For Bird Sightings at FeatherFest 2013, click here.
Mark your calendar!
12th Anniversary
Galveston FeatherFest & Nature PhotoFest
April 10 – 13, 2014
Galveston Island, Texas
2013 FeatherFest Recap
With unbeatable weather, experienced trip leaders and a little bit of luck on their side, 625 FeatherFest attendees enjoyed remarkable birding and photography opportunities in and around Galveston Island during the 11th annual event held April 11-14, 2013. Previous festival records were shattered, as 235 species of resident, seasonal and migrating birds were spotted, and more participants than ever before took part in over 100 classes and field trips.
Seven new species recorded this year, but never before seen during FeatherFest, include the Baybreasted Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Philadelphia Vireo, Golden Crowned Kinglet, Short-eared Owl and an exciting write-in added to the official bird board, the Violet Green Swallow.
In 2012, only 203 species were recorded, and the most species sighted during FeatherFest in any prior year was 210. “We are thrilled that our guests had such great success identifying new species and old favorites during the festival this year,” said Diane Olsen, President of the Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council, the organization responsible for the coordination of FeatherFest. “Over the years we have been able to identify the best locations for birding and photography in our area and the most experienced and successful trip leaders to assist guests in species identification. This year, we suspect that recent storms inclined several migrant species to stop and re-fuel here in our excellent habitat, adding to the record-breaking species count.”
Galveston’s FeatherFest is gaining in national and international popularity, with participants flocking to Galveston Island from 30 states and 3 countries including England, Canada and France. As one of the largest birding festivals in the state and the only one with a dedicated photography track, attendees represent a broad range of interests and experience levels.
In addition to trips and workshops, FeatherFest offered a variety of social events to the public, including four well-attended and educational free birds of prey shows featuring the majestic raptors from Sky Kings Falconry. Dr. Sammy Ray, a WWII soldier-scientist and professor at Texas A&M University at Galveston, and Mark Obmascik, author of The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession, delighted audiences Friday evening with witty narratives.
The Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council (GINTC) would like to thank their gracious University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) hosts, Dr. Ben Raimer and Doug Matthews of Health Policy and Legislative Affairs, who made it possible for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UTMB to serve as FeatherFest headquarters.
FeatherFest is a project of GINTC, which supports nature tourism and education, and promotes the value of area natural habitats. (Anja Borski, GINTC board member)
Guests gave festival volunteers, customer service and event professionalism top scores in a post-event survey. Here are some of their comments:
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This is our group's 4th year. We will return! |
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I loved this experience. It was my first time birding with experts and the photography advice was great. I can't wait for FeatherFest next year. I have been telling all my friends about it. Thank you for such a well organized and informative event. |
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I have told my birdwatching friends that it is a must do for next year. |
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Great opportunity to learn and witness truly exceptional nature. |
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I consider FeatherFest one of the premiere birding events in Texas. |
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I enjoyed all the trips we went on. The guides were all very knowledgeable and friendly, and the locations were great. |
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I have enjoyed every trip I have done. I have been attending since 2004. Every year, I try to do something new and I have yet to be disappointed. |
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All the workshops exceeded expectations. Learned much, and kudos to all. |
What folks are saying about our new FeatherFest home:
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It was very professional, had excellent staff, was easily located in a central place, had plenty of parking, and was convenient with the instructional space right there. |
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We loved the venue. It is clean, spacious, easy to get to and park, lots of room for bus loading, and modern facilities in the classrooms. |
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Can you have it there always? Easy to find, lots of parking, easy to pick up lunch and space for everything. |
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Very nice! |
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Plenty of room and parking. Convenient location. |
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Great parking, easy access, good restrooms, good snack bar! |
Get to Know Galveston
FeatherFest participants stayed an average of three nights in Galveston, and there’s so much to see and do, it’s no surprise! Galveston Island is a historic beach town located on the Gulf of Mexico just 50 miles from Houston. The island is best known as a vacation destination, offering 32 miles of beaches, a variety of family attractions, Texas’ premier cruise port and one of the largest and well-preserved concentrations of Victorian architecture in the country, including several National Historic Landmarks. Outdoor enthusiasts love to surf, fish, bike, kayak, and of course, go birding. The Island is also home to the Historic Pleasure Pier, Moody Gardens and Schlitterbahn Waterpark, as well as a variety of museums and art galleries.
Special Thanks
The Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council would like to offer special thanks to our sponsors who make it possible for FeatherFest to thrive each year: At the Reddish Egret level, Galveston.com & Company; The Daily News; Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau; Houston Camera Exchange; Kathrine G. McGovern; Mitchell Historic Properties; The Moody Foundation and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UTMB. At the Roseate Spoonbill level, the Harris & Eliza Kempner Fund; the Houston Audubon Society; Moody Gardens; Samson Energy; The Emporium at Eibands and Bob and Lois Robinson. At the Great Blue Heron level, Napa Auto Parts; Sand ‘N Sea Properties and Texas A&M University at Galveston. At the American Oystercatcher level, Galveston Island State Park; Galveston Ornithological Society; Mary Hannigan; Kempner Capital Management; The Registration System; Sandy and Norma Rubin; Mort and Brenda Voller; Cabin by the Bay and Yaga’s Café. At the Supporter level, Affaire d’art and Don and Shirley Ware.
We would also like to thank our lodging partners - Casa del Mar Beachfront Suites, Inn at the Waterpark, Quality Inn & Suites, The Victorian Condo, Hotel & Conference Center, and Moody Gardens Hotel Spa & Convention Center - for providing accommodations for our FeatherFest leaders.
Special applause also goes to Kevin Karlson, Scott Buckel, Kathy Adams Clark, Larry Ditto, Debbie Ferrell, Ed Ferrin, Sean Fitzgerald, Barbara Rabek, Tim Timmis, Vadim Troshkin and others for generously sharing their beautiful photography with us.
For Further Information
Email: FeatherFest@gintc.org
FeatherFest Hotline: 832.459.5533
Nature Tourism Info: 409.789.8125
Mail: Galveston FeatherFest, P.O. Box 1468
Galveston, TX 77553-1468
FeatherFest is a project of the Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council which supports nature tourism and education, and promotes the value of area natural habitats.
www.GalvestonNatureTourism.org
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