Amherstburg– All eyes will be on the skies this September as local birders and nature lovers take in one of North America’s greatest migration at Holiday Beach Conservation Area: tens of thousands of hawks and raptors flying overhead on their annual journey to nesting grounds in the south.
Essex Region Conservation together with the Holiday Beach Migration Observatory (HBMO) will host the 2024 Festival of Hawks on September 14 & 15. It’s HBMO’s 50th Anniversary of the great Hawk Count, and experts will conduct raptor and hummingbird banding and adoptions in support of their important species and populations monitoring efforts each year. On Saturday at 2pm, this milestone anniversary will be celebrated with cake at the outdoor classroom! Free educational programs will complement the ongoing banding and live hawk display throughout the event. Local experts will share information on a wide range of birding and nature-related topics. These include:
HBMO’s Bob Pettit will provide expertise on identifying hawks in flight.
Peak Migration Bird Hike with birding expert Jeremy Bensette
Pelee Wings will offer free optic cleanings and demonstrations.
Henry’s, Canada’s Greatest Camera Store Spotlight on: ‘Nature Photography tips and choosing the right gear! With special guest Ted Kloske
Take part in various beginner bird and family butterfly hikes
Purchase delicious lunch options from Scotty’s BBQ and Catering.
Birders breakfast (purchase coffee, tea, hot chocolate cold drinks and bagels from ERCA snack shack)
Native Trees and Plants (NTP) will sell native plants
Evening Owl Prowl Experience with Jess Rose, Environmental Educator, ERCA
Just Fishin’ Friends will be at the Trout Pond to share casting tips with guests
Visit multiple artwork booths featuring a variety of wildlife and nature themed displays
“Holiday Beach Conservation Area has been identified as one of the 10 best sites in all of North America to experience the raptor migration,” notes Danielle Breault Stuebing, ERCA’s Director of Communications & Outreach. “Whether an expert birder or nature-loving family, there’s something for everyone at the annual Festival of Hawks.” On Saturday evening, tickets are available for a special evening Owl Prowl to learn about the owls of Ontario, their adaptations, calls, and behaviours. At this intimate experience, participants will take a guided walk through the woods, looking and listening for owls.
“When circumstances are just right and we’re able to call in an owl, it’s really an extraordinary experience,” Breault Stuebing adds. Tickets for this special experience must be pre-purchased at https://essexregionconservation.ca/owlprowl .
The Festival takes place 9am to 3pm on September 14 & 15. All daytime programs are free with the festival admission fee of $20 per vehicle. The final list of programs is available at https://essexregionconservation.ca/hawkfest .
The best raptor viewing time is from 9am until noon when the hawks fly low. The Holiday Beach Conservation Area is located on County Road 50, on Lake Erie near Malden Centre approximately 15km southeast of historic Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada, a half hour drive from Highway 401 and only 40 minutes from the Ambassador Bridge for those coming from Detroit.
Since 1973, Essex Region Conservation has been sustaining and enriching the environment of the Windsor-Essex-Pelee Island region to ensure it is the Place for Life.
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The Festival of Hawks take place at Holiday Beach Conservation Area.
Media Contact:
Danielle Breault Stuebing
Director of Communications and Outreach Services
519-776-5209 ext. 352