The SouthwestBlend.com presents Whale, Dolphin and Marine Mammal watching on the California Coastline

 The Santa Barbara Channel is home to over 30 different species of whales, dolphins, seals and sealions that visit throughout the year--making these waters some of the most consistent locations found anywhere to view a variety of marine mammals.
 From May through November good places to cruise include the nutrient rich waters around Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa and San Miguel Islands. This area is generally considered to have one of the world’s highest concentration of feeding blue and humpback whales.
 In the winter and spring months the California gray whale passes by this area on both their Southern and Northern migration and can be seen from Northern California to Baja California.
 Whales include Gray Whales, Blue Whales, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales and sometimes Orcas (Killer Whales). Dolphin include Common, Bottlenose, Risso’s, Pacific White Sided and Dall’s Porpoise. Sea Lions are a common sighting as are Harbor Seals and Elephant Seal.

JANUARY 2006
Jan 12 - 15: Wings Over Willcox, Willcox, Arizona (800) 200-2272
www.wingsoverwillcox.com
Jan 13 - 16: Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival. Morro Bay Community Center, CA. (800) 231-0592 www.morrobaybirdfestival.org
Jan 27 - 29: San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival, Mare Island, Vallejo, CA (707) 649-9464 www.sfbayflywayfestival.com
Jan 3rd weekend: Whale Watch Weekend and Intertidal Life Festival Point Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego, CA.
(619) 557-5450 www.nps.gov/cabr
Jan 27 - 29: Snow Goose Festival Chico Masonic Center, Chico, CA. (800) 852-8570
www.snowgoosefestival.org
FEBRUARY
Feb 9 - 12: San Diego Bird Festival, Marina Village Conference Center, San Diego, CA (619) 516-0139
www.sandiegoaudubon.org/birdfest.htm
Feb 2nd Saturday: Migration Festival, Natural Bridges State Beach, Santa Cruz, CA. www.santacruzstateparks.org
Feb 17 - 20: Salton Sea International Bird Festival, Imperial Expo, Imperial, CA.
(760) 344-5FLY
www.newriverwetlands.com/saltonsea.html
Feb 24 - 25: California Duck Days, Yolo Basin Foundation, Davis, CA. (530) 757-3780 www.yolobasin.org
MARCH
Mar 1st weekend: Mendocino Whale Festival Mendocino, CA. (707) 964-0898 www.mendocinocoast.com
Mar 1st Sunday: Celebration of the Whales Channel Islands Harbor, Oxnard, CA.
(800) 269-6273 www.channelislandsharbor.org/events.cfm
Mar 2nd weekend: Tres Rios Nature Festival, Estrella Mountain Regional Park, Goodyear, Arizona (623 )204-2130 www.tresriosnaturefestival.com
Mar 3rd Saturday: Fort Bragg Whale Festival Fort Bragg, CA. (707) 964-0898 www.mendocinocoast.com
APRIL
Mar 31-Apr 4: Aleutian Goose Festival: A Celebration of Wildness, Crescent City, CA. (800) 343-8300 www.aleutiangoosefestival.org
Mar 1 - 2: Redwood Coast Whale & Jazz Festival, Point Arena Lighthouse, Point Arena, CA. (800) 778-5252
www.redwoodcoastchamber.com
Apr 6 - 9: California Desert Nature Festival, Palm Desert, CA. (760) 341-9312
www.CaliforniaDesertNatureFestival.com
Apr 21 - 23: Godwit Days, Arcata, CA.
(800) 908-9464 www.godwitdays.com
Apr 20 - 22: Yuma Birding and Nature Festival Yuma, Arizona (800) 293-0071
www.yumabirding.org
Apr 27 - 30: Verde Valley Birding & Nature Festival, Cottonwood, Arizona
(928) 282-2202 www.birdyverde.org
Apr 4th Saturday: Heron Festival, Clear Lake State Park, Kelseyville, CA
(800) 525-3743 www.redbudaudubon.org
Apr 29 - 30: Kern River Valley Bioregions Festival, Kernville, CA (760) 378-3044
http://kern.audubon.org/bioregion.htm
MAY
May 5 - 7: Yosemite Birding Festival, Yosemite National Park, CA (209) 379-2321 Ext.10 www.yosemite.org
May 14: Mother’s Day for All Species Celebration. Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Landing, CA (831) 728-2822 www.elkhornslough.org
May 13: International Migratory Bird Day, Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Alviso, CA (408) 262-5513
May 12 - 14: Spring Wings Bird Festival, Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Fallon, Nevada (775) 428-6452
www.springwings.org
May 2nd Saturday: Walk on the Wildside Festival, Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Elk Grove, CA. (916) 775-4421
www.stonelakes.org/use/wow.htm
May 3rd Saturday: Tule Lake Migratory Bird Festival, Tulelake, CA. (530) 667-3121 www.tulelakecalifornia.com