Stikine Bird Fest runs through May 8

The annual Stikine River Birding Festival starts Friday and includes movies, a morning walk to identify birds, video presentations, virtual storytelling from the library, a session on how to build a bird feeder, a community cleanup and a nature trail scavenger hunt.

Activities run through May 8.

Organizers are spreading out the events this year, rather than squeezing everything into four days as was the schedule in 2019.

The pandemic forced cancellation of last year's activities.

"We have been moving toward a festival that celebrates over the course of April and May as the birds come in in waves during that whole time rather than just one weekend," Carol Rushmore, the city's economic development director, said Monday.

"So because of COVID, knowing a lot of people are not traveling, it seemed like a good year to begin that process," she said, with plans to promote next year's festival over a longer period.

With COVID, organizers scaled back the festival events a bit this year, forgoing in-person guest speakers and artists and opting for virtual events in many cases, Rushmore said.

A virtual story time and craft making activity with an Earth Day theme is set for 11 a.m. Friday at the Irene Ingle Public Library. Pick up activity packets at the library. The Zoom ID is 935 4298 0052, passcode 8743535.

Meet at the covered basketball court if you want to help with the community cleanup 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Lunch will be at noon.

At 4 p.m. Saturday, there will be a free showing of the animated film, "Wall-E," at the Nolan Center, to celebrate Earth Day.

At 4 p.m. Sunday at the Nolan Center, watch a 30-minute documentary film featuring Haida weaver Delores Churchill, followed by a virtual chat with Churchill and filmmaker Ellen Frankenstein.

A birding festival photo contest will run through May 7. Contest rules and entry form are at http://www.stikinebirding.org.

A "Name That Tweet" daily bird song contest will run on KSTK Monday through Friday next week, with prizes for the winners.

The event schedule also includes a virtual presentation about shorebirds seen on the Stikine River, set for 6 p.m. next Friday, April 30. Biologist Jonathon Vargas will talk about shorebird conservation efforts in their wintering grounds in northern Mexico. The Zoom meeting ID is 9078749282, passcode 99929.

Wrangell Community Market vendors will offer homemade crafts, food and more 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. next Saturday at the Nolan Center. Stop by the center at 11 a.m. for help in making your

own bird feeder (bring a hammer).

The family-friendly documentary "March of the Penguins," is set for 4 p.m. next Saturday at the Nolan Center, followed by another free movie, "The Big Year," a comedy about who could count the most bird species in North America, at 4 p.m. Sunday.

A nature trail scavenger hunt will start at 10 a.m. May 7 on the nature trail by the ballfields and run all day. "Go for a hike and listen for birds as you walk the long and short loops of the nature trail. Keep an eye out for tokens on the trail," festival organizers said. Redeem the tokens for a bird-themed prize at the Wrangell Parks & Recreation office; one prize per participant.

The festival's last event is set for 7 a.m. May 8 at Muskeg Meadows Golf Course, with an early birds walk led by Bonnie Demerjian, who will help walkers identify birds by sight and sound.

The Stikine River Birding Festival is organized by the Wrangell Convention and Visitor Bureau, City and Borough of Wrangell, U.S. Forest Service and James and Elsie Nolan Center.

For more information, call the Forest Service at 874-2323 or Wrangell Visitor Center at 874-2829.