Hey Tweets...this is the long-awaited (I hope) announcement for the 2013
Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival, our 18th annual in its present
configuration. I began volunteering with the festival in 2002, so you would
expect me to have it pretty much perfected by now...but as those of you who
did not get their lunches, or got them late know...it is not the case! I
promise to do better this year.

This year we have Clay Taylor, digiscoper extraordinaire of Swarovski
Optiks, as our Keynote Speaker on Friday, April 26th. His program will be,
"The Great Texas Birding Challenge and Digiscoping." He will also offer a
digiscoping field trip to Ocean Shores on Sunday, April 28th.

We have field trips, starting with one to Tokeland/Grayland/Westport and
one to Ocean Shores on Friday, then on Saturday Point Grenville, a second
trip to Ocean Shores, Lake Quinault and the Rain Forest, and the GHNWR, and
on Sunday we offer a second Westport field trip.

Both Saturday and Sunday we offer a basic shorebird identification class, a
real help to those who want a quick but thorough introduction to the local
shorebirds, followed by the trip out to the Sandpiper Trail at the refuge
to put your newly trained eyes to the test.

We also would encourage you to sign up for a wonderful hour with Hoquiam's
own Tom Rowley for a program titled "The Joy of Shorebirds". Tom and his
wife have made the refuge and surrounding area the destination of their
near-daily walks, and he has faithfully and lovingly documented the birds
they see on those walks. It is a lovely program, offered on Saturday the
27th from 10-11am.

For your dining pleasure, join us for the Saturday night banquet and
auction; this is the main event we count on to raise money for the
education of the local children. Your generous donations pay for the buses
to bring classrooms out to the refuge for an up-close viewing of the birds,
and a better understanding of the local ecosystem.

Finally, our Fun Fair promises to be really entertaining for the children
this year (or the child in you), with face-painting, bird mask-making,
button-making, a great Mudflat Meals Workshop where you can see what the
shorebirds eat...through microscopes, and painting hand-carved Red Knots.
New this year is a Saturday parade for the kids, wearing their bird masks,
and led by a really big bird. We also feature some really fine photography,
gifts, books, clothing, birding accessories, bird food, and fine optics
from our vendors, some informative exhibitors, and more of Hoquiam-based
goodies from Nancy's Baked Goods and Deidra's Deli. We will have a latte
stand, and new this year, real French crepes.

So there you are...a multitude of reasons to head for the Grays Harbor
Shorebird Festival, the weekend of April 26th through 28th. For more
information be sure to check out our web site at
http://www.shorebirdfestival.com
You will find contact information there, as well as more detailed
information on the events.

Come see the birds!

Dianna Moore/Registrar
dlmoor2 at coastaccess.com
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