Make Plans Now for Island Bird Festival

A fledgling Rough-legged Hawk. Photo by Sandy Petersen.

Washington Island’s 10th annual Island Bird Festival is scheduled for June 3 – 5, 2016. Explore the wild nature of Washington and Rock Islands during festival weekend. Help to locate, identify and enjoy the common as well as unusual birds, and learn about the miracle of bird migration. Also, help raise funds toward the Door County Land Trust’s work with these island natural places.

The evening program for June 4 at 7 pm, presented by biologist and festival director Sandy Petersen, is “In Search of the Mountain ‘Buzzard’.” She will discuss how young hawks survive in years of changing food supplies. This will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church. Pre-registration is required.

Guides for the festival are: Bruce Abraham (Door County birding); Dale and Glenys Bird (photography/bird studies); Roma Lenehan (birder/warbler specialist); Charles Naeseth (bird lister/bird song); Paul Noeldner (naturalist/bird guide), and Susan Slapnick (bird and prairie specialist). For more information about the festival visit islandbirdfest.org.