Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua June 16-18, 2023
Basic Registration: $110
Up to 3 presentations, workshops, and/or field trips
Full Registration: $140
Up to 5 presentations, workshops, and/or field trips
Unlimited Registration: $175
Sign up for as many presentations, workshops, and/or field trips as you wish.
Student Registration: $50
Unlimited presentations, workshops, and/or field trips.
Current FULL TIME student ID required within a month of registering.
Kids age 12 and under are FREE!
How-To Video
Please watch this video to see the registration process step by step:
Watching this video to learn how to register will greatly improve your registration day experience!
Walkthrough of registering for the in-person event:
Registration Tips
This registration system makes it fast to sign up for trips and easy to register groups, all without needing a username or password. There are a few important things to note:
- Proceed with registration using the "Adult" or "Student" attendee type. Note: Students must show proof of full time student status.
- Use the program information and grid schedule (link in top menu under "program") to plan your itinerary for the Chautauqua in advance. Each trip has a three-digit number (found in the program information and grid) to help you find the trip you’re looking for during registration more quickly.
- We recommend registering for your highest-priority trips first to have the best chance of securing them. Make sure to also plan multiple alternate choices for each trip, as many fill very quickly.
- Use the "Previous" and "Next" buttons on the form, DO NOT use the back button on your browser, as you might lose your registration.
- The system times out if you are idle for 30 minutes and your registration will be deleted. This means that if you do not take an action on a page for 30 minutes, such as clicking "Next" or "Add to Cart," your registration will be deleted.
- We are processing payment through PayPal but you DO NOT need a PayPal account to pay for the Chautauqua. When you arrive at the PayPal payment screen, simply click the gray box at the bottom of the screen that says “Pay with Debit or Credit Card.”
How to Register a Group
To begin, enter the basic information for the person who will pay (if you register as a group, you must pay with a single credit card). Then, select how many additional people will be registered in this group (up to 3 in addition to the payer) and enter their basic information.
On the next screen, select a day and then an event on that day. Select (check) all the people in your group who want to go on that event and then click Register/Add to Cart.
IMPORTANT: Pay close attention to the message for each attendee after clicking Register/Add to Cart. If the event is full, there will be a red error message and the trip will not be added to your registration summary at the bottom of the screen.
Repeat this process until all events are added to your registration summary at the bottom of the page.
Democracy in Action
After you have made your event selections, they are held for you until you complete the payment process. Take time to verify the event selections of each person in your group. The Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua is a very popular event and many field trips will fill to capacity within minutes of registration opening.
In the event that you are registering two people at the same time and one of you is not enrolled in a field trip because it reaches full capacity, please do not panic or despair. Simply complete your registration without that particular field trip and then email us or call (760) 647-6595 and we will work with you to remedy the situation to the best of our abilities. If a particular field trip is already full when you begin your registration, please select an alternate field trip instead.
Confirm Your Reservation
After registering, you will also be sent a confirmation email (one per group). The confirmation email will include a link for you to review your itinerary. Be sure to carefully review the itinerary for each person in your group. Please check your junk mail or spam folders if you do not see an email right away. If there is a problem with your registration, please
email us or call (760) 647-6595.
Refund Policy
If you cancel by May 26, 2023 we will refund your registration less a $15 processing fee per registration. Sorry, no refunds after that date. To cancel, please call (760) 647-6595.
Recent News
Introducing Bobolink
Wednesday, June 14: This year, we re-designed birdchautauqua.org to incorporate a webapp called Bobolink that will improve your user experience before, during, and after the festival. Using Bobolink is completely optional, but we hope you will try it out! The webapp allows you to view your itinerary, create support tickets, get directions to meeting locations, evaluate trips, post and comment on the blog, view the bird list for the festival, and see which trips certain bird species were seen on.
Watch this 10-minute tutorial video or view the step-by-step user guide to get started.
As always, feel free to swing by the registration/check-in table at the Lee Vining Community Center or email Chautauqua@monolake.org for help.
Chautauqua event check in begins Thursday
Sunday, June 11, 2023: Please remember to check-in before attending your scheduled Chautauqua events. At check in you will receive your agenda, event packet, button, and T-shirt. We cannot guarantee you a spot on a field trip if we don't know you've arrived.
Check-in will be available at the following times at the Lee Vining Community Center (296 Mattly Ave):
Thursday, June 15: 3:00pm–7:30pm
Friday, June 16: 6:00am–7:00pm
Saturday, June 17: 6:00am–6:00pm
See you soon!
Campgrounds and Highway Information
Sunday, June 11: Sonora Pass (108) is open! To view up to date road information go to roads.dot.ca.gov and enter the highway number or quickmap.dot.ca.gov and click "options" dropdown menu, then select the road conditions you want the map to show.
To view campground information, go to www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd486882.pdf and click on the campground you'd like to view the status of. Many will be closed for Chautauqua due to flooding.
Camp Like A Pro is a great tool for locating disperse camp sites: https://www.essrp.org/camping. Please note that a permit is required for all fires – even a propane camp stove--while dispersed camping. The link for a permit is here: https://www.readyforwildfire.org/permits/campfire-permit/. Although it is a wet year, fire danger is still present.
Phalarope Festival June 18, 2023
Sunday, May 21: Join us for an enchanting afternoon at Hess Park in Lee Vining on Sunday, June 18th from 11:30 AM to 4:00 PM, as we celebrate the migratory connections of Wilson's phalaropes. This event follows the Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua, adding an exciting continuation to the birding festivities. Witness the unveiling and dedication of captivating new phalarope murals showcasing the migratory connections between Mono Lake, Great Salt Lake, and Laguna Mar Chiquita in Argentina. A team of visiting researchers, park rangers, educators, and conservationists from Laguna Mar Chiquita and Great Salt Lake will share their valuable insights and experiences regarding saline lake conservation. Learn about their work in Argentina and Utah and discover the similarities and challenges faced by these globally connected habitats. Participate in a lively bird call contest and showcase your creativity with a phalarope costume contest. Prizes will be awarded to the most authentic bird calls and the most imaginative and well-crafted phalarope costumes. Immerse yourself in a vibrant atmosphere filled with live music, dancing, and an array of delicious food. Engage in meaningful discussions and cultural exchanges with fellow attendees and international guests. Share stories, insights, and ideas surrounding the importance of saline lakes and migratory connections, fostering global understanding and cooperation.
Donate Binoculars to Students in Argentina
Saturday, April 8, 2023: During registration, you'll be given the opportunity to donate used, good condition binoculars or $25 to a fund that will provide binoculars to students at Laguna Mar Chiquita, a sister lake to Mono Lake, in Argentina. These students attend a phenomenal, free education program called "Experiencia Ambientalia", which translates to Environmental Experience. The program works with over 200 highschoolers who live near Laguna Mar Chiquita and teaches them about conservation education, research, and entrepreneurship as it relates to the lake and the ecosystems around them. If you would like to learn more about the program, sign up for 369 *Saline Lakes: Science and education panel discussion from 3:00 to 5:00 pm on Saturday of the Chautauqua. During this panel discussion Marina Castellino, founder of Experiencia Ambientalia, will give a short presentation about her work on this innovative and effective program.
Twentieth Annual Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua update
Saturday, April 1, 2023: Registration for the twentieth annual Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua is just two weeks away, beginning at 6:30am PDT on Saturday, April 15, 2023.
The full schedule of field trips and outdoor workshops is now online, including the grid schedule, which shows how trips may overlap. Please note that we are still working on this schedule and additional programs may be added prior to registration day.
We highly recommend finding several alternate programs for each time slot, as many programs fill quickly—some fill just minutes after registration opens.
Updated presenter biographies are also online, so you can learn more about everyone leading trips this year.
We will have another update next week with more details about practice registration and we will unveil our new t-shirt design.
If you have questions, please don't hesitate to email or call (760) 647-6595 and ask for Andrew or Nora.