Hi VTBirders, In just under two weeks, on June 1st, the North Branch Nature Center will be holding our 2nd annual BirdFest. The line-up of walks, talks, workshops, and activities will be perfect for all ages and experience levels. The day will kick off at 7 a.m. with a birding by ear walk led by Nona Estrin. The rest of the day will be filled with bird banding demos, bird walks and workshops, live raptor presentations, art exhibits, wood carving demonstration, storytelling and activities for children. At noon, a keynote presentation will be delivered by Margaret Fowle, of Vermont Audubon, on the iconic Peregrine Falcon and its current status in Vermont. Her talk will be followed by a presentation with Vermont naturalist and author of the award-winning book "Naturally Curious", Mary Holland. Lunch will be sold by students from Moretown Elementary School as way to raise funds for next year's E.C.O. program at the school. BirdFest is free for children and $10 for adults. Here is a link to our BirdFest homepage: http://www.northbranchnaturecenter.org/birdfest.html Also on display at BirdFest will be entrants of our first ever Bird Drawing Contest for young artists. Students in K - 8th grades chose one of three birds to draw in its natural habitat: Common Yellowthroat, Belted Kingfisher, or Eastern Bluebird. Judging for the contest will take place this week, Wednesday 5/22 through Friday 5/24. We would like to invite local birders to come by the North Branch Nature Center anytime before 5:30 p.m. on these days to support the efforts made by these young artists by partaking in the judging. It is certainly worth the stop if only to witness the fantastic artwork produced these budding artists! See you at BirdFest and happy birding! - Ken Benton -- Ken Benton AmeriCorps Environmental Educator North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street Montpelier, VT 05602 work: 802-229-6206 cell: 513-505-7484 “We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect." ~Aldo Leopold