Update: This event has been canceled. Here’s what the Avian Conservation Center and Center for Birds of Prey had to say:
“Our thoughts have been with all those severely impacted by Hurricane Irma. We are pleased to report that all of the Center's resident education birds and those in the Clinic for medical treatment were secured inside on site and endured the storm without harm. For that we are thankful.
We are dealing with the impact of Irma on two fronts: first, the excessive rain before and during the event has saturated the entire property and has made a large section of our interior roads impassable. Secondly, we are faced with an inordinate number of hurricane impacted birds; raptors, wading birds, and a variety of rarely seen open sea faring pelagic birds. These birds are coming in to the Avian Medical Clinic from the extensive coastal areas and barrier islands of South Carolina and Georgia. The number of recently admitted birds to our medical facility has outnumbered those from Hurricane Matthew and the October flood event combined.
Regrettably, we have decided that we should cancel our 2017 birding festival, Zugunruhefest, so that we can fully address the need for clean-up and repairs of our campus and give our full attention to the influx of storm impacted birds.
Although Zugunruhefest is canceled, we will remain open to the public throughout this initiative and will continue to offer our regular public programs on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays beginning Thursday September 21st .
Zugunruhefest will return in 2018 with another incredible lineup of speakers and activities, so please stay tuned!”
–Original Post Below —
After reading this post’s headline, you may be asking – “What’s a Zugunruhefest?”. Short answer – it’s the Southeast's most comprehensive migration-focused birding festival and it’s being held this month at the Avian Conservation Center and Center for Birds of Prey in Awendaw.
Now for the longer answer…
The word breaks down as follows: Zugunruhe (zu – gun – rue) is a German word derived from Zug (move, migration) and Unruhe (restlessness). This state of restlessness is commonly noticed in migratory animals, especially birds.
As fall approaches and instincts prevail, birds are compelled by this silent call to take flight to their wintering grounds. As part of the Atlantic Flyway, the Lowcountry serves as a predictable thoroughfare for migrating raptors and shorebirds during fall migration. Exploiting the Center's strategic location, Zugunruhefest will afford numerous opportunities for observers, both novice and advanced, to experience fall migration from an exceptional vantage point.
The festival will include three days (9/28 – 9/30) filled with expert-led bird walks, flight demonstrations, informative lectures, onsite vendors, children's activities, and more.
Fees vary depending on activities chosen. For a complete schedule of activities with pricing, visit www.thecenterforbirdsofprey.org/zugunruhefest or call 843-971-7474 to have a schedule e-mailed to you.
