The new Snake River Birds of Prey Festival, celebrating the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, is set to be launched Friday.
The festival, a three-day birding event on Friday through Sunday, May 15-17, at Reed Elementary School in Kuna, recognizes one of Idaho's hidden gems near Boise in the Snake River Canyon - home to the largest population of nesting raptors in North America.
Western Heritage Foundation, a non-profit organization, hopes to make the festival an annual event.
During the early 1960s, Morley Nelson, a Boise resident, discovered a rich diversity of raptors and animals that call the Snake River Canyon home. For nearly 30 years Morley worked to protect the raptors and their habitat.
Recognizing Nelson's work, former Secretary of the Interior and Idaho Gov. Cecil Andrus and then-Idaho Rep. Larry LaRocco were instrumental in establishing a national conservation area to protect the raptor's habitat. In 1993, Congress set aside 485,000 acres of public land known today as the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area.
Bureau of Land Management statistics indicate that more than 100,000 people annually visit the conservation area from all over the United States and the world.
The Foundation, the Boise District BLM Office and Idaho Fish and Game organized the birding festival to recognize and celebrate the national conservation area. Participants will have an opportunity for an up-close experience with birds of prey.
The festival kicks off Friday evening with a rarely seen raptor documentary film produced by Nelson. Saturday and Sunday events include children's activities, lectures about raptors presented by renowned professionals, guided bus tours, a bird-watching boat expedition on the Snake River, and a chance to relive southwest Idaho history with a tour of the historic Swan Falls Dam Powerhouse, Celebration Park, and Oregon Trail history presented by the Owyhee County Museum.
A festival highlight is the Saturday evening "come as you are" banquet featuring keynote speaker Trish Nixon with raptors on hand from the Peregrine Fund.
Where?
- Reed Elementary School, 1670 N. Linder Ave., Kuna, Idaho 83634
Festival schedule:
- Friday, May, 15 - 6 to 8 p.m. at Reed Elementary School, Morley Nelson movie night.
- Saturday, May, 16 - 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Reed Elementary School, all day tours, lectures, children's activities, festival banquet.
- Sunday, May, 17 - 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Reed Elementary School, lectures, birding boat tour, history of the Oregon Trail.
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