An intensive course in outdoors appreciation

Yuma, Ariz.

April 20-23: Nature lovers can feel as though they’re back in school -- and studying only their favorite subjects -- during a weekend of seminars and field trips at the Yuma Birding & Nature Festival. Seminar topics include optics, bald eagles, bats, desert bighorn sheep, butterflies, desert lizards, wildflowers and more. Field trips include hiking in a painted desert, an archeological trip, owl scouting, birding by the Salton Sea and (not for the squeamish) a trip down a mine shaft to observe bats.

Shilo Inn, 1550 Castle Dome Ave., Yuma. $20, $12 for children. Additional fees for field trips. (800) 293-0071, registration at (928) 783-3061, www.yumabirding.org.

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Grand Prairie, Canada

April 23-24: The ugly gray ducklings return to Saskatoon Island Provincial Park in Alberta as beautiful white birds just in time for the Swan Festival. John Acorn, host of “The Nature Nut” from the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet, begins the festival with a presentation before a wine-and-cheese social and silent auction on Saturday night. On Sunday, naturalists conduct 1 1/2 -hour swan bus tours. Before and after the tours, there are children’s activities, nature walks and a show of work by local artists.

Centre 2000, 11330 106th St., Grand Prairie. Kick-off, 7:30 p.m. April 23. Tours every half-hour, 12:30-3 p.m. April 24. $3 per person or $10 per family. (780) 538-5350, www.swanfestival.fanweb.ca.

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San Francisco

April 29-30: Lager lovers, ale aficionados, passionate proponents of Pilsener and porter, the challenge has been issued: three hours, more than 200 beers. The International Beer Festival, 7-10 p.m. April 29 at Ft. Mason’s Festival Pavilion, offers the opportunity to sample specialty brews from around the world until the tongue can discern only “wet.” If quaffers can get out of bed by noon the next day, it’s opening day on San Francisco Bay -- meaning more than 150 decorated sailing boats will cross from the Golden Gate Bridge to Pier 39 in parade formation.

Festival Pavilion, Ft. Mason, Marina Boulevard at Buchanan Street. $60; $50 in advance. (415) 441-3400, www.sfbeerfest.com. Opening Day on the Bay is free along the shore and at Pier 39, located on the Embarcadero at Beach Street. (415) 331-0702, picya.homestead.com.

-- Blake Hennon