Now that the month of October and all the euphoria surrounding Halloween are almost over, this is now the time to go to Harlingen for the annual Birding Festival. The five-day festival takes place Nov. 6-10 at the new Harlingen Convention Center at 701 Harlingen High Drive.
Now in its 26th year, the event brings hundreds of people from all the United States and from as far as England and other foreign countries. Attendees watch, count and learn about the feathered critters that either make the Rio Grande Valley their home or fly through to their winter places in Mexico, and Central and South America.
Tammie Bulow, the Birding Festival registrar, said the event will have all kind of events for people of all ages.
“We have a lot of free activities,” she said, ”such as a trade show and presentations from top bird experts.”
There will be field trips to some of the birding parks and national wildlife refuges. Pontoon boat rides also allow attendees to watch water and shore birds. More than 500 bird species have been recorded in the RGV as the region’s subtropical weather makes it a paradise for these flying residents or visitors.
Birding is a big business in the RGV, resulting in an annual direct economic impact of more than $340 million. It creates more than 4,000 full-time and temporary job annually.
Bulow said they had 525 people registered by the fourth week of October. The number is expected to increase as the event draws closer.