Attention all bird enthusiasts! The Coastal Bend boasts hundreds of resident and migratory birds, making it the richest birding region in North America. Corpus Christi’s Birding Festival, dubbed “The Birdiest Festival in America,” will be held from Apr. 24-28.
The Coastal Bend’s unique geography places it at the convergence of major spring migration flyways and features diverse coastal landscapes. This positioning renders our city an ideal location for a wide array of bird species and a prime destination for witnessing migration spectacles. Join over 200 avid birders for four action-packed days filled with premier birding opportunities, informative speakers, classes, and more. This event offers 18 individually priced birding field trips spanning The Coastal Bend.
If you’re new to birding and don’t know where to begin, worry not! The festival includes an “Intro to Birding” seminar led by seasoned Audubon Outdoor Club of Corpus Christi member and former president Steve Cook. Other seminars and workshops include “Shorebird Identification” with Cameron Cox, “Macro Photography on the Cheap” with Patty Beasley, “Hummingbirds – Their Amazing Lives” with Brent Ortego, “Hawk Watching 101” with Libby Even and “Finding Birds 101” with Ben Horstmann. Each field trip, presentation and workshop requires individual registration.
This year’s Keynote Speaker, Cameron Cox, will deliver a presentation titled “The Beauty of Terns” at 5:30 p.m. on Apr. 26. Cox will discuss the remarkable migratory behaviors of terns, their elegant appearance and their captivating courtship rituals. With 30 years of birding experience, Cox is passionate about educating others on birds and the subtleties of bird identification. He is the proprietor of Avocet Birding Courses, which offers workshops and tours aimed at enhancing birding skills and knowledge. Additionally, Cox is the co-author of “The Peterson Reference Guide to Seawatching” and author of “Terns of North America, a Photographic Guide,” along with numerous articles on shorebird and waterfowl identification.
The event will also host bird walks at the South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center, situated along a prime migration corridor. One of last year’s festival bird walks recorded 92 different species in just three hours. Bird walks cost $20 per person and will occur from Apr. 25 through Apr. 27, from 9 a.m. to noon and, on Apr. 28 from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Additionally, on Saturday, Apr. 27 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., there will be a family fun day, artisan market and trade show open to the public with $2 admission.
For further details and a comprehensive schedule, visit the Birdiest Festival in America website. While online registration for the event has closed, walk-up registration is available on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to availability.
