The state's premier bird festival might be organized by Davis County, but it reaches well beyond the county borders to explore and celebrate the diverse wild bird populations throughout the Great Salt Lake ecosystem and Northern Utah in general.
The Great Salt Lake Bird Festival, now in its 12th year, starts next week and runs May 13-17. Some of the highlights this year include new field trip destinations and programs, a student art contest, and a speech from one of Utah's top bird experts and authors.
Neka Roundy, who chairs the festival committee, said people come from around the nation, and even the world, to experience Utah's unique birding areas.
"We have people come from all over, from places where birding is an interest there, too," Roundy said. Up to 5,000 attendees are expected.
Last year's participants collectively checked more than 200 species of birds off their lists.
While many past activities that have proven popular will be repeated, such as the "Bike and Bird" trip on the Legacy Parkway Trail and a Backyard Pond Tour in partnership with the Utah Water Garden Club, others will be new.
Headlining the new events are several "Behind-the-Gates" field trips at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Farmington Bay, and Ambassador Duck Club. With the help of experienced guides, participants will be able to get up-close and personal with these critical bird habitat areas.
Also new this year is a presentation by Todd Stout on butterflies with an accompanying field trip to Farmington Canyon to see many different species of this fragile and crucial pollinator.
Perhaps the largest highlight of the festival will come at 6 p.m. Saturday, when renowned author and local ornithologist Bill Fenimore will speak at a Dutch-oven dinner event.
Fenimore is an author, educator, lector, naturalist, birding guide and businessman who owns and operates Wild Bird Center in Layton. He is the author of the "50 U.S. State Backyard Birds Guide" series, which describe the joys and methods of birding.
He is filling in for author Terry Tempest Williams, who had to withdraw because of illness. Filling in for Fenimore's Friday night speech slot will be Sharon Stiteler, who runs the website birdchick.com and has a strong following in the birding community.
"Bill is very well qualified to step into this position," Roundy said. "We were already planning to have him as a keynote speaker at some point in the future."
Some other speakers and presenters at the festival include local award-winning bird expert and advocate Bill Fenimore on May 14 and Joy Bossi, host of the radio program "Joy in the Garden," on May 15.
Dozens of other presenters from universities, state wildlife agencies, nonprofits and other groups will also lend their expertise and services to the festivities.
An annual festival highlight that will be repeated this year is a student art contest, where local schools have students in grades K-12 submit works of art based on a specific species or theme. The bird featured in this year's contest is the Western Tanager.
There will also be a bird-calling contest for students.
As in past years, many activities will be centered around the Farmington Bay area, but the festival certainly isn't geographically limited to Davis County and its environs.
Field trips are scheduled to sites throughout Northern Utah, including 4-mile Ranch in Cache Valley, the Jordan River Parkway in Salt Lake County, Jordanelle State Park, Morgan County, and a host of sites in between. After a successful debut last year, there will also be a tour of private water garden ponds in Sandy.
All workshops and events at the Legacy Events Center and county fairpark are free to the public, while fees vary for different field trips. For more information on this internationally known festival, call (801) 451-3286 or visit www.greatsaltlakebirdfest.com.
12th Annual Great Salt Lake Bird Festival
* When: May 13-17
* Where: Various sites around Northern Utah
* Admission: Varies by event (Free-$90)
* Schedule: www.greatsaltlakebirdfest.com
* Contact: (801) 451-3286
* Keynote speaker: Author Bill Fenimore
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