Southwest Utah's St. George Winter Bird Festival

Wednesday January 23, 2013   |

The 2013 St. George Winter Bird Festival, to be held Jan. 24-26, offers exciting opportunities to view Southern Utah's unique wildlife up close and personal.

Southwest Utah habitats can attract over 375 species of birds during the year. The habitats range from desert, forest, and riparian. During the St. George winter months many waterfowl migrate through and stop at our lakes and reservoirs. Raptors especially, find this region an ideal location for the cold months. Whether you are a beginner or longtime birder, you will find many attendees that are eager to share their experiences and enthusiasm for birding.

Participants can attend any of the Festival's multiple presentations, workshops or field trips for a minimal $5.00 - 3-day general admisson pass per person (children 17 & under are free). All the activities, except for the evening presentations, are based at Tonaquint Park and Nature Center. In between all the activities, guests can browse through the Dixie Arizona Strip Interpretive Association's bookstore, grab a snack or hot drink, or purchase a 2013 St. George Winter Bird Festival collectible event t-shirt or hat at the Red Cliffs Audubon Society's booth.

http://sgcity.org/birdfestival/

Check-In Procedures: $5.00 general admisson passes can be picked up at the Community Arts Building on Thursday and also at the RCAS's booth located at Tonaquint Park on Friday and Saturday. Registration can be completed via on-line, over the phone, or by mail (form available on last page of brochure)

Field Trips: All field trips depart from the Tonaquint Park parking lot next to the Conservation Garden area. Participants will check in with a designated field trip leader and are encouraged to carpool to the field trip site. There are 11 field trips to select from, however, please note that some field trips require pre-registration due to a limited number of guests at particular sites. Pre-registration is taken on a first comefirst served basis and can be completed via on-line, over the phone, or by mail (form available on last page of brochure). A general admission ticket must be presented before departure.

Presentations/Workshops: All presentations and workshops will be hosted at the Tonaquint Nature Center, except for the evening presentations and banquet. The Thursday and Friday evening presentations will be held at the Community Arts Building (top floor) located at 86 South Main Street. Parking is available between the Community Arts Building and the Washington County Library- St. George Branch and around the Town Square plaza. General admission ticket must be presented at the door. (An elevator is available at the back, or West entrance of the building.)

Bird Photography Contest: The photo contest is open to all! All images must be submitted by January 7, 2013. Details on the contest can be found at www.sgcity.org/birdfestival. Images will be on display at the Red Cliffs Mall. The contest is sponsored by Clik Elite. Local Youth Art Contest: The youth art contest is open to all Washington County school district children in 6-7th grade. The top artists will have their artwork displayed at the Community Arts Building and be awarded prizes at the Friday evening's presentation.

Banquet and Silent Auction: Join fellow birders for the annual Saturday evening banquet. This year, Mr. Christopher Balmer is the keynote speaker. He will be sharing his passion for wildlife photography along with his special interest in Northwestern owls. Guests are encouraged to take a few moments and browse through many of the display items up for bid. Items include Desert Adventure packages, local historical literature, jewelry and artwork by local artists and much more! Tickets are $22 per person and pre-registration is required by January 17, 2013. However, if space is available, you may still be able to attend. Please inquire at the RCAS's booth. Pre-registration can be completed via on-line, over the phone, or by mail (form available on last page of brochure).