The festival will have art projects for kids, hands on activities, and raptor exhibits. Attendees can also go on birding field trips with experts to identify waterfowl and migrating songbirds while exploring along the Columbia River. During the day, shuttles will run from Pateros to Chelan Ridge where families, bird lovers, and learners of all ages will be able to see raptors like Sharp-shinned Hawks up close before they are banded and released. This is an amazing experience with environmental education and interpretation conducted by an on-site educator, Forest Service personnel, and other volunteers.
A Merlin captured and banded at the HawkWatch site in September of 2008. Photo by Teri J Pieper
On Sunday, continuing the celebration of Hawk Migration, the North Cascades Basecamp, a festival sponsor, will be hosting a pancake breakfast with an expert speaker and then providing a guide for a field trip to Harts Pass, another excellent place to view migrating raptors. Call 509.996.2334 for more information or see their booth at the festival in Pateros.This festival is scheduled to coincide with the peak of southbound migration of raptors at Chelan Ridge—the best place in Washington to view fall migrating raptors. All three partners have a mission to provide education to our communities and this hands-on event is a great opportunity. This educational effort is focused on raptors and the ecosystems upon which we all rely. According to Kent Woodruff, a biologist for the Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests, "The Chelan Ridge project is good news for hawks, which in some cases still face challenges for survival. It’s also great for nature enthusiasts who like to see animals in the wild doing what comes naturally and see scientists at work trying to learn more about the raptors as they migrate south to spend the winter."
To pre-register for the field trips leaving from Pateros and to reserve a space in the shuttle to Chelan Ridge, please call 509-731-4790.
For more information about this free festival, please visit http://www.ncwaudubon.org/ or email festival@ncwaudubon.org.
North Central Washington Audubon Society works to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds and their habitats, for the benefit of people and the biological diversity of North Central Washington.
HawkWatch International (HWI) is a Salt Lake City-based nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving the environment through education, long-term monitoring, and scientific research on raptors as indicators of ecosystem health.
Methow Valley Ranger District, U.S. Forest Service celebrates 100 Years of Caring for the Land and Serving People.
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