[mou] Spring Festival

[Kelly Larson]

The Great River Birding Festival
May 14-16, 2004
Lake Pepin MN/WI, Red Wing to Wabasha - Alma to Bay City

Welcome to the 3rd Annual Great River Birding Festival!
Imagine exploring the Mississippi backwaters by boat in search of
Prothonatary Warblers. Hop aboard and ride the rails through the Tiffany

Bottoms floodplain forest, an open railcar birding trip you will never
forget! Visit with live birds of prey and the people who work to
preserve them! We are proud to offer this exciting weekend of quality
programs and events and invite you to explore our wonderful communities
along the way. The Great River Birding Festival is a collaborative
project of the Audubon-Upper Mississippi River Campaign and MVP, the
thirteen communities that surround Lake Pepin. These communities are
known collectively as Mississippi Valley Partners (MVP), and the group
works to promote tourism for our small river towns and is best known for

creating the infamous 85 Mile Garage Sale.

The Mississippi Flyway is recognized world wide as a Globally Important
Bird Area. An amazing 326 species (60% of all the species in North
America) use the river as a migration corridor. The river valley also
provides food and shelter for up to 40% of all of the waterfowl in North

America during the Spring and Fall migrations. In the Spring, birders
coming to this area can see over 265 species of migrating and resident
birds. The system of locks and dams along the Upper Mississippi River
has changed the face of the river and the land surrounding it creating a

mosaic habitat of floodplains, backwaters, river islands, sloughs,
mudflats and fresh water marshes. The surrounding bluffs are graced with

mixed hardwood forest that give way to blufftop prairie and farmland.
Here, Lake Pepin forms the widest expanse of open water on the
Mississippi River. Incredibly scenic, rich in history, and teaming with
wildlife, the Upper Mississippi River Valley will captivate the visitor
with natural treasures and charming river towns.

The Great River Birding Festival (May 14-16) is in it's third year and
has been well received by both avid birders and novices. Festival
headquarters is in Wabasha, MN, home of the National Eagle Center. Over
18 guided birding events are scheduled this year to take advantage of
the peak of the neo-tropic migration! Discover the floodplain forests of

the Tiffany Bottoms by motorized rail car. Experience intimate birding
adventures in secluded Mississippi backwaters by boat or canoe. Add a
new dimension to outdoor recreation with birding by bike on the Cannon
Valley Trail. Explore a wide range of aquatic habitat including marsh,
lake, river, vernal pools and floodplain forest. Tucked between majestic

limestone bluffs and verdant hardwood valleys are unique blufftop
prairie, oak savanna, and remnant sand dunes. This year we are featuring

a number of designated family bird walks and beginners seminars.
Minnesota author, naturalist and photographer Stan Tekiela will be
debuting his new audio field guide to Birds of MN and instructing
several of the novice workshops. Seasoned birders from the Minnesota
Ornithologists Union, the staff of Audubon’s Upper Mississippi River
Campaign, and the US Fish & Wildlife Service will be leading our trips
and presenting a variety of afternoon seminars. In addition to all the
great birding adventures, the weekend includes a number of special
community events, exhibit hall, and two evening receptions featuring
entertaining slide shows. For a full list of birding events visit our
web site at www.mississippi-river.org or call toll free 877-525-3248.

--
Kelly Larson
Feathered Friend Wild Bird Store
3rd Annual Great River Birding Festival
2nd Annual Great River Morel Festival
2nd Annual Great River Eagle Spot Festival
Red Wing, MN
651-267-1001

The 3rd Annual Great River Birding Festival Is Coming...
Hosted by Wabasha, MN on May 14-15-16 2004.
http://www.mississippi-river.org/birding/

Visit Our Website
http://www.thefeatheredfriend.com