Duck Days, the outdoor festival, drew flocks to tour the wetlands and participate in fun activities for all ages
By MATTHEW MCELDOWNEY — city@theaggie.org
On April 26, Yolo Basin Foundation organized an outdoor festival that allowed Yolo County residents to have the unique opportunity to pet alligators, meet live bats and visit the hotspot that over 200 species of birds call home.
Taking place at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area Headquarters, crowds of families and students alike visited for a variety of programs and activities, including but not limited to live bats, raptors and alligators.
Corky Quirk, a program coordinator, talked about the humble beginnings of Duck Days.
“When I first started, Duck Days used to be more of a birder event,” Quirk said.
Duck Days has changed significantly over the years as the Yolo Basin Foundation began to introduce exhibitors, live educational demonstrations and ambassador animals, according to Quirk.
“Duck Days is an outdoor nature festival for families to get people outdoors, enjoying the environment and learning a little bit along the way,” Quirk said.
A major part of this wetland-themed festival is inviting people to step out of their comfort zones in nature, according to Quirk.
“I love being able to change people’s perceptions,” Quirk said. “That’s a big thing for me. People tend to be hesitant about what they don’t understand, but […] once they learn more, […] their whole mindset can flip.”
Duck Days is not only a space reserved for families either — students from UC Davis participate as volunteers, exhibitors and visitors in this truly unique Davis attraction.
“We get a cross section of the community that comes,” Quirk said.
Anthony Roberson, a second-year wildlife, fish and conservation biology major, described his experience tabling at the Duck Days event for the UC Davis Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology.
“It is really, really great,” Roberson said. “It is great to be with most people you wouldn’t think would be interested in learning about wetland habitats, marsh animals and the diet of bats until you see so many kids get excited seeing a blackbird or a bat up close.”
Roberson described this as the first time the museum has been able to collaborate with the Yolo Basin Foundation, but described his experience as an overall positive one as he hoped for collaborations in the future.
Caitlyn Left, a third-year microbiology major, had a similar experience as they described the kind of work they enjoy doing for the museum.
“Tours are usually pretty fun,” Left said. “The kids and parents get really excited and it’s always really exciting to show them what their favorite kind of animal looks like and show them what they wouldn’t think we’d have.”
Additionally, the Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology hosted a Meet the Bat Family event on May 18 on campus for those interested in learning more about their animals and the work they do.
Events like ”Duck Days” and “Meet the Bat Family” are important to educate others about their mission at the museum, according to Roberson.
“Animals are interesting,” Roberson said. “They’re important, and they’re everywhere. Humans are animals, too, and are a part of the environment.”
Written By: Matthew Mceldowney — city@theaggie.org
