2021 Virtual Festival, on Facebook, April 25 - May 1. It's FREE and everyone is welcome. Click here for information.
The gist.
Join us all week, either half of the week, or any combination of single days.
Carpool trips return by 1:00. Recommended for those who want a day to slip in late or slip out early for a little additional rest or sight seeing.
Gold Standard trips return by 1:00. A few are tried-and-true and a few are new; all are absolute gems. Limited to fifteen participants plus guides, these trips are on a big blue bus.
Premium trips return by 3:30 and are an additional $50/person to the base package price. Limited to ten persons plus guides, these small group trips roll through the afternoon in deluxe transportation via suv or van.
All Day trips return by 4:00 (exception Bobolinks to Bald Eagles and Cranberry Original return by 6:30) and are an additional $25/person to the base package price. Limited to twelve persons plus guides, these trips use a comfortable minibus (exception Cranberry Original, limited to fifteen participants, uses a big blue bus).
Dinner Out means the trip stops at a local restaurant for dinner and returns by 6:30pm. Dinner is included. Bobolinks to Bald Eagles Wednesday, and Cranberry Original Thursday.
Popcorn Presentations when you just can’t get enough, start at 3pm in the Meadows at Opossum Creek Retreat and last approximately one hour. Yes... we serve popcorn!
Use Your Birding & Nature Vacation to Revitalize Your Mind and Body, and your afternoons are the perfect opportunity to take personal time. Spend yours as you please... napping, reading, hot tubbing, walking, journaling, site seeing, Popcorn Presentation, etc.
Quick Reference Trip Descriptions - click to open in a new window/tab.
CHECK BACK FOR 2022 UPDATES BETWEEN AUGUST AND DECEMBER 2021 FOR THE EVENT MAY 2 - 7, 2022.
Now the details.
Sunday
6pm - 8pm Dinner FUNdraiser! Start the week together again or for the first time, around a catered gourmet dinner with expert guides and fellow bird watchers in the Meadows at Opossum Creek Retreat with gourmet food, drinks, and great company for a contribution of $100 per person to the Fayette County Education Fund. Space is limited to 20 people plus a few special surprise guests. The menu includes a vegetarian option and is sent to those with reservations for selection prior to the event. Select "Sunday Dinner" on your registration form.
Monday
6am – 1pm Birding by Butt - check-in and breakfast in the Meadows at Opossum Creek Retreat: coffee is on at 6am; breakfast at 8am.
7am – 1pm Never Been There - check-in and breakfast at Burnwood at 6am.
7am – 1pm Birding the Summit *NEW* - check-in and breakfast at Burnwood at 6am.
3pm – 4pm Popcorn Talk - to be determined
6pm – 7pm Dinner
7pm – Evening Presentation - Jim McCormac
Tuesday
6am – 7am Breakfast at Burnwood
7am – 1pm Fayette Station Walk
7am – 1pm Glade Creek
7am – 1pm Sugar Creek
7am – 3:30pm Bolt Mountain
7am – 4pm Burnwood to Babcock
3pm – 4pm Popcorn Talk - to be determined
6pm – 7pm Dinner
7pm – Evening Presentation - to be determined
Wednesday
6am – 7am Breakfast at Burnwood
7am – 1pm Summerlee Rail Trail
7am – 1pm Sugar Creek
7am – 1pm Birding the Summit *NEW*
7am – 3:30pm Bolt Mountain
7am – 6:30pm Bobolinks to Bald Eagles
3pm – 4pm Popcorn Presentation - Words with Bird Nerds: Candid Panel Conversations
6pm – 7pm Dinner
7pm – Evening Presentation - to be determined
Thursday
6am – 7am Breakfast at Burnwood
7am – 1pm Long Point Walk
7am – 1pm Burnwood to Babcock
7am – 1pm Sugar Creek
7am – 3:30pm Dams, Rivers, Streams & Waterfalls *NEW*
7am – 6:30pm Cranberry Original
3pm – 4pm Popcorn Presentation - to be determined
6pm – 7pm Dinner
7pm – Evening Presentation - Katie Fallon
Friday
6am – 7am Breakfast at Burnwood
7am – 1pm ACE Reptiles & Amphibians
7am – 1pm Fayette Station
7am – 1pm Sugar Creek
7am – 3:30pm Going for Gold
7am – 4pm Guides Choice *REDUX*
3pm – 4pm Popcorn Presentation - to be determined
6pm – 7pm Dinner
7pm – Evening Presentation - Julie Zickefoose
Saturday
6am – 7am Breakfast at Burnwood
7am – 1pm Wolf Creek Walk
7am – 1pm Sugar Creek
7am – 1pm Burnwood to Babcock
7am – 3:30pm Muddlety Wetlands & Ridges
7am – 4pm Cranberry Glades
6pm – Pizza and Farewell Party!
*Please be forgiving as the speaker line-ups may change due to unforeseen personal schedule changes; times and trip routes are approximate and may vary due to accessibility, bird movement, weather conditions, and other unforeseen variables.
Daily Details
♦ Lodging check-in with the lodging provider the day before the first field trip and check-out the day after the last field trip.
♦ Festival check-in depends on the Package you select; details are in your registration Confirmation.
♦ ♦ Check-in items you will be provided include a checklist, personal itinerary and name tag.
♦ Breakfast is served hot buffet style at 6am in an outdoor pavilion at Burnwood (exception Birding by Butt).
♦ Field trips depart Burnwood by 7am (exception Birding by Butt).
♦ Trip return times vary: Carpools and Gold Standard by 1pm; Premiums by 3:30pm; All-Days by 4pm (exception Wednesday Bobolinks to Bald Eagles and Thursday Cranberry Original by 6:30pm).
♦ Trips return to Burnwood.
♦ Transportation to and from breakfast, dinner, presentations, lodging, and airport is not provided.
♦ Field Trip transportation is provided (exception Carpool trips).
♦ ♦ Gold Standard's are in a big blue bus.
♦ ♦ Premium's are by SUV or van.
♦ ♦ All Day's are by minibus with bucket seats (exception Cranberry Original uses a big blue bus).
♦ Presentations and Dinners are in the Meadows at Opossum Creek Retreat.
♦ Evening Presentations immediately follow dinner.
♦ Directions and maps are provided prior to arrival.
