John James Audubon State Park will be fluttering with activity later this month during the Ohio Valley Birding Festival.
The annual event is set for April 25-27 in locations around the Tri-state, but the events at Audubon State Park will all take place on Saturday, April 26, and will include guided birdwatching hikes, workshops and lectures on bird-related topics.
In addition, free admission will be offered at Audubon Museum on April 26, which happens to be John James Audubon’s 240th birthday.
Here’s the schedule for April 26.
7 a.m.: Birding at Audubon Wetlands, approximately two hours. Meets at Audubon Wetlands on Wolf Hills Road and wear shoes for marshy conditions. Participants will help identify this bottomland forest’s birds. Note: There is an active Bald Eagle nest at this location. The hike will be dependent on the Ohio River flood stage, and an alternative hike may be substituted with the meeting point at Audubon Museum.
9 a.m.: Audubon’s Bird Migration Walk, approximately 1.5 hours. Meets at Audubon Museum. Birds that may be spotted include woodland songbirds, shorebirds and woodpeckers. Beginner bird-watchers welcome.
10:30 a.m.-1 p.m.: Family Birding Fun, Audubon Museum, will feature these educational booths:
-Build A Better Nest: Have a look at bird nests of various species and try to build one.
-Binoculars 101: Learn how to use binoculars and test your skills.
-Be a Bird: Create a bird mask.
-Drawing Audubon-Style: A staff artist will demonstrate Audubon’s technique, then you can try it yourself.
-Birds & Beaks, Words & Wishes: Storytelling by Susan Fowler.
-Upcycled Bird Feeders: Bring a clean, dry, plastic soda bottle and repurpose it into a functional bird feeder with the help of the staff of Wild Birds Unlimited.
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Hands-On Bird Banding Workshop with Master Bird Bander Scott Kramer. Help with an ongoing conservation project to help with the understanding of bird migration, behavior, social structure, lifespan, survival rates and population trends.
11 a.m.: Planting Natives in Any Sized Plot or Pot, approximately one hour. Author Sharon Sorensen (“Planting Native To Attract Birds in Your Yard”) will share her gardening expertise and experience in attracting and increasing bird and butterfly traffic. Sorenson’s books will be available for sale.
12:30 p.m.: Bird Friendly Coffee and You, Greg DuBois of the Will County, Illinois, Audubon Society, approximately one hour. DuBois will share a brief history of coffee consumption and production and its connection to the Smithsonian Certified Bird Friendly Coffee.
2 p.m.: Raptors Wild presented by The Talon Trust, approximately one hours. Volunteer will share stories of birds that have been injured and can’t survive in the wild and now serve as ambassadors for their species.
3 p.m.: Owl Puke — Yuck! Or Not?, approximately 45 minutes. Discover what critters the owls consider a tasty dinner when you dissect a sterilized owl pellet.
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Here are some other festival activities:
- 7 a.m., Friday, April 25, Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge Birding Hike. Meet at Boyd Woods, Oakland City, Ind. Approximately 2-3 hours.
- 5 p.m., Friday, April 25, Howell Wetlands Birding Hike. Meet at Howell Wetlands parking lot, 1400 Tekoppel Ave., Evansville. Approximately 2 hours.
- 7 a.m., Sunday, April 27, Eagle Slough Birding Hike. Meet at Eagle Slough entrance on Waterworks Road just north of Ellis Park. Approximately 2 hours.
- 1 p.m., Sunday, April 27, Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve Birding Hike. Meet in the Nature Center, 551 N. Boeke Road, Evansville. Approximately 1 hour.
2:30 p.m., Sunday April 27, Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve Raptor Encounter.
