Festival Of Hawks Happening This Weekend At Holiday Beach Conservation Area

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The annual Festival of Hawks takes place this weekend at the Holiday Beach Conservation Area. Audubon Magazine has identified Holiday Beach Conservation Area as one of the 10 best sites in all of North America to experience the raptor migration, and guests travel from around the globe to witness tens of thousands of hawks and raptors flying overhead on their annual journey to nesting grounds in the south.

There’s a full slate of hikes and workshops all included with the entry fee of just $20 per vehicle. Experts will conduct raptor and hummingbird banding and adoptions in support of their important species and populations monitoring efforts each year.

“After a slow start, hawks are really beginning to fly through the Holiday Beach area,” said Hugh Kent, President of the Holiday Beach Migration Observatory. “Hopefully, their numbers will gradually increase for the Hawk Fest this coming weekend.”

This year’s Festival will also include a number of new children’s activities, including a woodland Critter Parade at 1:30pm at the Outdoor Classroom both days. Guests are encouraged to come dressed as their favourite woodland critter, or to make a mask at the event tent and join in. Kids can also take a chance at the Birds of a Feather Treasure Hunt and match clues to hidden birds and feathers along the trail. The program schedule is available online.

The Festival takes place 9:00am to 3:00pm on September 13th and 14th. The best raptor viewing time is from 9:00am until noon when the hawks fly low.