Spring Birding Festivals

Story and photos by Barbara Dunn, Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania

Somewhere, someone is throwing a wild bird party this spring, and you're invited. The best part? You get to choose the theme.

Want to add that elusive bobolink to your life list? There's a festival for that.

Want to see warblers flying down from the sky like rain? There's a festival for that.

Or maybe you just want to meet new bird friends and get outdoors. There's a festival for that, too.

Just Google your bird list, and you'll probably find a festival to suit.

Try Something New

I went to my first festival last April, at New River Gorge near Fayetteville, West Virginia-and it turned out to be a perfect fit. My choice was based on three things: a friendly atmosphere, a focus on warblers and a location close enough to drive to in one day.

I met people from more than 30 states, some from as far away as California and Arizona. My best bird buddy went with me, and we had a blast!

West Virginia's slogan is "Wild and Wonderful," and that describes its birding opportunities, too. The Appalachian forests are among the most biologically diverse on earth, making them a hot spot for spring migrants and a place to see warblers galore.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology even recognizes the area as a crucial stopover for the survival of the golden-winged, blue-winged and Swainson's warblers, as well as the scarlet tanager.

Listen, Then Look

With a fantastic lineup, from early-morning bird trips to great evening programs, we never had to wonder what to do next. Our talented guides would pick up barely perceptible bird songs and share them with the group. They often gave us clever tips that helped us remember which song went with which bird.

My favorite tip was from Jim McCormac, a naturalist from Ohio. He played a snippet of R2D2 during his evening program and noted that the sound was similar to a bobolink's call. Sure enough, the next morning I thought I heard the chirpy Star Wars robot in the field-and when I took a closer look, I discovered it was a bobolink.

New River was everything I hoped for in my first bird festival. Among the 139 species I saw there, 28 of them were warblers.

I added eight new birds to my life list, including the coveted cerulean warbler. One man on the trip recorded 70 life birds. Now, that's a reason to celebrate!

Spring Hot Spots

Here are a few birding festivals to get you started this spring. Visit the Community section to share more great hot spots with fellow readers.

• Kansas Birding Festival
• Wakefield, Kansas
• April 23-25
• Web site

• New River Birding & Nature Festival
• Fayetteville, West Virginia
• April 26-May 2
• 304-574-4258

• 8th Annual Galveston FeatherFest
• Galveston Island, Texas
• April 8-10
• Web site
• 888-425-4753

• 10th Annual Balcones Songbird Festival
• Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge
• Marble Falls, Texas
• April 23-26
• Web site

• 18th Annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival
• Homer, Alaska
• May 6-9
• Web site
• 907-235-7740

• The Biggest Week in American Birding
• Black Swamp Bird Observatory
• Oak Harbor, Ohio
• May 7-16
• Web site
• 419-898-4070

• Ute Mountain Mesa Verde Birding Festival
• Cortez Cultural Center
• Cortez, Colorado
• May 12-16
• Web site
• 970-565-4075

• Roger Tory Peterson Birding Festival
• Jamestown Community College
• Jamestown, New York
• June 10-13
• Web site
• 800-758-6841