Bird Festival Flyer 2024

Join us for a weekend of guided bird walks, natural history talks, live animals and family fun activities! All events are free. Registration required for Guided Walks and Bus Tours and recommended for Presentations. Please check the registration website often as spots open up when there are cancellations. We look forward to seeing you at the refuge!

Here is an interactive map for the locations (trailheads) for walks, tours and other activities. Please note, some locations are over 30 minutes from Refuge Headquarters as there are no roads through the refuge. Each trailhead location has a street address and is provided below in the activity descriptions. Thank you!!!

Registration: March 1st - April 23rd

ONLINE REGISTRATION ONLY. 

Here's how it works in 3 easy steps:
1) Click this link to see Bird Festival Registration on SignUp.com: https://signup.com/go/EAftCWb 
2) Review the options listed and choose the activities you would like.
3) Sign up! It's easy - you will NOT need to register an account or keep a password on SignUp.com. Be sure to add your email.
4) You must choose the number of participants- CHOOSE 1 IF IT IS JUST YOURSELF!
 

Schedule of Events - Sunday, April 28 

Very Early Morning Guided Bird Walk: The Blocks - 5:00 AM 

(Approximately 4-5 hours; Registration required)
Join us for a guided bird walk into the rare pond pine pocosin inhabited by the federally endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. Travel through freshwater emergent marsh and forested wetlands along the way. Trip will be a combination of short drives and walking in a closed area of the refuge.
Location: The Blocks – Great Dismal Swamp NWR* (Chesapeake, VA).
*Departs from/Returns to Refuge HQ (3100 Desert Road, Suffolk, VA) 

*Please note: Space is extremely limited. Must be willing to carpool. There will be no restroom facilities after leaving Refuge HQ. Participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Cell service is intermittent. Participants are asked to coordinate social media posting with the trip leader. Please pack water and snacks, if desired.