Oldest Bald Eagles Festival Presidents' Day Weekend

America's Oldest Birding Festival event celebrates the return of Bald Eagles & waterfowl on the Pacific Flyway in the Klamath Basin February 18-20, 2011. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) January 28, 2011 - Klamath Falls, OR - Bald eagles are among the migratory birds highlighted during the 32nd annual Winter Wings Festival February 18-20, 2011 over the three-day Presidents' Day Weekend. Held at the Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls, the festival offers 23 field trips, 17 workshops, 7 mini-sessions, 2 reception events, a banquet dinner and 2 keynote presentations by two nationally recognized leaders in their fields: Jeffrey Gordon, birder, writer, naturalist and Art Morris, world-renowned bird photographer. The Festival is produced by the Klamath Basin Audubon Society and welcomes Canon USA as the 2011 Festival Title Sponsor. Both online registration and mail-in registration are now available.

Birders can enjoy a diverse group of activities that showcase the Klamath Basin. Several birding field trips are scheduled to the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges complex. Jeffrey Gordon makes his debut on Friday night with a Birding Quiz Show that will test attendees' knowledge of birds in a Jeopardy-style event. Registrants can also watch the sun rise as bald eagles fly from their roosts to the local refuges on daily "flyouts." Dick Ashford, Chairman of the Klamath Bird Observatory Board, leads two Hawks for Beginners field trips. Dr. Jeff Smith from San Francisco returns with his popular Intermediate Raptor Identification workshop and companion field trip. Damian Fagan will reprise his crowd-pleasing Oregon Owls minisession. A new Raptor Rally is planned with local biologist Marshal Moser and Bay Area raptor specialist Larry Broderick.

The festival offers three full days of photography workshops and field experiences. A host of professional photographers and specialists will be on hand over the weekend to share their skills: Art Morris, Jim Dicecco and Genaro Arroyo, sponsored by Canon USA; George Felker of Swarovski Optik; Klamath Basin photographers, Larry Turner and Jeremy Franklin; Kowa representative and naturalist, Jim Danzenbaker from Portland; and Photoshop specialist Mark Fitzgerald from Portland.

Families take center stage on Saturday. Almost all of these activities are free and are open to the public, including photo contests, art contests and many interactive children's activities, including seeing live raptors. Highlighting the family activities is Denny Olson, a master of theatrical performances who will take to the stage in costume as two personas: Professor Avian Guano and Doc Wild.

About 25 vendors will also be on hand from Friday afternoon through noon Sunday to share their products and resources. Saturday's activities close with a Festival banquet dinner and keynote presentation by highly acclaimed photographer, Art Morris birdsasart.com. This illustrated lecture will feature Art's spectacular images while of his life's journey in Brooklyn to full-time photographer specializing in birds. According to Diana Samuels, event coordinator, "Many of the field trips and workshops have limited space and fill up quickly so participants are encouraged to register early for the best selection."

This Festival is partially funded by the Klamath County transient room tax grant program. For more info, visit Festival website at WinterWingsFestdotorg. or call 1.877.541.BIRD (2473).

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