Popular Hummingbird Festival Returns to Land Between The Lakes’ Woodlands Nature Station

Golden Pond, KY – Come out to Land Between The Lakes (LBL) National Recreation Area and witness the migration of the Ruby-throated hummingbird during the annual Hummingbird Festival Saturday & Sunday, August 4th-5th, at Woodlands Nature Station.

“Hummingbird migration in this area is at its peak in August,” said Nature Station Interpreter Carrie Szwed.  “A large number of hummingbirds stop here on their journey south to Mexico and Central America.  During this time, up to 200 hummingbirds visit our feeders in a single day. The festival is an opportunity to be a part of this awesome event.”

The main Hummingbird Festival events take place at the Nature Station Saturday 9:00am-4:00pm and Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm. Admission to Hummingbird Festival 2012 is $5.00 ages 13 and up, $3.00 ages 5-12, and free for children 4 and under.

Visit with the staff and guest exhibitors to learn more about these amazing little birds and how you can help them survive their long migration. Highlights of the weekend include hummingbird banding demonstrations, a nature photography program, a native plant sale, a honeybee observation hive, activities and games for children, and live animal encounters.

Take-home information will be available about building nest boxes, participating in citizen science projects, downloading nature apps to your smartphones, and more. Be sure to bring your camera to capture the stars of the weekend, the Ruby-throated hummingbirds.

Hummingbird banders from Louisville, Kentucky, Brainard Palmer-Ball Jr. and Mark Monroe, will give up close demonstrations throughout the day on the technique of bird banding.  If a hummingbird is recaptured at another study site along its migration route, the leg band number is recorded and added to a database.

Biologists can then look at all the data collected over the years for clues about the habits of these tiny birds and how best to meet their habitat needs.  Visitors can attend ongoing demonstrations and visit other information stations Saturday 9:00am-4:00pm and Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm.

Other weekend activities include Dinner with the Hummingbirds on Friday, August 3rd. This event requires reservations and full deposits due to limited space.

For complete information or reservations, contact 270.924.2020.

The following is a list of Nature Station programs for the weekend:

Friday, August 3rd
Time	Event
6:00pm-8:00pm	Dinner with the Hummingbirds$20.00 per person (includes dinner and evening admission)
Saturday, August 4th
Time	Event
9:00am-4:00pm	Hummingbird Banding Demonstrations
10:00am	Hummingbirds 101
11:00am	Hummingbird Photography: The Basics & More
12:00pm	Hummingbirds 101
1:00pm	Hummingbird Photography: The Basics & More
2:00pm	Hummingbirds 101
3:00pm	Gardening for Hummingbirds & Butterflies
Sunday, August 4th
Time	Event
10:00am-4:00pm	Hummingbird Banding Demonstrations
11:00am	Hummingbird Photography: The Basics & More
12:00pm	Hummingbirds 101
1:00pm	Hummingbird Folklore
2:00pm	Hummingbirds 101
3:00pm	Hummingbirds for Kids

 

Come Outside and Play at Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area.  Managed by the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Land Between The Lakes provides outdoor recreation, lake access, and environmental education for the public to enjoy.

Visitors are encouraged to review LBL’s official website at www.lbl.org often for Calendar of Events, updates on programs and policies, safety information, maps, temporary trail and road closures, and additional LBL information, or call 800.LBL.7077 or 270.924.2000.

Follow LBL on www.Twitter.com/LBLScreechOwl, www.Twitter.com/LandBtwnLakes, or http://landbetweenthelakes.blogspot.com/.