Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some tips to help you enjoy the Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival. It's a complex event, and even though our volunteers have been working to keep it smooth and user friendly, there are always things that are not totally obvious.
If you don't find an answer here, contact us for more info info@morrobaybirdfestival.org
Headquarters: Check-in, onsite registration, the Bazaar, Trip Starters, the hospitality room, and admin are always at the Morro Bay Community Center, 1001 Kennedy Way. Most (but not all) workshops and field trips start from this location. You can always get information about an event or Morro Bay in general at HQ.
You can check in and pick up materials EARLY on Thursday from 3 to 7 pm. The LOCATION is NOT at HQ: early check in is at the Inn at Morro Bay.
NOTE: You will not be able to register or change registrations at this early check in. It is only intended to get you started a little quicker in the morning.
The first thing to do: Go to the HQ and check in or register. Check-in and registration open at 6 a.m. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and 6:45 a.m. Monday.
Field trips go, rain or shine. Under some circumstances, a trip may be cancelled and we will provide an alternative if possible. Pelagic trips will be cancelled if the Coast Guard or the Captain believe conditions are unsafe. Leaders may cancel a trip if they believe it is necessary. We will refund fees for specific trips if they are cancelled.
Trip Starters: You also need to check in with the Trip Starters at least 10 minutes before the scheduled start of every trip. They are the friendly volunteers stationed in the lobby at HQ -- look around or ask, and you'll find them. Note: Trips leave on time.
Transportation: The majority of field trips and workshops require a car. When we refer to a "caravan" in a trip description, we mean you or one of the other participants will be driving. Leaders will usually make arrangements at the start of the trip for how the group can follow each other.
Buses and boats: If you register for a field trip that includes transportation on a bus or boat, you will be notified in the trip description. These trips incur an extra fee to pay for the transport. Note: you may still need a car to get to the starting point, e.g., the dock where your boat is tied up.
Map of the area: A general map of the area, with key locations marked, will be available for download from the website (PDF)--we will also have a limited supply of these general maps at the HQ registration desk.
Maps for field trips: For field trips that start at a remote location (meaning, you will travel to where you will meet the Leader), you will be given a map with directions to that location--see the Trip Starter for the map. Please note that the starting time for the event means you need to be at that location by that time, so plan ahead.
Lunches: If you ordered a lunch, you must pick it up at HQ (the Community Center) in the hospitality room BEFORE NOON. Lunches are available only at the hospitality room, and will not be delivered to your field trip.
Changing your registration: Our online registration system does NOT permit changes by registrants once the form is finally submitted. Contact the registrar directly if you need to change or cancel your registration.
Cancellation and Refund Policy
Cancellations made on or before January 2, 2018, will result in a refund of fees paid, less $25 administrative fee for each registrant. Refunds will be processed by the Registrar after the festival. No refunds will be made for cancellations after January 2, 2018, or for no-shows.
Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival reserves the right to cancel any event for any reason, and you will receive a full refund for any paid event which we cancel.
Need information about the program, registration and/or closed events? Either visit other pages on this website (to download the schedule, the program detail, or the registration form), or call the Bird Festival during the registration period and Festival (805-234-1170). Or you can email the Registrar beginning November 6.