New for 2011!
Pre-BirdFest Orientation, Presentation
& Welcome Reception
All registrants are invited to attend the Pre-BirdFest
Orientation, Presentation & Welcome Reception, Wednesday, Oct. 5, 6-8pm, Delta Hall, 5
Rivers Delta Resource Center. Enjoy beverages and a light meal and meet your
fellow birders. Pick up your registration packet if you wish and get directions
for meet-the-bus or drive-yourself trips. Local birder and photographer Kathy
Hicks will present “Nature Through our Lenses,” a musical slide show of bird
and nature photos taken by some of the area’s finest photographers, including year’s
poster photographer, Sherry
Stimpson Frost, and former BirdFest artists, Bill Summerour, Terry Hartley, Lisa
Comer, and
BirdFest founder John L. Borom, plus outstanding images from members of Mobile’s CameraSouth, the Eastern Shore Camera Club, and Pensacola’s Wide Angle Photo Club.
FREE WITH YOUR $15 BIRDFEST REGISTRATION FEE.
No advance reservation required.
* * * * * * * * * *
Free workshops
5 Rivers Delta Center during BirdFest
week
Open to all. No advance registration required (*except where noted). Schedule subject
to change.
THURSDAY, Oct. 6
5 Rivers Woodland
Walk
12 Noon, Thursday. Meet at Delta Hall
With
its lush, diverse forest, many visitors are surprised to learn that the 80-acre
5 Rivers property was created as a dredge material disposal site just 40 years
ago. Birders won’t be surprised to find that birds are largely responsible for
the forest here today. Join Hank Burch, manager of the 5 Rivers Center, on an interpretive walking tour of the
site. See some of his favorite plants and learn about challenges we face with
invasive, exotic plant species. Workshop is free and open to all. No advance
registration required.
PLANTS for Birds &
Butterflies
Thursday, 2pm. Delta Hall Deck and Yard
The
right plants can go a long way toward attracting birds, butterflies, and other
wildlife to your yard. Experts from Dodd & Dodd Nursery will show you how to create your own backyard
habitat. Workshop is free and open to all. No advance registration required.
Evolution of Birds
Thursday, 3pm, Delta Hall Classroom
Which
came first, the chicken or the egg? Actually, reptiles were the first to figure
out how to lay eggs on land. Joel Borden, an instructor of herpetology and ornithology at the University of
South Alabama, talks about the evolutionary connections between reptiles and
birds. Workshop is free and open to all. No advance registration required.
Introduction to
Wildlife Photography
Thursday, 4-6pm, Tensaw Theater & outdoors
Whether
you have a point-and-click camera or professional equipment, photographer Kathy
Hicks can help you snap the perfect
wildlife shot. This workshop offers tips and techniques for composing and
framing, getting the focus you want, and planning your photography trip to
maximize wildlife viewing opportunities. Participants should bring their
cameras, as Kathy will lead them outside at 5 Rivers to see what they can
collect. Workshop is free and open to all. No advance registration required.
Friday, Oct. 7
5 Rivers Woodland
Walk
12 Noon, Friday. Meet at Delta Hall
With
its lush, diverse forest, many visitors are surprised to learn that the 80-acre
5 Rivers property was created as a dredge material disposal site just 40 years
ago. Birders won’t be surprised to find that birds are largely responsible for
the forest here today. Join Hank Burch, manager of the 5 Rivers Center, on an interpretive walking tour of the
site. See some of his favorite plants and learn about challenges we face with
invasive, exotic plant species. Workshop is free and open to all. No advance
registration required.
Growing Up Wild:
Fun with Feathered Friends
Friday, 1pm, Lil’ Bateau Classroom
Get the little ones started in birding! This is part of 5 Rivers’ series of
programs designed for preschool-aged children. *They must pre-register by
calling 5 Rivers (251-625-0814). They’ll learn about the mechanics of bird shapes (beaks,
talons, feathers, etc.) and will learn about the variety of birds we have in
Alabama.
Alabama’s Forever
Wild Program: A Conservation Success Story
Friday, 2pm, Tensaw Theater
In
1992, the citizens of Alabama overwhelmingly approved a state constitutional
amendment to create the Alabama Forever Wild Land Trust. Since then, the
program has preserved over 220,000 acres of conservation land in Alabama,
including the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta and Grand Bay Savanna, which are
BirdFest tour stops. Hank Burch,
Manager of the 5 Rivers Center, will explore how this program works, what it
has accomplished, and what is in store for its future. Workshop is free and
open to all. No advance registration required.
Raptor Rehab
Friday, 3pm, Tensaw Theater
The Mobile County Public School System operates the Environmental
Studies Center, which serves as both an outdoor education facility and as a
wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center. ESC staff will be at 5 Rivers to
talk about their wildlife rehabilitation program and will bring along a few
rehabilitated raptors that cannot be released to the wild due to
their injuries. Learn what to do (and not to do) if you come across an
injured animal.
BONUS! Bird
PhOTOGrAPhy By SPeCieS:
WAderS, GUllS, ANd
TerNS
NOTE:
There is a fee for this comprehensive four-hour workshop. See details and contact information below. Stick around on Sunday, Oct. 9, for this comprehensive Kathy Hicks photography
workshop. In the classroom, you’ll
learn about photography challenges that happen with particular birds and how to
conquer them. You will learn about where, how, and when to approach different
birds and how to make photographs that “wow” the viewer. In the second half,
the class will head outside to find photo opportunities. All skill levels
welcome. 4 hours. Class Limit: 12. $65.00. *To register or for more information (location and times), visit www.NeonFlamingos.com,
email Kathy@neonflamingos.com, or call 251-751-9195.
* * * * * * * * * *
The 8th Annual Bird & Conservation Expo
Saturday, Oct. 8
9am – 4pm
Faulkner State
Community College in downtown Fairhope
Bring the whole family for hands-on kids’
activities and fun for all ages!
•
Birdhouse Build with Boy Scouts Pack 47
•
Raptor Trek! - Alabama 4-H Center, Alabama’s Premier live raptor show
Alabama
Snakes w/ Dr. David Nelson & Crew from 5 Rivers
•
Birding and nature films
•
Exhibits, Vendors and Artists
•
Sea Creature touch tanks from Marine Resources, Alabama Dept. of Conservation
& Natural Resources
•
Kids’ hands-on bird & nature workshops throughout the day
•
Learn about Alabama State Parks, Alabama’s Birding Trails, and Alabama’s
Forever Wild Tracts
* * * * * * * * * *
Grand Festival of ARt
& Grand Festival of Books
Saturday &
Sunday, Oct. 8 & 9
10am – 5pm
The Bird
and Conservation Expo takes place adjacent to the 29th Annual Grand Festival of
Art, sponsored by the
Eastern Shore Art Center. This premier fall event is an exciting opportunity to
view and acquire the works of over 100 participating artists from throughout
the country. Admission is free. Visit the website for the Eastern
Shore Art Center for
more information.
New this
year, the Grand Festival of
Books, features readings,
signings, and discussions, with local, regional, and national authors—for
booklovers of all ages. Visit PageandPalette.com for details.
