[Image]  In 2013 we went to the St. George Bird Festival and enjoyed it so much that we went back this year. I had signed up for a photography birding trip on Friday, but when I woke up it was raining and I wasn't feeling well and decided I better not go or I would be sick even longer. Fortunately, the next day I was feeling better so the kids and I went on a short birding trip to Springs Park. We were greeted by birds running towards us, hoping to get fed.

We had a big group of all abilities, and we took our time walking around the pond.
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The kids were enthralled with the swans. I have to admit I was too, even though they are Mute Swans and not native. They still are really beautiful.
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We also saw pied-billed grebes, mallards, spotted towhees, Abert's towhee, white-crowned sparrows, a snow goose, a road runner, and much more. For me the highlight was this Crissal Thrasher, a new species for my life list.
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It was nice going with a trip leader who knew not only about the birds of the area, but also the efforts to conserve them.
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The kids weren't too excited about the talking, so they ran ahead and found this nice swing with a great view of the pond and birds.
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We watched an American coot come up close and really got to observe its interesting feet.
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A little later we went back to the Tonaquint Nature Center for the junior birding program. I think Desert Boy was surprised how much he already knew about birds.
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Right outside the nature center the sun came out and lit up this mallard.
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We also saw hooded mergansers, bufflehead, a belted kingerfisher, two mute swans, and this ring-necked duck on the pond.
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The kids really enjoyed seeing a peacock on the grounds. Then we went over to a pavilion where Home Depot was sponsoring a project to make bird feeders. The kids were delighted to use hammers. [Image]
The finished project! We look forward to using them.
[Image] Later we went to a program about owls and got to see an owl close up. It was really neat (even though I didn't get a good photo!)

I think one of the reasons I enjoy the St. George Bird Festival so much is that it's in the middle of winter, but St. George is quite warm, so it doesn't seem like winter. I also like seeing birds that I don't usually get to see. We plan to return!