Lake Almanor Grebe Festival

08/27/2026

08/07/2026

Are you interested in learning about PAS’s Grebe Conservation Project?

Join PAS’s Executive Director, Liz Ramsey, for a brief presentation on the Plumas Pines Resort Lawn Saturday, August 8th at 4 pm.

This engaging presentation will discuss the state of Aechmophorus Grebes throughout the Upper Feather River Watershed, and future conservation efforts and goals.

Silent Auction winners will be announced directly following the presentation!

We hope to see you there!

08/05/2026

After you secure a ticket on one of our pontoon boat or kayak tours, make sure to sign up for our FREE workshops and bird walks including:

🐦‍⬛ Nature Journaling at the Olsen Barn
🐦‍⬛ Bird Identification 101 Workshop
🐦‍⬛ Waterfowl Identification Workshop

More details on these activities can be found at www.plumasaudubon.org/2026-schedule-of-activities-470136.html

These free, family-friendly activities are open to the public due to a partnership with Feather River Land Trust.

08/03/2026

The Lake Almanor Grebe Festival is right around the corner! We are excited to share that we will be having a Local Conservation Fair incorporated within the festival that will occur from 11 am - 3 pm on the Plumas Pines Resort lawn on Saturday, August 8!

Visit with local conservation organizations and Lake Almanor Grebe Festival Sponsors including Plumas Corporation, Plumas Underburn Cooperative (PUC), Friends of Plumas Wilderness, Alta Cal Bird Alliance, Sierra Institute for Community & Environment, and more!

Stop by to say hello to the amazing organizations working in your area!

08/01/2026

Grebes aren't the only bird on our itinerary! Friday evening we are leading a Great Blue Heron Rookery and Osprey Nest scoping field trip, which boasts a unique opportunity to view both of these incredible species nesting on the shores of Lake Almanor near Canyon Dam!

Due to the high enthusiasm for this event, we’ve expanded the number of participants. So if you looked before and it was completely booked there are now 10 more spots available!

Visit https://www.plumasaudubon.org/grebe-festival to reserve your spot today!

07/29/2026

Tickets for the Lake Almanor Grebe Festival are selling fast! There are still 12 pontoon boat tour tickets available for Sunday afternoon. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to take a boat ride with a local wildlife biologist to learn about Western and Clark’s Grebes!

Are you interested in a more adventurous grebe experience? Join us for our Sunday Morning Kayak Tour with PAS’s Field Operations Manager, Lauren James. This tour is for those who are not afraid to get wet and muddy in order to get on eye level (and nest level!) with these amazing birds! This tour is “bring your own boat” or rent a boat from High Elevation Kayak Rentals in Chester where we will be launching the tour.

Visit https://www.plumasaudubon.org/grebe-festival to reserve your spot on a boat or kayak tour today!

07/27/2026

New Lake Almanor Grebe Festival shirts just dropped! Grab yours at the Grebe Festival, August 7th-9th, or call 530-616-8670 to schedule a time to stop by our office. Featuring original art by Sara Sato, all proceeds will directly benefit local grebe conservation efforts.

07/24/2026

The Lake Almanor Grebe Festival is just around the corner, and we are so excited to spend the weekend with you and yours!

The Plumas Pines Resort will be the festival headquarters! We are so lucky to host the event on the lawn and use the courtesy dock to launch boat tours to see nesting grebes!

Headquarters being at the resort allows attendees access to amenities, food, the bar, and other entertainment, including numerous musical performances throughout the weekend. There is also a yoga class that is open to the public happening right on the lawn!

Check out what else is happening at Plumas Pines during the 2026 Lake Almanor Grebe Festival here: https://www.plumaspinesresort.com/calendar-of-events.html

07/23/2026

Have you reserved your spot on a pontoon boat tour at the 2026 Lake Almanor Grebe Festival?

Tickets are selling fast! There is only one seat left on both Saturday and Sunday's early morning boats! If you aren't fast enough to snap up that golden ticket, there are still 19 seats for Saturday afternoon and 20 for Sunday afternoon.

Pontoon boat tours at the Lake Almanor Grebe Festival are unforgettable and not to be missed.

The tours are biologist-led wildlife-viewing experiences that take participants as close as ethically possible to view the incredible courtship displays and colonial nesting behavior of the unique Western & Clark’s Grebes! There are numerous other outstanding wildlife encounters on the way, not to mention the bonus of making connections with other wildlife lovers during the weekend!

Visit https://www.plumasaudubon.org/grebe-festival to reserve your seat today!

07/22/2026

In honor of our upcoming Annual Lake Almanor Grebe Festival this August 7-9, our July bird of the month is (of course) the Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis)

This slender long necked black-and-white diving waterbird can be identified by its distinctive yellow bill and red eyes. These birds spend their winters on the Pacific Coast, and migrate up to deep inland lakes with marshy edges where they build their nests during the summer breeding season.

In Plumas county they can be seen on most of our larger lakes, with the largest population found at Lake Almanor. Listen for a harsh, rolling “cree creet” call that signals the start of their “rushing ceremony.” Western Grebe’s are renowned for this ballet-like courtship display in which male and female “run” across the water in synchrony, their long necks curved in an S-shape.

If you're walking or kayaking along the lakeshore and you hear their “tuk-tuk-tuk” warning call, then you might be getting too close to their nesting colonies. Give them some space and then get out your binoculars! If you are lucky, you might see a little fluffy gray head, or two, pop out from under the feathers on their parents back!

If you're interested in seeing the flamboyant courtship displays up close, and maybe catch a glimpse of those piggy-backing fluffy gray chicks, join us for our Annual Lake Almanor Grebe Festival, August 8–10th!

GREBE FESTIVAL REGISTRATION: https://www.plumasaudubon.org/grebe-festival.html

Learn more about the Western Grebe:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Grebe

Photo by: Liz Ramsey Photography