Godwit Days

Marbled godwit. | Photo by Sanjay Chikarmane

The annual spring migration birding festival features dozens of field trips, workshops, and speakers and the opportunity to see thousands of Marbled Godwits, large shorebirds with a long, slightly upturned bill, as they stopover on Humboldt Bay. For more info, check out www.godwitdays.org.

The City of Arcata started the Godwit Days Spring Migration Bird Festival, twenty years ago, to promote the diversity of bird species at the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary while creating an eco-tourism niche. The Arcata Marsh system was developed as a way to reclaim lost wetlands and to treat Arcata’s sewage using tertiary treatment. It now provides a resting spot and home to over 300 bird species and migratory visitors.

As the festival grew out of City Hall, it became a 501C3 with a board of directors possessing expertise in natural resource management, wildlife biology, wetlands preservation, organization and economic development.

The festival provides a perfect opportunity to see tens of thousands of shorebirds in migration, the occasional rarity, pelagic birds, visit Spotted Owls in the Redwoods, learn bird calls, photograph birds at all elevations, identify dragonflies and damselflies, search for amphibians, recognize coastal flora, view children’s artwork, learn from renowned keynote presenters and numerous government and non-profit organizations, see 100+ birds on the Big Day trip and add to your life list.

The non-profit has expanded to oversee additional yearly events including, Birding on the Madaket held in August and the Godwit Days Fall Preview now held the last weekend in September.

Through their sponsors, volunteers, vendors and registrants, the Godwit Days festival continues to grow and provide our visitors and community friends a fun, educational eco-tour event. To learn more about these events, visit their All About Events page.

REGISTER HERE.