CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Children and their parents will find many free activities designed just for them at this year’s Heron Festival on Saturday, May 5, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Redbud Park in the city of Clearlake.

“We want to encourage families to spend fun time together outdoors with nature, and the festival is a great time to do that,” said Joyce Anderson, education chair for Redbud Audubon Society.

Returning for the fifth year is the very popular “Raptor Speak” with live owls and birds of prey.

This show offers an opportunity to see raptor behavior up close. Learn about these lively non-releasable birds in a fun and informative talk and bird demonstration. This special presentation by Native Bird Connections is one of the activities designed especially for families with children.

More than 200 people in all attended “Raptor Speak” last year, which again will be at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Big Tent. Because of its popularity, the show will be repeated at 2 p.m.

The Children’s Activities Area near the Big Tent offers several nature-inspired educational activities for children including instruction on how to make small bird feeders by spreading peanut butter and seeds on mini-bagels, creating owl masks to wear, and taking home a window decal to discourage birds from flying into glass windows.

A children’s My Audubon Bird Journal will be available for kids to record the birds they see as they walk around the park. Those who bring back a completed journal will be awarded bird stickers for their booklets.

Another annual highlight is the colorful display of children’s artwork from several local public schools, displayed in the Children’s Activities area. The creative drawings feature herons and local birds.

Besides all these special children’s activities, the Heron Festival offers 90-minute pontoon boat tours into Anderson Marsh. Expert Audubon bird guides accompany each boat tour to point out the heron nests and explain heron behaviors. Since the boat tours are a sell-out each year, advance reservations are strongly advised.
 
All activities during the Heron Festival are free of charge, except for the pontoon boat tours, which are $20 per person.

This 18th annual Heron Festival is sponsored by Redbud Audubon Society.

Eighteen years ago, the chapter initiated this festival so the general public could learn about and witness, first-hand, Clear Lake’s amazing population of local birds and wildlife and to generate awareness for the need to conserve and protect the area’s natural resources and habitat.

To see the full schedule of activities, go to www.heronfestival.org , or call 707-263-8030. Entrance to Redbud Park is free.