Henderson to celebrate Earth Day with birding events

By Paul Takahashi

Thursday, April 21, 2011 | 2:25 p.m.

Henderson will celebrate Earth Day with a weekend of bird watching that starts Friday.

The city’s parks and recreation department will host a two-day “Birding Celebration” that coincides with Earth Day on April 22. The celebration will take place from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, 350 E. Galleria Drive.

The free event features workshops on birding basics, migration and how to attract hummingbirds, as well as bird identification, educational displays, walks and tours on the Bird Mobile.

The Bird Mobile takes six visitors, including children over the age of 6 accompanied by an adult, on a tour of the facility.

“This event provides people of all ages an opportunity to learn about birding and the hundreds of birds and wildlife that call Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve home,” said the city’s outdoor recreation coordinator Jennifer Magby. “Since the preserve is located on the eastern portion of the Pacific Migratory Flyway, it also serves as a welcome rest stop for many birds migrating through.”

The event will combine elements of International Migratory Bird Day, which occurs on the second Saturday in May, Magby added. The day brings attention to the migration patterns of more than 350 bird species between their summer and winter homes throughout the North, South and Central Americas.

For more information and a schedule of events, visit www.cityofhenderson.com or call 702-267-4180.