Adventures.

Seabird Sidetrip 9am-noon. Harbor bottom of Ramp 3, to the right, M/V Torega.
Join local bird expert Karl Stoltzfus as he shares his favorite birding places during a 3-hour cruise of Kachemak Bay. Enjoy looking for Kittlitz’s & Marbled Murrelets, eiders, loons, Red-faced Cormorants, some shorebirds, and many other species, with excellent close-up viewing opportunities for all passengers. Enclosed boat with open back access; no facilities. Limit 12. $65pp. Sponsored by Bay Excursions.

Kayaking with Birds & Wildlife Sold Out 10am-2pm. Harbor Ramp 2, True North office.
Check in 15 minutes prior to departure time at the True North office behind Mako’s Water Taxi. You will enjoy a scenic water taxi ride to Yukon Island where you will depart and paddle around the Island, watching for sea ducks, shorebirds, eagles and sea otters. You will explore intricate coastlines with craggy rock arches and spectacular birds and wildlife, while learning the lore of the island. Wear warm, layered clothes and raingear. Bring water and lunch. Light snacks and hot drinks provided. All experience levels welcome. Enclosed boat with open back access; no facilities. Limit 6. $90pp, $75 kids 11 & under. Sponsored by True North Kayak Adventures.

Culinary Adventure at Tutka Bay 10am-3pm. Harbor top of Ramp 2, Mako's Water Taxi.
Join award-winning chef and cookbook author Kirsten Dixon for a cooking class, featuring the locally inspired cuisine of Tutka Bay Lodge. This adventure takes participants across Kachemak Bay to Tutka Bay, where Chef Dixon will teach you lodge culinary secrets, share recipes and offer a hands-on cooking class, feasting on your creations afterwards. While at the lodge, you will have the opportunity to spot birds from the deck, tour the new Cooking School at Tutka Bay, housed on the famous Widgeon II crabbing boat, and join the lodge naturalist for a walk along an old growth forest trail. Meet at Mako's Water Taxi no later than 9:45am for a 10am departure. You will depart the lodge at 2:30pm for a 3pm return to the Homer harbor. Please notify Chef Dixon of any dietary restrictions or allergies prior to the class by calling her at 907-235-3905. Enclosed boat; no facilities. Limit 12. $150pp. 12 & older with a participating adult. Sponsored by Tutka Bay Lodge.

Birding through Art 10am-4:30pm. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
If birding brings out the inner artist in you, this six hour potpourri of hands-on art exploration will be just the thing. Learn techniques from four different artists, spending one and one half hours with each, dabbling in painting, carving, drawing, etching and/or photography, and you will go home with your own bird-inspired pieces. Eight Homer artists will share their skills, including Marian Beck, Catie Bursch, Marybee Kaufman, Conrad Field, Bill Kitzmiller, Mossy Kilcher, Taz Tally and Toby Tyler. The workshop will be divided into two groups running simultaneously with four artists per group. Marterials are provided, except for digital cameras for the photography class. Light lunch provided. Limit 24. $80pp 18 & older (14 & older with participating adult). Pre-register through the Festival registration. Day of registration available if not sold out, on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact Marie at 907-235-5263 for more information. Proceeds benefit Kachemak Heritage Land Trust. Sponsored by OASIS Environmental, Inc.

Wildscaping: Sharing our Space with Wildlife noon-1pm. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Wherever you live, wildlife will visit if you can safely support what they need. Carla Stanley shares ways that we can support our local wildlife, from bird feeders to acres of land. Bring your lunch to this brown bag session.

Bird Songs of the Kenai Peninsula 1pm-2pm. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Bird songs add new dimensions to nature experiences by enabling us to “see” and learn about individual birds through their songs. Local birder Mossy Kilcher will present the songs of our local songbirds with photos, bird song recordings, and bird stories.

Birding Bhutan 2pm-3pm. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
The small Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan is a birder's paradise. Its unspoiled forests, lowlands, and arctic-like tundra support over 600 bird species, including the rate and exotic. Local birder Betty Siegel will share images and stores of some of the special birds, mammals, flora, scenic wonders, and cultural gems she experienced during her trip. Sponsored by Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges.

Kayaking with Birds & Wildlife 2pm-6pm. Harbor Ramp 2, True North office.
Check in 15 minutes prior to departure time at the True North office behind Mako’s Water Taxi. You will enjoy a scenic water taxi ride to Yukon Island where you will depart and paddle around the Island, watching for sea ducks, shorebirds, eagles and sea otters. You will explore intricate coastlines with craggy rock arches and spectacular birds and wildlife, while learning the lore of the island. Wear warm, layered clothes and raingear. Bring water and lunch. Light snacks and hot drinks provided. All experience levels welcome. Enclosed boat with open back access; no facilities. Limit 6. $90pp, $75 kids 11 & under. Sponsored by True North Kayak Adventures.

Birding from the Bus Sold Out 2:30pm-4pm. Meet at the Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
This tour is for limited mobility participants only. Join local bird expert and historian Daisy Lee Bitter on this guided tour bus tour of several bird watching spots by the roadside. Daisy Lee will share the natural history of Homer and point out historic markers along the way. A limited number of binoculars will be available. Limit 10 seats, 2 wheelchairs. No fee, but registration required. Sponsored by the Homer Senior Center, Friendship Terrace.

Alaska's Amazing Seabirds 3pm-4pm. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Homer naturalist and birder Carmen Field will bring to life the world of Alaska's seabirds. From pelagic storm-petrels and the ever-present gulls, to animated puffins and their relatives.

The American Dipper: A Story of an Alaskan Fishing Family 4pm-5pm. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center. Join Local Birder Mossy Kilcher for this entertaining and enlightening film on the American Dipper. Filmed by Mossy on the Kenai Peninsula over the past three or four years, this movie shows the lifecycle of this amazing bird. You will see the Dippers building nests, gathering food, feeding their young, teaching the fledglings to fly and more.

Shorebird Viewing Stations 4pm-5:30pm. Mud Bay and Lighthouse Village.
Meet at the base of the Homer Spit, where guides in green vests will help you locate and identify shorebirds feeding in the mudflats. Spotting scopes, binoculars and guidebooks will be available for use. Please park only in designated areas.

"Babes in the Woods" Shorebird Reception 5pm-7pm. NOTE CHANGE OF LOCATION Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Enjoy this free Shorebird Festival kick-off reception which will feature a presentation by Jennifer Aist, Anchorage author of Babes in the Woods, Hiking, Camping and Backpacking with Babies and Young Children. Clam chowder and other refreshments will be provided. Sponsored by the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies.

Beginners’ Bird Walk Beluga Lake Sold Out 6pm-7:30pm. Airport Viewing Platform.
Kachemak Bay Birders' volunteers will help birders search for migratory songbirds, waterfowl and other birds by sight and by sound. Binoculars and rubber boots recommended. Scopes and binoculars will be available. Limit 25. No fee, but registration required. Sponsored by Kachemak Bay Birders.

On the Wing - A Concert Celebrating Birds and Spring with Poetry and Song 8pm-10pm. Homer Theatre
This 8th Annual concert, featuring life-long Homer musician Sunrise Kilcher-Sjoberg and friends, will showcase readings of original poetry by contributing poets, along with a variety of culturally diverse music, other performance art pieces, and slides. Poets are invited to present their original bird-related work during the concert. If interested in being a part of this unique event, please contact Sunrise at 907-235-7326 by April 22. $10pp. Theater concessions will be available for purchase. Proceeds benefit the Shorebird Education and Conservation Fund. Supported by the Homer Theatre.

Mr. Whitekeys & Company 9pm-10:30pm. Alice's Champagne Palace.
Mr. Whitekeys brings The 4th Annual Shorebird Follies to the 2011 Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival, and this year's show will be bigger and better than ever. We say this every year, but this year it is really, really true. Really. Featuring cheesy songs, tacky costumes, a whiz-bank digital multi-media show, and oodles of shorebird fun. Joining Mr. Whitekeys on stage will be the always-fabulous chanteuse Miss Crissy Ditmore. According to Mr. Whitekeys, she's the ultimate shorebird entertainer: "She sings like a nightingale, she eats like a bird, and she has been known to lay an egg or two." Crissy has preformed at Disney World, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, and once saw a Fork-tailed Storm Petrel on the way to Valdez. Mr. Whitekeys has performed extensively throughout Alaska and does not look as good as Crissy does in a bikini, though he has been known to try his best. We promise you will not see him in (or out of) a bikini during this performance. Tickets available via the Festival registration form and at the Homer Chamber of Commerce. 21 & older only. $25pp. Sponsored by World Wildlife Fund & Alice's Champagne Palace.

Friday May 6-High Tide 5:34 Pm - 16.5 Ft

FESTIVAL REGISTRATION 8am-7pm Homer Chamber of Commerce

Cranes and Croissants Sold Out 7am-10am. Seaside Farm.
View the large flocks of migrating Sandhill Cranes that feed and rest on the Seaside Farm hayfields each spring. Birder Mossy Kilcher will share her knowledge of cranes, as well as other local birds’ songs, calls and habits, during a bird identification walk. Coffee and continental breakfast included. Please note that participants are required to park and walk 1/8 mile down a gravel road to access the Farm, and as such this event is not handicapped, physically-challenged or stroller accessible. Limit 25. $20pp, $15 kids 12 & under. Sponsored by Seaside Farm.

Overlook Park Hike Sold Out 7am-3pm. Meet at the Islands & Ocean Visitor Center for transportation to the trailhead.
Spend the day enjoying this guided, strenuous, 6.5 mile hike along the north shore of Kachemak Bay to visit Overlook Park, an undisturbed pocket of native coastal habitat, and a remote unit of the Alaska State Park system. View shorebirds, sea ducks, marine mammals, ravens and eagles along the shore and bluff, as well as early songbird migrants and waterfowl around the ponds in the Park. This all-day hike is considered strenuous due to length, steep and uneven terrain, creek crossings and unimproved trail. Bring binoculars, lunch, water, raingear and sturdy, waterproof knee boots. Proceeds benefit the management of Overlook Park. Limit 12. $10pp. Sponsored by the Kachemak Bay Conservation Society.

Barren Island Birding 7am-5pm. Harbor Ramp 2, Slip E-2, M/V Jackpot.
Visit the Barron Island Bird Rookery on Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. This is a great birding opportunity to view pelagic seabirds, whales and more during this over-100 mile round trip with a naturalist on board. Dress warmly with rain gear and bring binoculars, bird books and cameras. Lunch included. Enclosed boat with open back access; has facilities. Limit 20. $149pp. Sponsored by Rainbow Tours.

Beginning Birding Beluga Slough, Bishops Beach Sold Out 8:30am-10am. Meet at the Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
This guided walk will follow the Beluga Slough trail and roads to Bishop's Beach. View migrating shorebirds and waterfowl with Marianne Aplin and Steve Delehanty. Fine tune your bird ID skills while learning about shorebird food resources and shorebird habitat conservation efforts around Kachemak Bay. Binoculars and rubber boots recommended. Some scopes and binoculars will be available. Limit 20. $3pp. Sponsored by Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.

Cold Duck Time Sold Out 8:30am-11am. Harbor top of Ramp 2, Mako's Water Taxi.
As the shorebirds arrive in Kachemak Bay, sea ducks prepare to head north to their happy nesting grounds. Hop aboard for a tour of Kachemak Bay’s southern shore in search of the Mergini tribe. Goldeneye, Harlequin and Long-tailed Ducks are just a few of the fine feathered friends that inhabit our bays and coves. Dress warmly. Enclosed boat with open back access; no facilities. Limit 6. $60pp. Sponsored by Mako’s Water Taxi.

Kachemak Bay Birding & Wildlife Natural History Tour Sold Out 8:30am-3pm.
Harbor Ramp 6, slip EE-19, M/V Lady Hawke
Kachemak Bay at its best! This full-day birding and wildlife tour will take you to the waters off the Homer Spit, to Yukon Island, Sadie Cove and Eldridge Passage area, Gull Island and Halibut Cove area, including the community of Halibut Cove. Watch for several species of marine mammals, waterbirds and seabirds, as well as mountain goats, and learn about the fascinating geology and natural history of Kachemak Bay. Enclosed boat with open back access; has facilities. Limit 6. $150pp, $130 kids 12 & under. Sponsored by Seaman's Adventures.

Optics 101 9am-10am. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Sorting through the myriad of choices available to today’s birders or naturalist can be overwhelming. An avid birder and sales representative for Eagle Optics, Tom Kuenzli will talk about the options and considerations to make when looking for the binoculars or spotting scope that will best suit your needs and your budget. With years of product knowledge to his credit, Tom will present a clear understanding of today’s optics options. Sponsored by Eagle Optics.

Seabird Sidetrip Sold Out 9am-noon. Harbor bottom of Ramp 3, to the right, M/V Torega.
Join local bird expert Karl Stoltzfus as he shares his favorite birding places during a 3-hour cruise of Kachemak Bay. Enjoy looking for Kittlitz’s & Marbled Murrelets, eiders, loons, Red-faced Cormorants, some shorebirds, and many other species, with excellent close-up viewing opportunities for all passengers. Enclosed boat with open back access; no facilities. Limit 12. $65pp. Sponsored by Bay Excursions.

Hope is the Thing with Feathers: a Writer's Workshop 9:30am-10:30am. Kachemak Bay Campus, Kenai Peninsula College.
For dabblers and wise old owls, this writer's workshop uses birds to help our writing warble and soar. Participants will write and discuss challenges in writing, regardless of genre, and will leave with prompts ad tools to help future work take wing. Miranda Weiss is the author of Tide, Feather, Snow: A Life in Alaska (HarperCollins 2009) which was a Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association bestseller in hardcover and paperback. Participants should be high school juniors and up and bring pen and paper. Limit 20. $3pp. Sponsored by UAA's Kachemak Bay Campus, Kenai Peninsula College.

Birding the Southern Ocean 10am-11am. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Conrad Field will share birding experiences over his past 21 summer seasons in Antarctica. Penguins, albatrosses, and other southern seabirds will be brought to life with Conrad's outstanding photographs and stories.

On the Bay Bird Viewing and Environmental Education Sold Out 10am-noon. Meet at the Homer Halibut Derby Shack on the Spit.
Tour Kachemak Bay with local nonprofit organization Cook Inletkeeper. You will view shorebirds and marine life while learning about pollution and other environmental issues. Open skiff, dress for weather. Limit 4. Suggested donation $20pp. Proceeds benefit Cook Inletkeeper. Sponsored by Cook Inletkeeper.

Kayaking with Birds & Wildlife 10am-2pm. Harbor Ramp 2, True North office.
Check in 15 minutes prior to departure time at the True North office behind Mako’s Water Taxi. You will enjoy a scenic water taxi ride to Yukon Island where you will depart and paddle around the Island, watching for sea ducks, shorebirds, eagles and sea otters. You will explore intricate coastlines with craggy rock arches and spectacular birds and wildlife, while learning the lore of the island. Wear warm, layered clothes and raingear. Bring water and lunch. Light snacks and hot drinks provided. All experience levels welcome. Enclosed boat with open back access; no facilities. Limit 6. $90pp, $75 kids 11 & under. Sponsored by True North Kayak Adventures.

Culinary Adventure at Tutka Bay Sold Out 10am-3pm. Harbor top of Ramp 2, Mako's Water Taxi.
Join award-winning chef and cookbook author Kirsten Dixon for a cooking class, featuring the locally inspired cuisine of Tutka Bay Lodge. This adventure takes participants across Kachemak Bay to Tutka Bay where Chef Dixon will teach you lodge culinary secrets, share recipes and offer a hands-on cooking class, feasting on your creations afterwards. While at the lodge, you will have the opportunity to spot birds from the deck, tour the new Cooking School at Tutka Bay, housed on the famous Widgeon II crabbing boat, and join the lodge naturalist for a walk along an old growth forest trail. Meet at Mako's Water Taxi no later than 9:45 am for a 10am departure. You will depart the lodge at 2:30 pm for a 3pm return to the Homer harbor. Please notify Chef Dixon of any dietary restrictions or allergies prior to the class by calling her at 907-235-3905. Enclosed boat; no facilities. Limit 12. $150pp. 12 & older with a participating adult. Sponsored by Tutka Bay Lodge.

Beginner's Bird Walk Beluga Lake Sold Out 10:30am-Noon. Airport Viewing Platform.
Nils Warnock and Matt Kirchoff with Audubon Alaska will help birders search for migratory songbirds, waterfowl and other birds by sight and by sound. Binoculars and rubber boots recommended. Scopes and binoculars will be available. Limit 25. No fee, but registration required. Sponsored by Audubon Alaska.

eBird: Where Birding Meets Science 11am-noon. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
You have probably been hearing a lot about eBird (www.ebird.org) lately, the website and online birding tool that is changing the face of modern birding. eBird is an internet-based checklist program built for birders by birders, whose goal is to harness the power of both birding and science. It allows you to keep track of your bird records online and share them with the birding community, while making them available for science and conservation efforts. eBird allows birders to post sightings, keep life lists, and manage their personal records. This workshop will teach you what eBird is and why it is important that you contribute, show you what it can do for you as a birder, and teach you how to get started. Join eBird Project Leader Brian Sullivan for a look at this remarkable tool, and get empowered to make your observations count!

Dalton Highway Raptors noon-1pm. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
The Dalton Highway Corridor, located between the Yukon River and Toolik Lake, is primarily managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The Dalton Highway, one of only two roads in North America that accessed the Arctic Ocean and the only road in Alaska that passes through the Brooks Range, bisects the Corridor. Wildlife biologists Tim and Erica Craig have conducted inventories of raptors in the Corridor for over 10 years. To date they have found 14 species that use the area during the breeding season and an additional 3 species that pass through on their way to nest elsewhere. The landscape surrounding the Dalton Highway Corridor is de facto wilderness and a great place for travelers to experience wild nature at its finest. The Craigs will provide information on the life history of the raptors that use the Dalton Highway Corridor, and interesting anecdotes about working in that spectacular environment. Bring your lunch to this brown bag session.

Creatures of the Dock Sold Out 1pm-2pm, Harbor Ramp 2, meet at CACS Yurt.
Join Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies trained naturalists for a visit to the fascinating animal community below and attached to the docks in the Homer Boat Harbor. Limit 20. $10pp, $5 kids 10 & under, toddlers free. Sponsored by the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies.

Alaska's Important Bird Areas 1pm-2pm. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
The Homer Spit and Kachemak Bar are key places for birds on a global level. The Audubon Society's Important Bird Areas identify places across Alaska that birds need for migration stopovers, wintering, and nesting. Beth Peluso with Audubon Alaska will share more about what makes these places, like Homer, so unique. Sponsored by Audubon Alaska.

Gull Island Getaway 1:30pm-3pm. Harbor Ramp 1, Slip C23, M/V Northern Star.
Join the crew of the Northern Star for a cruise across Kachemak Bay to Gull Island to view thousands of nesting seabirds. There will be great photo opportunities and you will learn about the Homer harbor and habits of the seabirds that visit Gull Island each summer. Large, enclosed boat with facilities. Limit 24. $30pp, $15 kids 12 & under. Sponsored by Homer Ocean Charters.

Snow Birds - The Sandia Rosy Finch Project 2pm-3:15pm. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Michael Hilchey is this year's Tim Schantz Memorial Scholarship recipient. Michael will present on the long-term Rosy-Finch project being run at the Sandi Crest near Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he has been the
co-leader for the past 5 years. Michael and his good friend, Raymond Van Buskirk, continue this project in memory of their friend Ryan Beaulieu, who cofounded the project in 2003. The presentation will include an overview of the ID of this difficult-to-study group of birds, a look at the bird's range and ecology, an overview of the research being conducted at Sandia Crest and the conservation status of this high altitude species. This project was recently featured in Audubon magazine. Sponsored by the Time Schantz Memorial Scholarship.

Homer Hot Spots Tour Sold Out 2pm-5pm. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Hop on the bus with local birders Rich Kleinleder and Dale Chorman to find the hottest spots for all kinds of birds in Homer's wetlands and forests. You’ll have the opportunity to get off the bus and do short walks, so bring your binoculars. Rubber boots are recommended. A limited number of scopes will be available. Limit 21. $20pp.

Family Bird Walk 3:30pm-4:30pm. Mariner's Park.
Bring your kids to Mariner's Park to enjoy a Family Bird Walk with Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge education staff. Lisa Matlock and Ingrid Harrald will guide you from Mariner's Park to Lighthouse Village to enjoy the spectacle of migrating shorebirds. Participants will learn why the birds are in this area and everyone will have an opportunity to view the birds, through scopes and binoculars. Please wear good walking shoes or mud boots and dress warmly. A Junior Birder Badge activity.
Welcome Reception for Keynote Speaker Carl Safina 3:30pm-5:30pm. Pratt Museum.
A great opportunity to meet this year's Keynote Speaker Carl Safina. A variety of Carl's books will be available for purchase and to be autographed by him. Enjoy catered refreshments and browse the Pratt Museum's current special exhibits Bristol Bay Sculptures and Photographs by Homer artists Maygen Jannetta and Scott Dickerson. Reception sponsored by World Wildlife Fund, Chevron, Cook Inletkeeper, and the Pratt Museum.

Whoo-o-o's for Lunch? 4pm-5pm. NOTE CHANGE OF LOCATION Islands & Ocean Visitor Center
Explore owls from the inside out by dissecting owl pellets, conduct hands-on experiments about raptors and do crafts about birds of all shapes and sizes. Fun for all ages. A Jr. Birder Badge activity. Sponsored by the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies.

Tour Gull Island 4pm-5pm. Harbor Ramp 1, corner of A&C Float, M/V Danny J.
Enjoy a one hour boat ride aboard this classic wooden boat that will take you to Gull Island to view kittiwakes, murres, puffins and other seabirds. Open boat with some cabin seating inside; no facilities. Limit 34. $10pp, $5 kids 12 & under. Sponsored by Kachemak Bay Ferry.

Shorebird Viewing Stations 5pm-6:30pm. Mud Bay and Lighthouse Village.
Meet at the base of the Spit, where guides in green vests will help you locate and identify shorebirds feeding in the mudflats. Spotting scopes, binoculars and guidebooks will be available for use. Rubber boots recommended. Please park only in designated areas.

Intermediate/Advanced Guided Shorebirding Walk Sold Out 5pm-6:30pm. Mud Bay Spit
Expert birder George Matz leads this walk, geared for the intermediate to advanced birders, out on the small sandy spit that stretches into Mud Bay. Wataerproof boots recommended. Park and meet at the parking lot on Kachemak Drive. Limit 20. $3pp Sponsored by Kachemak Bay Birders.

Shorebirds Sing at the Salty Dawg Saloon 7pm-8pm. Salty Dawg Saloon.
Tune up your vocal cords with your favorite bird call or make up your own and come out to the Salty Dawg Saloon for the 5th Annual "what the heck kind of bird was that?" bird call competition. Categories for both serious and no-so-serious bird callers, with prizes for top competitors and all participants win. Registration starts at 6:30pm; competition begins at 7pm; awards and prizes given out at 8pm. Contact the Salty Dawg at 907-235-6718 with questions. Bar food available. Sponsored by the Salty Dawg Saloon.

Mr. Whitekeys & Company 9pm-10:30pm. Alice's Champagne Palace.
Mr. Whitekeys brings The 4th Annual Shorebird Follies to the 2011 Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival, and this year's show will be bigger and better than ever. We say this every year, but this year it is really, really true. Really. Featuring cheesy songs, tacky costumes, a whiz-bank digital multi-media show, and oodles of shorebird fun. Joining Mr. Whitekeys on stage will be the always-fabulous chanteuse Miss Crissy Ditmore. According to Mr. Whitekeys, she's the ultimate shorebird entertainer: "She sings like a nightingale, she eats like a bird, and she has been known to lay an egg or two." Crissy has preformed at Disney World, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, and once saw a Fork-tailed Storm Petrel on the way to Valdez. Mr. Whitekeys has performed extensively throughout Alaska and does not look as good as Crissy does in a bikini, though he has been known to try his best. We promise you will not see him in (or out of) a bikini during this performance. Tickets available via the Festival registration form and at the Homer Chamber of Commerce. 21 & older only. $25pp. Sponsored by World Wildlife Fund & Alice's Champagne Palace. .

Saturday, May 7-High Tide 6:18 Pm - 15.7 Ft

FESTIVAL REGISTRATION 8am-7pm Homer Chamber of Commerce

Intermediate/Advanced Forest Songbird Walk Sold Out 7:30am-9am. Baycrest Trailhead off
Rogers Loop Road.
Join expert birders George Matz and Audubon Alaska's Nils Warnock for this intermediate to advanced level guided bird walk through the upland habitats of the Baycrest ski trails, looking for songbirds and other forest dwellers. Hiking boots recommended. Limit 20. $3pp. Sponsored by Kachemak Bay Birders

Homer Hot Spots Tour Sold Out 8am-11am. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Hop on the bus with local birders Rich Kleinleder and Dale Chorman to find the hottest spots for all kinds of birds in Homer's wetlands and forests. You’ll have the opportunity to get off the bus and do short walks, so bring your binoculars. Waterproof boots are recommended. A limited number of scopes will be available. Limit 21. $20pp.

Landscape and Nature Photography 8am-11am. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Join Homer photographer, naturalist and author Taz Tally for a 3 hour photography class (1 hour classroom followed by 2 hours of shooting in the field). Open to ages 6 and up and all photographic abilities. Participants will lean how to shoot memorable landscape and nature photographs, covering composition, lighting, cropping, equipment and Taz's three keys to taking great outdoor photographs. Tax will provide any interested workshop attendees with the opportunity for a personalized image review/critique, post-Festival. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Bring a camera, extra, fully charged battery and an additional memory card. Optional equipment to bring: tripod, shutter release, polarizing filter. Bring water and snacks and dress in warm layers with wind and rain gear, as appropriate. Sturdy footwear for beach walking rrecommended. Limit 20. $40pp. Ages 6 & older with a participating Adult. A percentage of proceeds benefit the Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival.

Upper Kachemak Bay Wildlife Tour 8am-12:30pm Harbor Ramp 2, Slip E-1, M/V Rainbow Connection.
Join us aboard the 65 foot M/V Rainbow Connection for a trip to the rich shorebird feeding area in front of the Fox, Sheep and Bradley Rivers. We will explore the head of Kachemak Bay, with a visit to Bear Cove, Aurora Lagoon, Glacier Spit and a stop at the Gull Island bird rookery. Continental breakfast included. Enclosed boat with open back access; has facilities. Limit 80. $60pp, $35 kids 12 & under, infants free. Sponsored by Rainbow Tours.

Beginning Birding by Ear 8:30am-10am. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Mystified by people who can identify birds by sound? Audubon Alaska's Beth Peluso will help you explore some simple tricks to help you learn, and remember, which birds make which sounds. Dress to be indoor and outdoors. Bring a notebook and pencil.
Limit 25. $3pp. Sponsored by Audubon Alaska.

Kachemak Bay Birding & Wildlife Natural History Tour 8:30am-3pm.
Harbor Ramp 6, slip EE-19, M/V Lady Hawke
Kachemak Bay at its best! This full-day birding and wildlife tour will take you to the waters off the Homer Spit, to Yukon Island, Sadie Cove and Eldridge Passage area, Gull Island and Halibut Cove area, including the community of Halibut Cove. Watch for several species of marine mammals, waterbirds and seabirds, as well as mountain goats, and learn about the fascinating geology and natural history of Kachemak Bay. Enclosed boat with open back access; has facilities. Limit 6. $150pp, $130 kids 12 & under. Sponsored by Seaman's Adventures.

Family Forest Bird Walk Sold Out 9am-10am. Carl Wynn Nature Center.
Join Beth Trowbridge, Wynn Nature Center Director for the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies, for a guided walk through the boreal forest where you will listen and learn about our migrating songbirds. Binoculars available for loan. Limit 20. No fee, but registration required. A Jr. Birder Badge Activity. Sponsored by Carl Wynn Nature Center.

Shorebird Identification 9:30am-11am. High School Theater.
Anchorage Audubon Society’s Buzz Scher will help you learn which species of shorebirds are likely to be seen in the Kachemak Bay area during the Festival, and how to identify them. Buzz has led this class every year since the Festival began in 1993, so if you love shorebirds you won’t want to miss this workshop. Sponsored by Anchorage Audubon.

Gull Island Getaway 10am-11:30am. Harbor Ramp 1, Slip C23, M/V Northern Star.
Join the crew of the Northern Star for a cruise across Kachemak Bay to Gull Island to view thousands of nesting seabirds. There will be great photo opportunities and you will learn about the Homer harbor and habits of the seabirds that visit Gull Island each summer. Large, enclosed boat with facilities. Limit 24. $30pp, $15 kids 12 & under. Sponsored by Homer Ocean Charters.

On the Bay Bird Viewing and Environmental Education Sold Out 10am-noon. Meet at the Homer Halibut Derby Shack on the Spit.
Tour Kachemak Bay with local nonprofit organization Cook Inletkeeper. You will view shorebirds and marine life while learning about pollution and other environmental issues. Open skiff dress for weather. Limit 4. Suggested donation $20pp. Proceeds benefit Cook Inletkeeper. Sponsored by Cook Inletkeeper.

Arts, Crafts, Gifts & Education Fair 10am-5pm. High School Commons.
Stroll the aisles and enjoy a wide variety of arts, hand crafted goods, and other gift items, optical equipment educational exhibits and food vendors. The Fair is the gateway to birding workshops and presentations, including Shorebird Identification, Tracking the Wind Birds, Be a Better Birder Panel moderated by Mr. Whitekeys, the live bird presentations by Bird Treatment & Learning Center in Anchorage, kids' bird calling competition, family entertainment by Dan Pascucci, and the evening Keynote presentation. This Fair has a little something for everyone. Sponsored by Chevron.

Birding for Absolute Beginners 10:30am-11:30am. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Sure you can tell the difference between a chickadee and a chicken, but how about a chickadee from a redpoll? This lighthearted session with long-time Alaskan birder Andrea Swingley will introduce you to some basic techniques for identifying birds and provide you with tips for using basic bird watching tools like field guides, checklists and binoculars. Bring field guides and binoculars if you have them.

Family Field Drawing Sold Out 10:30am-11:30pm. NOTE CHANGE OF LOCATION Homer High School.
Local artist Aurora Firth hopes to encourage other young artists to fill their sketchbooks with what they see and to give them a basic knowledge and a confidence of the drawing techniques they will need. The focus will be, of course, birds. Participants are asked to bring a journal and pen or pencil. Limit 12. $3pp. A Jr. Birder Badge Activity.

Tracking the Wind Birds - Migration of Pacific Basin Shorebirds 11am-noon. High School Theater.
Nils Warnock is the Executive Director of Audubon Alaska. During this presentation, Nils will discuss the migration of Pacific Flyway shorebirds, with a focus on Alaska connections, using examples from radio and satellite tracking studies that he has done. Sponsored by Audubon Alaska.

Beginning Photography Sold Out 11am-12:30pm. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Keith Ramos is the Deputy Refuge Manager for the Koyukuk/Nowitna National Wildlife Refuge in Galena, Alaska. Join Keith for an exploration of the wonders of nature, while capturing its beauty with your digital point and shoot cameras. Beginning photographers will have an opportunity to learn various basic techniques that will help capture that desired moment, without worrying about heavy, expensive and advance photographic equipment. Bring your own point and shoot digital camera. Open to ages 12 to adult. Limit 16. No fee, but registration required. Sponsored by the Koyukuk/Nowitna National Wildlife Refuge.

Junior Birder Discovery Lab 11am-1pm. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Kids ages 5 to 10 will have the opportunity to earn a Junior Birder Badge during this year's festival. Join us for this hands-on, family -friendly Birder Discovery Lab that will kick off family Festival activities and is one of the required activities for the Badge. A Jr. Birder Badge activity. Sponsored by Kachemak Bay Research Reserve, Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies.

Conversation with a Craniac 11am-1pm. Cranehaven Studio, 58335 Cranewings Court,
4.5 miles East End Road.
Homer artist and crane enthusiast Mavis Muller will host an Open House at her Cranehaven Studio. View Sandhill Cranes as they fly by, land, feed and dance in the grassy field outside the studio. Mavis will share original poetry, stories and legends of “crane teachings”, as well as her exhibition of photography, basketry, DVDs and books. Limit 20. $15pp.

Live Bird Presentations 12:15pm-1:15pm. High School Choir Room.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to bring the entire family to get up close and personal to a trio of live birds! Wildlife rehabilitators from the Bird Treatment & Learning Center in Anchorage will introduce their wild birds and discuss their behaviors. This year's featured birds include a Snowy Owl, a Great Gray Owl and a Stellar's Jay. A Jr. Birder Badge Activity. $3pp. Sponsored by the Bird Treatment and Learning Center in Anchorage and Chevron.

Be a Better Birder Panel 12:30pm-2pm. High School Theater.
Join Mr. Whitekeys as panel moderator, and Birding Superstars Aaron Lang, Buzz Scher and Pat Pourchot for tips on how to be a better birder. Use your new knowledge to head out into the field and compete in The Big Spit Birding Challenge afterwards.

Field Casting for Birders and Naturalists with Festival Artist Lynn Naden
12:30am-4:30pm. 59665 Kittiwake Court, 3 miles out East End Road.
Join Join this year's featured Festival artist and learn the basics of casting natural textures. Participants will spend two hours in the field casting textures, then gather at Lynn's studio to cast in wax and plaster. Participants will leave with a plaster and wax cast of what they cast in the field. Lynn will also share from her 30 years of experience as a sculptor and mold maker, and answer specialized questions related to casting. Participants will need to bring a couple of old towels and a jug of water. Dress to be outdoors for part of the time. Ages 14 & older. Limit 12. $85pp

Family Beluga Slough Birding Walk Sold Out 1pm-2pm. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Bring the entire family out for this guided bird walk that will have you out on the edges of the woods and shrubs, the Beluga Slough mudflats and adjacent grasslands and Bishop's Beach. Join Refuge Ranger Poppy Benson for this informative, informal, kid-friendly fun walk that is one of the Jr. Birder Badge Activities. Bring field guides and binoculars if you have them. Some field guides and binoculars will be available for use during this workshop. Rubber boots recommended. Limit 30. No fee, but registration is required. A Jr. Birder Badge activity. Sponsored by Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.

Creatures of the Dock 1pm-2pm, Harbor Ramp 2, meet at CACS Yurt.
Join Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies trained naturalists for a visit to the fascinating animal community below and attached to the docks in the Homer Boat Harbor. Limit 20. $10pp, $5 kids 10 & under, toddlers free. Sponsored by the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies.

Eiders & Otters 1pm–5pm, Homer Ramp 2 Slip E-1, M/V Rainbow Connection.
Common, Stellers and King Eiders winter off the high bluffs of Homer. The elusive King Eider is our target, along with several other seabird species and lots of otters. Come help us find the King! Enclosed boat with open back access; has facilities. Limit 80. $50pp, $25 kids 12 & under. Sponsored by Rainbow Tours.

Live Bird Presentations 1:30pm-2:30pm. High School Choir Room.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to bring the entire family to get up close and personal to a trio of live birds! Wildlife rehabilitators from the Bird Treatment & Learning Center in Anchorage will introduce their wild birds and discuss their behaviors. This year's featured birds include a Snowy Owl, a Great Gray Owl and a Stellar's Jay. A Jr. Birder Badge Activity. $3pp. Sponsored by the Bird Treatment and Learning Center in Anchorage and Chevron.

Family Birding Station 1:30pm-3pm. Lighthouse Village.
Dress warmly and bring the whole family outdoors to view hungry shorebirds, colorful waterfowl, and graceful Sandhill Cranes. Refuge education specialists Lisa Matlock and Ingrid Harrald will greet you with spotting scopes, binoculars, and the low-down on these marvelous migrating birds. Kids must be accompanied by an adult. Rubber boots recommended. Please park in designated areas. A Jr. Birder Badge activity.

The Big Spit Birding Challenge 2:30pm-6:30pm. Gather at the mandatory send off at 2pm at the Lighthouse Village.
Register your team of 2 to 6 people for the Kachemak Bay Birders Big Spit Birding Challenge. Registration packets, including entry form, bird checklist and complete rules, will be available beginning April 22th at www.homeralaska.org/shorebird/birdchallenge, at the Homer Chamber of Commerce and at the Islands & Ocean Visitor Center. Registration packets will be available Festival weekend during registration hours at the Homer Chamber of Commerce and the Islands & Ocean Visitor Center. Individuals and teams may also register the day of, beginning at 2pm at the mandatory send off at the Lighthouse Village viewing station. Awards and prizes will be presented during the Birders Coffee on Sunday at 10am at the Islands & Ocean Visitor Center $25 team registration fee. Sponsored by Kachemak Bay Birders and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.

Kids' Bird Calling Contest 3pm-3:30pm. High School Choir Room.
Calling all parents and kids! Come out and share your best bird call to win fun prizes. Judges will be looking for accuracy of species call and behavior. An optional Jr. Birder Badge activity.

Smokey Bay Music Festival 3pm-midnight. Alice's Champagne Palace.
Come on out for an afternoon and evening of 100% Alaskan music that is guaranteed to get your hands clapping and your boots scootin' and boogyin'. Featured music will include several local bands, leading up to the main event at 8pm when The Bluegrass Gentlemen take to the stage to bring it on home. Bid on items in the silent auction and get yourself a t-shirt while you are there. Family friendly event 3pm to 8pm, then adults only 8pm to close. Buy your tickets prior to the event for $10, or $15 at the door. Tickets available through Alice's Champagne Palace at 907-235-6909, the Homer Bookstore at 907-235-7496 or the Independent Living Center at 907-235-7911. Proceeds benefit the Independent Living Center. Sponsored by a bunch of great people in a little place called Homer, Alaska.

Family Concert with Dan Pascucci Sold Out 3:30pm-4:30pm. High School Choir Room.
Alaskan musician Dan Pascucci has been entertaining and educating children and adults across the State for many years. Whether teaching in a classroom, performing in a Folk Festival or at open mike, Dan combines his passion for nature and music into a high energy show that will entertain the entire family of all ages. This is a fun-for-the-entire-family event. No fee, but registration is required.

Shorebird Viewing Station 5pm-6:30pm. Mud Bay & Lighthouse Village.
Meet at the base of the Spit, where guides in green vests will help you locate and identify shorebirds feeding in the mudflats. Spotting scopes, binoculars and guidebooks will be available for use. Rubber boots recommended. Please park only in designated areas.

Shorebirding by Ear Sold Out 5:30pm-6:30pm. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Local bird experts Dave Erikson and Dale Chorman will tell you about the vocalizations of some of our common shorebirds. After the classroom session, you will convey in your own vehicle and join Dan and Dale at a prime shorebird feeding spot where you will have a chance to lend your ears to the birds. Limit 25. $3pp.

Keynote Address: The View from Lazy Point, a Natural Year in an Unnatural World
7:30pm-9pm. High School Theater.
This year's Keynote Speaker Carl Safina will discuss, read from, and show images from his new book The View From Lazy Point; a Natural Year in an Unnatural World. A deeply personal book with a broadly global message, The View From Lazy Point is an exhilarating journey with a distinctly coastal flavor. In this intertwined story of humanity and the natural world, Safina shows that nature and human dignity require each other. On Safina's coasts, nature pulses to a continuous series of migrations. We are alongside him as birds and fishes flock to and from the Long Island shores. Then we go global. During the span of a year's four seasons, we travel with him from the intimacy of his home to the four points of the compass, from the high Arctic to Antarctica and across the tropics from the Caribbean to the west Pacific. While we revel in the resilience of wildlife migrations and the magnificence of natural spectacles, we meet Eskimos and islanders, face foraging bears and visit breeding penguins, and sail to formerly devastated reefs that are recovering with human help. We see a world brimming with vitality but changing. Safina's lively stories grant new insights into what the changes mean for wildlife and people. $8pp. Sponsored by World Wildlife Fund.

Sunday, May 8-High Tide 5:47 am - 16.9 Ft 7:10 pm 15.1 ft

FESTIVAL REGISTRATION 8am-4pm Homer Chamber of Commerce

Shorebird Viewing Station 5:30am-6:30am. Mud Bay & Lighthouse Village.
Meet at the base of the Spit, where guides in green vests will help you locate and identify shorebirds feeding in the mudflats. Spotting scopes, binoculars and guidebooks will be available for use. Rubber boots recommended. Please park only in designated areas.

Overlook Park Hike 7am-3pm. Meet at the Islands & Ocean Visitor Center for transportation to the trailhead.
Spend the day enjoying this guided, strenuous, 6.5 mile hike along the north shore of Kachemak Bay to visit Overlook Park, an undisturbed pocket of native coastal habitat, and a remote unit of the Alaska State Park system. View shorebirds, sea ducks, marine mammals, ravens and eagles along the shore and bluff, as well as early songbird migrants and waterfowl around the ponds in the Park. This all-day hike is considered strenuous due to length, steep and uneven terrain, creek crossings and unimproved trail. Bring binoculars, lunch, water, raingear and sturdy, waterproof knee boots. Proceeds benefit the management of Overlook Park. Limit 12. $10pp. Sponsored by the Kachemak Bay Conservation Society.

Morning at the Marsh 7:30am-9am. Airport Viewing Station.
Spend an early morning birding the wetlands of Beluga Lake with Wilderness Birding Adventures tour leader Aaron Lang. Scan the marsh for the many species of waterfowl and shorebirds that use this rich habitat as a migratory stopover. The adjacent spruce forest could harbor a number of passerines, including White-winged Crossbill, Pine Grosbeck, Boreal Chickadee, Rusty Blackbird and Gray Jay.

Birding by Ear Sold Out 8am-10am. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Local birders Dale Chorman and Rich Kleinleder will help you learn to identify the most common local songbirds by their songs and calls. A short classroom session will be followed by a field walk. Limit 25. $3pp.

Shorebird Festival Bird Tally 8:30am-9am. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Bring your sightings and gather with fellow birders to find out which bird species have been seen during this year's Festival.

Birders’ Coffee 8:30am-11am. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
After a morning in the field, warm up with hot beverages and fresh pastries, and join Festival speakers and fellow birders in sharing bird sightings and stories. Meet the feathered guests from the Bird Treatment & Learning Center in Anchorage and check out the display of optics. View the new photo exhibit celebration 100 years of conserving Alaska's wildlife and wildlands - Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. This will also be your last chance to buy tickets for the Festival raffles: the spotting scope, the Birders’ Basket, the Across the Bay Getaway and the framed Festival artwork. Sponsored by World Wildlife Fund, Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and Kachemak Bay Research Reserve. With generous support from Captain’s Coffee and Two Sisters Bakery.

Migration Run 9am-10:30am. Fishing Lagoon, Homer Spit.
Celebrating its 14th year, the Migration Run is a certified 5k run, great for serious runners, casual runners, walkers and families. The Run migrates along a northbound 5-kilometer route from the paved Spit trail to the Lighthouse Village. Come out in your best shorebird costume for a chance to win special prizes. Refreshments, awards and prizes await participants at the finish area, and a free shuttle bus is available to return participants to the start. Pre-registration via the Festival registration form is strongly encouraged, but day-of registration at the Start will be allowed. $10pp, $5 kids 10 & under, $20 families. Sponsored by Homer High Cross Country Team.

Keynote Carl Safina: A Sea in Flames: the Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Horizon Blowout 9am-10am.
Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Carl Safina will present his book A Sea in Flames, about the oil well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico in the summer of 2010. A Sea in Flames is a blistering account of the months-long manmade disaster that tormented a region and mesmerized the nation. Traveling across the Gulf to make sense of an ever-changing story and its often-nonsensical twists, Safina expertly deconstructs the series of calamitous misjudgments that cause the Deepwater Horizon blowout, zeroes in on BP's misstatements, evasions, and denials, reassesses his own reaction to the government's crisis handling, and reviews the consequences of the leak - and what he considers the real problems, which the press largely overlooked. With him, we get deep inside the faulty thinking that caused the lethal explosion. We join him on aerial survey across an oil-coated sea. We confront pelicans and other wildlife whose blue universe fades to black. Safina skewers the excuses and the silly jargon - like "junk shot" and "top kill" - that made the tragedy feel like a comedy of horrors - and highlighted Big Oil's appalling lack of preparedness for an event that was inevitable. Impassioned, moving, and even sharply funny, A Sea in Flames is ultimately an indictment of America's main addiction. Safina writes: "In the end, this is a chronicle of a summer of pain - and hope. Hope that the full potential of this catastrophe would not materialize, hope that the harm done would heal faster than feared, and hope that even if we did not suffer the absolutely worst - we would still learn the big lesson here. We may have gotten two out of three. That's not good enough. Because: there will be a next time." $5pp. Sponsored by World Wildlife Fund.

Seabird Sidetrip Sold Out 9am-noon. Harbor bottom of Ramp 3, to the right, M/V Torega.
Join local bird expert Karl Stoltzfus as he shares his favorite birding places during a 3-hour cruise of Kachemak Bay. Enjoy looking for Kittlitz’s & Marbled Murrelets, eiders, loons, Red-faced Cormorants, some shorebirds, and many other species, with excellent close-up viewing opportunities for all passengers. Enclosed boat with open back access; no facilities. Limit 12. $65pp. Sponsored by Bay Excursions.

Birding and Hiking Seldovia 9:15am-5:45pm. Freight Dock Road, JJ Float, Seldovia Bay Ferry Ramp.
Enjoy transportation aboard the new 150 passenger, fully equipped M/V Kachemak Voyager for a 1 hour 15 minute cruise that will take you past Gull Island and through Eldridge Passage. articipants will ride the Seldovia Bay Ferry for a one hour and fifteen minute trip to Seldovia, going by Gull Island and Eldridge Passage. You will cruise past Seldovia Village Tribe's ancestral lands, while hearing about the history and culture, and experiencing some of the most stunning and breathtaking scenery in Alaska. Sea life you might see along the way includes sea otters, sea lions, harbor seals, orca whales, humpback whales, puffins, bald eagles and numerous other bird species. You will step off the boat and into Seldovia, one of Alaska's up and coming destinations, steeped in history and easy to explore on foot. Bret Higman and Erin McKittrick expert guides and authors of A Long Trek Home, 4,100 Miles on Boot, Raft and Ski, and Homer birder and conservationist George Matz will take you along the Otterbahn Trail and Gray Cliffs for an easy hike, with lunch served on the Outside Beach., You will have free time to explore this quaint community before heading back to Homer. Dress for weather and bring water. Enclosed boat with facilities. Limit 25. $150pp. Sponsored by Seldovia Bay Ferry.

The Big Spit Birding Challenge Awards Ceremony 10am-10:30am. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Members of the Kachemak Bay Birders present awards and prizes to competitors of this year's Birding Challenge. Show your support for our very own Big Spit birders. Sponsored by Kachemak Bay Birders, Alaska Geographic and Chevron.

Culinary Adventure at Tutka Bay 10am-3pm. Harbor top of Ramp 2, Mako's Water Taxi.
Join award-winning chef and cookbook author Kirsten Dixon for a cooking class, featuring the locally inspired cuisine of Tutka Bay Lodge. This adventure takes participants across Kachemak Bay to Tutka Bay where Chef Dixon will teach you lodge culinary secrets, share recipes and offer a hands-on cooking class, feasting on your creations afterwards. While at the lodge, you will have the opportunity to spot birds from the deck, tour the new Cooking School at Tutka Bay, housed on the famous Widgeon II crabbing boat, and join the lodge naturalist for a walk along an old growth forest trail. Meet at Mako's Water Taxi no later than 9:45 am for a 10am departure. You will depart the lodge at 2:30 pm for a 3pm return to the Homer harbor. Please notify Chef Dixon of any dietary restrictions or allergies prior to the class by calling her at 907-235-3905. Enclosed boat; no facilities. Limit 12. $150pp. 12 & older with a participating adult. Sponsored by Tutka Bay Lodge.

Junior Badge Awards Ceremony 10:30am-11am. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
The Festival’s4th Annual Junior Bird Badge Awards. Keynote Carl Safina joins U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service staff in presenting patches and awards to kids ages 5 to 10 who have completed all of their badge requirements during the Festival weekend. Come show your support to these future birders. Sponsored by Kachemak Bay Research Reserve, Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies.

Incredible Birds, Incredible Places: Your Federal Lands 11am-noon. Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Federal lands dominate the land ownership of Alaska and contain amazing wildlife and habitat diversity. The program presented by Pat Pourchot, Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Interior for Alaska Affairs, highlights special areas containing unique wildlife and bird populations and habitats.

Friendship Beach Walk 11am-4pm. Harbor top of Ramp 2, Mako's Water Taxi.
Take a 30 minute cruise across the Bay and break for birds along the way. Guided by experienced ornithologists, you will tour two lagoons, trace the Glacier Spit shoreline and take a detour into the forest to experience a variety of unique habitats, while helping to support an important organization. Bring a lunch. Enclosed boat with open back access; no facilities. Limit 15. Suggested donation $60pp. Proceeds benefit Friends of Kachemak Bay State Park. Sponsored by Friends of Kachemak Bay State Park.

Journey to the Ends of the Earth - Tracking the Migration of Hudsonian Godwits 12:30pm-1:30pm Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.
Nathan Senner will present the results of his recent work tracking the marathon migrations of two populations of Hudsonian Godwits as they journey, largely non-stop, from Arctic Alaska and Canada all the way to islands near the southern tip of South America. Along the way he also talks about the conservation of this long-distance migrant and discusses how global climate change can impact godwits and other birds in both small and large ways.

Feathers & Folding 1pm-3pm. Pratt Museum.
Join Museum staff and volunteers for an afternoon of "Feathers and Folding". This annual shorebird event offers kids and companion adults the opportunity to learn about bird feathers and make an origami bird. For more information contact Ryjil Christianson at 907-235-8635 or education@prattmuseum.org. Museum admission applies, members free. Sponsored by the Pratt Museum.

Anchor Point Birding & Nature Walk 2pm-4pm. Anchor Point Beach.
Meet at Anchor Point Beach parking lot. Join naturalist John Wenger on a walk along the Anchor River to the Cook Inlet beach. Search for and identify the natural features and wildlife of this interesting site. Bring binoculars, waterproof boots and appropriate clothing. Participants must provide their own transportation. Watch for signs for where to park your vehicle. Be sure to get a no fee parking permit from the walk leader to put on your vehicle dashboard.

Tour Gull Island 5pm-6pm. Harbor Ramp 1, corner of A&C Float, M/V Danny J.
Enjoy a one hour boat ride aboard this classic wooden boat that will take you to Gull Island to view kittiwakes, murres, puffins and other seabirds. Open boat with some cabin seating inside; no facilities. Limit 34. $10pp, $5 kids 12 & under. Sponsored by Kachemak Bay Ferry.

Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival May 5-8