Talk about exciting, April is the turning point for the number of Birding Festivals being held in the United States and Canada, with more than 30 scheduled so far. Every birding festival is different, ranging from a one-day event to a month-long celebration of birds – but they are all created with opportunities for experienced and novice birders in mind – children too. Birding Festivals are a great opportunity to learn more about birds, while connecting with other people interested in birds and birding. At any birding fest you will surely learn more about how to be a better birder, so important, but you will do that in a wonderful social atmosphere where everyone helps one another and we all grow in the process.
Whether there is a birding festival near you, or cross-country at a birding hotspot you have always wished to visit – maybe April is the time to connect with the birds there, in the company of other fun-loving birders. Due to the high number of Birding Festivals being held in the United States in April, we will provide you with 2 lists of April Birding Fests – this early list includes events that take place through mid-April – and we will provide a follow-up list for late April Birding Festivals in next week's issue.
Bring your binoculars, grab your camera, and plan to attend a birding festival when it works best for you. Review the list of early-April Birding Festivals and get more information about each of them by using the links provided below (and we will share the list of late-April birding festivals next week):
April 1 to 30 – Yukon – A Celebration of Swans, Swan Haven Interpretive Center, Marsh Lake, Yukon; see A Celebration of Swans | Yukon.ca
April 6 to 11 – Wisconsin – Wisconsin Prairie Chicken Festival, Paul Olson Wildlife Area, Milladore, Wisconsin; see Wisconsin Prairie Chicken Festival
April 8 to 11 – Texas – Spring Chirp, Valley Nature Center, Weslaco, Texas; see Home - Spring Chirp Birding Festival - Weslaco Texas
April 9 to 12 – Florida – Florida Birding & Nature Festival, Apollo Beach, Florida; see Florida Birding & Nature Festival
April 9 to 12 – Kansas – Kansas Lek Treks Prairie Chicken Festival, Audubon of Kansas, Hays, Kansas; see Kansas Lek Treks
April 10 to May 10 – Georgia – Georgia Bird Fest, Birds Georgia, statewide and Atlanta, Georgia; see Georgia Bird Fest - Birds Georgia
April 11 – Virginia – Virginia Osprey Festival, Virginia Osprey Foundation, Colonial Beach, Virginia; see The Virginia Osprey Foundation | Virginia Osprey Education | Osprey Festival in Virginia
April 11 – Georgia – Wood Stork Birding Festival, Camden County Audubon Society, Georgia; see Wood Stork Birding Festival | Camden County Audubon
April 11 and 12 – Texas – Brownsville Birding Festival, Brownsville, Texas; see Brownsville Birding Festival
April 16 to 19 – Washington – Olympic Birdfest, Sequim, Washington; see HOME - Olympic Birdfest
April 16 to 19 – Oregon – Harney County Migratory Bird Festival, Burns, Oregon; see Migratory Bird Festival | April 16th-19th In Burns, Oregon
April 16 to 19 – Texas – Galveston FeatherFest Birding & Nature Photography Festival, Galveston, Texas; see Galveston Featherfest Birding & Nature Photography Festival
April 16 to 19 – California – Godwit Days, Humbolt Bay, Arcada, California; see Home - Welcome to Godwit Days
[We will complete the list of April Birding Festivals in the next issue, the March 25 issue.]