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Family Bird Walk in Boston

Editor — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:01:13 +0000

This great family event at Mass Audubon’s Boston Nature Center and Wildlife Sanctuary is aimed at introducing families to the wonders of birding. During the hike they can view common local birds, learn about identification and take part in mini-activities, such as a bird food hunt.

Date: 3 March 2012
Venue: Mass Audubon’s Boston Nature Center and Wildlife Sanctuary
City: Boston
State: Massachusetts
Country: United States of America

Macaw Mountain Bird Park – A Haven in Honduras

Editor — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 09:13:51 +0000

Consisting of nine-acres of old growth forest, the Macaw Mountain Bird Park & Nature Reserve offers visitors the opportunity of viewing a wide variety of tropical birds in their natural environment. Located near the town of Copan Ruinas in Honduras, the large flight aviary is home to just about all the species of parrots and toucans to be found in this beautiful South American country, and many of its feathered inhabitants are so tame that visitors are able to interact with them at leisure.

While providing a haven for rescued, abandoned and endangered birds, the Macaw Mountain Bird Park is dedicated to educating the public about these beautiful animals and their vulnerability caused mainly the by destruction of their natural habitat. In a region known for its excellent birding opportunities, the Macaw Mountain Bird Park offers an unforgettable bird watching experience. Visitors to the park will enjoy strolling along the network of pathways which allow easy access to the entire area throughout the year. Interaction with the park’s birds allows visitors to appreciate their beauty and intelligence, while at the same time being made aware of the obstacles and dangers they face in the wild, which have brought many species to the brink of extinction.

Quite a number of the parrots and macaws found in the park were at one time household pets, but oftentimes people who buy these birds have no idea how long they live – parrots have a lifespan or 50 to 60 years and macaws can live for a century – or that because of their intelligence they require a lot of attention. So, when the birds become too much to handle at home, they are donated to sanctuaries such as the Macaw Mountain Bird Park & Nature Reserve. Birds to be seen in the park include the scarlet macaw, buffon’s macaw, green-winged macaw, yellow-lored Amazon, white-fronted parrot, red-lored parrot, mealy Amazon, yellow-crowned Amazon, white-crowned parrot, olive-throated conure, red-throated parakeet, keel-billed toucan, chestnut-mandibled toucan, grey hawk and great-horned owl.

The Copan region of Honduras is home to more than 330 species of birds representing 51 families, and has become a popular destination for keen birders from around the world. Although birds can be seen in the wild in the vicinity of the park, bird watchers should include Macaw Mountain Bird Park in their itinerary to experience up-close interaction with the birds of Honduras.

Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival 2012

Editor — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:53:37 +0000

The 15th Annual Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival will offer bird enthusiasts a full program of field trips, discussions, classroom presentations, workshops and more. Keynote speakers include James Currie, Richard Crossley, PaulBaicich and Victor Emanuel. Features of the festival will include the Welcome Reception, Keynote Socials, Sunday Social, an art show, boat tours, a silent auction and The Raptor Project. For details regarding registration and the program, please visit the Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival website.

Dates: 25 to 30 January 2012
Venue: Brevard Community College – Titusville Campus
City: Titusville
State: Florida
Country: United States of America

Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival 2012

Editor — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:43:57 +0000

This will be the 16th time the Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival is taking place. The keynote speaker for the event will be Jon Dunn, a well known expert in North American bird identification. Each year the event sees more than 450 birding enthusiasts coming to Morro Bay to view its many birds. The festival includes a vast number of field trips of varying levels. There will also be talks and workshops suited to the whole family. Be sure to visit the Morrow Bay Winter Bird Festival website for schedule details.

Dates: 13 to 16 January 2012
Venue: Morro Bay
State: California
Country: United States of America

Bird Watching in Oman – A Rewarding Experience

Editor — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 08:02:28 +0000

Bird watching enthusiasts who make it a goal to visit a veriety of destinations where they can enjoy their hobby, may want to consider a visit to Oman during the northern hemisphere winter season. Located on the edge of the western Palearctic, between Africa, Europe and Asia, Oman is the wintering destination of avifauna from three distinctive zoo-geographical areas. The country has a wealth of varied habitats to cater for the specific needs of hundreds of bird species, and birding enthusiasts can be assured that each bird watching excursion will be a rewarding experience.

Officially called the Sultanate of Oman, the country is an Arab state located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. The Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman form the coastline of the country, providing plenty of opportunities for seabirds and waders to enjoy the sea’s bounty. Husband and wife Janne and Jens Eriksen are experienced birdwatchers based in Oman, and they are making a concerted effort to bring the country’s rich birdlife to the attention of birders around the world. While the winter months, between October and March, are particularly interesting because of the foreign feathered visitors that join the locals, Oman has a thriving all-year-round population of around 500 species of birds spread throughout the more than 300,000 square kilometers of land.

The Oman Ministry of Environment, together with the Ministry of Tourism, is actively involved in both protecting the natural heritage of the country, and promoting eco-tourism. Authorities have allocated fifteen protected conservation areas and have sponsored the publication of books on birding in Oman to encourage both locals and international tourists to enjoy the birdlife of the country. The Eriksens note that while people flock to shopping malls for recreation, they are missing out on spending their leisure time in nature. This is a situation they would like to change and believe that nature clubs in schools are the answer, as these could encourage the younger generation to get involved in bird watching and hiking.

November is one of the most popular times for bird watching in Oman, as this is when large flocks of migrating birds arrive, providing plenty of action on the coastline as they establish territory for the winter by strutting about, swooping and diving in an endless flurry of activity. By December the birds are more settled and bird watchers can observe them going about their daily routines. In January, the water level of the lagoons and wetlands rises, attracting wintering waterfowl in large numbers. Certainly, birders who have spent time observing the birds of Oman agree that the diversity and number of birds is astounding, and well worth experiencing.

Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival

Editor — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:50:33 +0000

The 18th Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival will feature a number of fantastic seminars, field trips, a trade show, authors signing, childrens activities, Raptor Project flights and more. Seminar topics will include: Birding by Ear, Shorebird ID, Butterflies, Tales with Tails, Intro to Birding in Spanish, Nature Journaling, Great South Texas Birding Quiz Show and more. The Big Sit on Saturday involves counting birds for twelve hours. Register now so as not to miss out.

Dates: 9 to 13 November 2011
Venue: Harlingen Municipal Auditorium Complex and Casa Amistad
City: Harlingen
State: Texas
Country: United States of America

Eastern Shore Birding and Wildlife Festival

Editor — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 10:39:19 +0000

The 19th Annual Eastern Shore Birding and Wildlife Festival will be a fantastic event for all bird lovers. Friday kicks off with keynote speakers Michael male and Judey Fieth. The resto of the schedule offers a great line-up, including an exhibition, vendors, wildlife watching at Cape Charles, the Family Passport Program, a fun run and more. Be sure to catch this great festival.

Date: 7 to 9 October 2011
Venue: Cape Charles Volunteer Fire Department Building
City: Cape Charles
State: Virginia
Country: United States of America

Sandhill Crane Festival

Editor — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 10:11:18 +0000

For many years Sandhill Cranes have migrated to the delta wetlands where Lodi is now located. Every year thousands of birders visit Lodi’s wildlife refuges and farms to view this natural wonder, and the annual Sandhill Crane Festival is a wonderful time to do this. The festival schedule is made up of tours, workshops and the Sandhill Crane Festival Art show. Featured speakers for the event will be Dr. Richard Beilfuss (International Crane Foundation) and Hank Lentfer (author of “Faith of Cranes: Finding Hope and Family in Alaska”). This festival is a wonderful celebration of these elegant birds and a great opportunity to expand your birding horizons.

Date: 4 to 6 November 2011
Venue: Hutchins Street Square
City: Lodi
State: California
Country: United States of America

15th Annual Central Valley Birding Symposium

Editor — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 09:56:45 +0000

The 15th Annual Central Valley Birding Symposium will feature a full program of talks, discussions, field trips and workshops. Among the speakers will be Ed Harper, John Stirling, Jeffery A. Gordon, Jim Burcio, Scott B. Terrill and others. Worshops will look at bird sketching, swallow identification and warbler identification. There will also be a Birding Nature Fair and Art Show at Stockton Hilton Hotel, where there will be books, software, optics, art and collectibles available. Find out about registration costs and further details on the Central Valley Bird Symposium website.

Date: 17 to 20 November 2011
Time: Registration starts at 15h00
Venue: Stockton Hilton Hotel
State: California
Country: United States of America

2011 HummerBird Celebration

Editor — Wed, 04 May 2011 06:58:42 +0000

With loads of activities for the entire family, the annual HummerBird Celebration offers families a great opportunity to introduce children to the joys of the outdoors and wildlife. James Currie of Nikon Birding Adventures TV-fame will be the keynote speaker at the event. Together with Mike Freiberg of Nikon, he will be filming the activities at the 2011 HummerBird Celebration.

Dates: 15-18 September 2011
Venue: Rockport-Fulton
State: Texas
Country: United States of America