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Celebrate our feathered friends at the Creston Valley Bird Festival

The festival runs May 7 to 9
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Nelson’s Gaelen Schnare will host one of the presentations at this year’s Creston Valley Bird Festival. Photo: Submitted

Submitted by Creston Valley Bird Festival

The Creston Valley Bird Festival, May 7, 8 and 9, will be different this year. There will still be a celebration of the return of the birds to the Creston Valley, but with small family group events and virtual presentations from all parts of Canada.

It opens with an online auction of 35 avian-centred gifts May 1 to 8.

Generous valley merchants such as Lark Coffee, Kootenay Alpine Meadows, Red Bird Estate Winery, Red Barn, and Baillie Grohman Estate Winery have donated some fabulous prizes to the bird festival. They can be won three ways:

1. Creston’s Big Day: Go outside, observe and record as many bird species as possible throughout the weekend.

Birding lists are available at www.crestonvalleybirds.ca. Submit your checklist to info@crestonvalleybirds.ca or drop them off at Red Barn (1513 Canyon St., Creston)

2. Bird Bingo cards can be found on the festival website, at the Red Barn, at local grocery stores, and through the schools. Each completed bingo row gives you an entry into the draw.

3. Send your birding photographs to info@crestonvalleybirds.ca. Prizes will be awarded to the top three photos of the festival weekend.

Enter all submissions before noon on Sunday, May 9, for a chance to win.

Our virtual events are specially designed for the Creston Valley Bird Fest and include:

• Gaelen Schnare, Nelson’s own 15-year-old expert birder, has created an amazing audio/visual presentation on the birds of the Creston Valley most commonly sighted during festival weekends.

• Dr. Jim Duncan, live from Winnipeg, talks “owly” and is accompanied by education ambassador Rusty, the Long-eared Owl.

• Keynote speaker John Acorn, from Edmonton, has been bringing nature into living rooms for years with his Nature Nut TV series. Half the History of Birding is his personal journey as a birder.

• Dr. David Bird’s presentation Why Birds Matter will give us a bird’s eye-view of the value of our feathered friends, what is befalling them, who is out there to help, and what can we do.

• Can’t travel to Queensland, Australia this year? In a live Zoom presentation, join photographer/naturalist Gary Davidson, from his armchair in Nakusp, to view the spectacular birds of Down Under.

• From 100-Mile House, Paul Foth will help you navigate the wonderful world of E-bird. He will also give clues on bird identification: where and how to find birds in the Creston Valley. (Hint: Paul’s workshops can help with completing your Bird Bingo card.)

• For kids: The Discovery Centre will host Birding 101, a special presentation on why birds are so special! Learn about some fun facts and information related to bird biology.

Registration is open at: www.crestonvalleybirds.ca

Prices are per event or $40 for the entire festival. Choose your own adventure, go outside, and celebrate spring migration with the birds.