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Hummingbird Festival Returns to LBL's Woodlands Nature Station
GOLDEN POND, KY - Come witness the migration of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird during the annual Hummingbird Festival August 1 & 2 at Land Between The Lakes (LBL) National Recreation Area.
"Hummingbird migration in this area is at its peak in August," said Nature Station Interpreter Aviva Yasgur. "A large number of hummingbirds stop here on their journey south to Mexico and Central America. It is possible to see up to 200 hummingbirds in a single day during this time of the year. The festival is an opportunity to be a part of this wondrous natural event."
The main Hummingbird Festival events take place at the Nature Station on Saturday, August 1 from 9am-4pm and Sunday, August 2 from 10am-2pm. Team up with Nature Station staff to learn tips and techniques on hummingbird ecology, as well as how to help hummingbirds and other wildlife in your own yard. Children can enjoy participating in hands-on activities throughout the day. Be sure to bring your camera to capture unique pictures.
Bill Hilton Jr., Director of Hilton Pond Center of Piedmont Natural History and Operation RubyThroat, will give up-close demonstrations of hummingbird banding, and talk about the behavior and migration of the amazing Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Mr. Hilton will give presentations throughout the day for participants who want to observe and learn about this important bird study technique. Hilton will band hummingbirds throughout the weekend. Visitors can attend his ongoing demonstrations Saturday 9am-4pm and Sunday 10am-2pm.
Banding is a way of identifying and tracking individual birds. If a hummingbird is recaptured at another study site along its migration route, the leg band number is recorded and added to a large database. Biologists can then look at all the data collected over the years for clues about the habits of these tiny birds and how to best meet their habitat needs.
Admission to Hummingbird Festival 2009 is $5 for ages 13 and up and $3 for ages 5-12. For more information or to register for the Friday programs, contact LBL at 270-924-2020.
Other weekend activities include two special programs on Friday, July 31. The Operation RubyThroat: GLOBE Hummingbird Project Training workshop on Friday morning will teach and certify you to collect data about hummingbirds and share it with scientists across the GLOBE network. The workshop will take place from 8:30am-2:30pm at the Nature Station. Program has limited space, and reservations are required.
On Friday evening, from 6-8pm, join us for Dinner with the Hummingbirds at the Nature Station. Bill Hilton Jr. will demonstrate the process of hummingbird banding. Also, enjoy a catered dinner as you relax amidst the gardens and watch these flying jewels have a feeding frenzy of their own. Program has limited space, and reservations are required. A $15 per person fee includes dinner and evening admission.
Land Between The Lakes is managed by the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, in partnership with "Friends of LBL", to provide public lands outdoor recreation and environmental education. We encourage visitors to review our website at www.lbl.org each season, and throughout the season, for our Calendar of Events, updates on programs and policies, and temporary trail and road closures. Additional LBL information is also available on our website or by calling 1-800-LBL-7077 or 270-924-2000. You can find out more about "Friends of LBL" at www.friendsoflbl.org.
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Media Contact: 270-924-2000
(July 16, 2009)