Welcome to the SIXTH annual Green Lake Bird Festival!
We have activities planned for ALL levels of bird enthusiasm.
FRIDAY
The Bird Festival kicks off on Friday evening, with the ever-popular birdwatcher’s social called Birds and Brews: A Birdwatching Social in the Town Square lobby on April 27th from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. (See HERE for details).
SATURDAY
6:00 - 8:30 am | Bird Hike at Sunnyside Conservancy
Join us for a hike with the Green Lake Association's Green Team. To reach Sunnyside Conservancy, take South Street east out of Green Lake, and after crossing Hwy A it will become Sunnyside Road. Follow it east about 1/2 mile to Lakeview Drive and turn right (south). Go to the bottom of the hill, turn left into the parking lot. There is NO CHARGE for the bird hike, and extra binoculars will be available.
8:45 am | Back to Green Lake Town Square
Coffee and Renard’s FRESH Cinnamon rolls will be available. Tom Schultz will provide a recap of the birds seen during the hike that morning.
9:30 am | Welcome and Bird City Wisconsin Presentation
The City of Green Lake is a recipient of this prestigious award, which honors Wisconsin communities who follow criteria that demonstrate they are bird-friendly. Mayor Jon McConnell will be present to say a few words about Bird City.
9:45 am | "Helping Migratory Birds in our Backyards"
Avian Ecologist Kim Grveles of the Bureau of Natural Heritage Conservation at the Department of Natural Resources will be speaking about the Wisconsin Stopover Initiative (WISI) in her program entitled “Helping Migratory Birds in our Backyards”. Every spring and fall, tens of millions of migrating birds sweep through the Great Lakes region and stop at a variety of sites. Find out why these places are important to protect.
10:45 am | "Who’s Calling? Methods to Learning Bird Song."
Jeff Baughman, Field Trip Co-Chair for WSO (Wisconsin Society for Ornithology) will focus on helping the beginning birder learn the language of birds in his fun presentation, “Who’s Calling? Methods to Learning Bird Song.” Identifying birds by the sounds they make is one of the most challenging but fulfilling skills a birder can develop. Find out how you can "tune in" and become proficient.
11:45 AM | “Early Birders and Bird Populations of Green Lake County”
Program presented by Tom Schultz, local bird expert and professional wildlife artist, entitled “Early Birders and Bird Populations of Green Lake County”. Tom’s presentation will take a brief look at the history of birds recorded in the Green Lake Area, and the people paying attention.
Lunch Break
Participants are encouraged to have lunch Downtown in one of the nearby restaurants and then head to Caestecker Library by 1:15 pm to catch the FINAL ACT of the day.
1:15 pm | Western Great Lakes Bird and Bat Observatory"
Presentation by Chuck Hagner, former Editor-in-chief of Bird Watching magazine and the Board Chair of the Observatory where he shares important research and monitoring projects taking place to advance the conservation of birds and bats throughout the Great Lakes region.
Green Lake Bird Festival events are FREE OF CHARGE, with no pre-registration required. This festival is a celebration of the birds that live all around us, and fulfill one of the requirements necessary for Green Lake to be officially recognized as a Wisconsin Bird City. If you have any questions about this event, call Tom Schultz at 920-960-1796.