HARLINGEN, Texas (KVEO) — The Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival raises money every year for conservation projects in the Rio Grande Valley.
This year the event is still going on, even if participants can’t leave their nests.
“Most of our activities are being live streamed to Facebook,” said Sue Griffin, the chair of the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival.
One of the conservation projects this year is aimed at helping a nature park right here in Harlingen.
“[It will provide] feeding stations and the birdseed to supplement the birds at Ramsey Nature Park,” said Griffin.
Bird watchers can donate to the conservation project of their choosing. The festival also sells merchandise to raise funds.
“..and we divide that between the projects. This year we have two projects,” said Griffin.
Griffin says the festival is popular because the Rio Grande Valley is such a good location for bird watching.
“Birds that we take for granted like green jays, and chachalacas, and kiskadees, really aren’t anywhere else in the united states,” said Griffin.
Because of that, Griffin recommends everyone try out birdwatching.
“You can be a backyard birder and just put feed out and see what birds come to your yard,” said Griffin.
She added that bird watching is a great activity to do for the pandemic, especially for children.
“It gets them outdoors, it gets them into nature, and it gets them into their science lessons.”
With several state parks and nature preserves in the Rio Grande Valley, people who want to start bird watching can’t go wrong.
