Migrating shorebirds will be part of the mix at many of the September birding festivals (Sanderling photo by Paul Konrad).

Post Labor Day, birding festivals rekindle during September for you to take advantage of the chance to share your interests in birds at special migration stopover locations. Some of the biggest and longest-running birding festivals take center stage, from the Minnesota Northwoods (Hawk Weekend Festival) to the coast of Texas (Rockport–Fulton HummerBird Festival), and points east and west where birders can learn more about birds, especially migrating birds, ranging from eagles to hummingbirds – all in a social setting shared by birders ranging from beginners to pros.

September birding festivals give birders chances to spend time in the field at hawk counting stations, visit hummingbird gardens during peak migration stopover periods, plus learn more about birds and birding from professionals in the field and at workshops and speaking presentations. Plus, you have the enviable chance to interact with, visit with, and share time birding with others from near and far who share your interest in birds. To get more information about each of the upcoming September birding festivals, please refer to the links provided below:

September 13 to 15 – Illinois – The Urban Birding Festival, Chicago, Illinois; see The Urban Birding Festival

September 14 – Colorado – Fall Birding Festival, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, Barr Lake State Park, Brighton, Colorado (adjacent to Denver); see Events for August 2024 – Connecting People, Birds and Land for a Healthy World (birdconservancy.org)

September 14 & 21 – Texas – Extreme Hummingbird Extravaganza, Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, Lake Jackson, Texas; see Xtreme Hummingbird Xtravaganza - Gulf Coast Bird Observatory (gcbo.org)

September 19 to 22 – Texas – Rockport–Fulton HummerBird Festival, Rockport & Fulton, Texas; see Rockport-Fulton HummerBird Celebration

September 20 to 22 – Minnesota – Hawk Weekend Festival, Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory, Duluth, Minnesota; see Hawk Weekend Festival 2024 : Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory

September 20 to 22 – Washington – Wings Over Willapa Festival, Willapa National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Long Beach, Washington; see Wings 2024 (friendsofwillaparefuge.org)

September 20 to 22 – Ohio – Headlands Birding Festival, Headlands Beach State Park, Mentor, Ohio; see 2024 Headlands Birding Festival - City of Mentor, Ohio

September 21 to 28 – Texas – Houston Bird Week, Houston Audubon, Houston, Texas; see Bird Week | Programs | Houston Audubon

September 27 to 29 – Texas – Celebration of Flight, Corpus Christi HawkWatch, Corpus Christi, Texas; see Celebration of Flight – HawkWatch International

September 21 – North Carolina, Carolina Bird Club Fall Birding Weekend, Hendersonville and Beaufort, North Carolina; see A new concept for Fall meeting (carolinabirdclub.org)

September 28 – South Carolina – Carolina Bird Club Fall Birding Weekend, Myrtle Beach, Pickens, Hopkins, and “The Triangle” in South Carolina; see A new concept for Fall meeting (carolinabirdclub.org)