Wetlands event takes wing July 24 in North Augusta 7/3/2009 11:43 PM
By BILL BENGTSON Local wood storks, swallow-tailed kites and wild turkeys will get some intense attention later this month with the Wings and Wetlands event set for July 24 to 26, based at the North Augusta Community Center.
The event will include several optional field trips from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday and Sunday. One, taking place in Aiken County at the Silver Bluff Audubon Sanctuary, is entitled "Up Close with Wood Storks," and one set for Allendale County will focus on swallow-tailed kites - "Ravenous Raptors."
Options also include a trip to Edgefield to tour the National Wild Turkey Federation's museum and a visit to one of North Augusta's newest attractions, Brick Pond Park, with "Walking Wing Watch" as the theme.
Saturday's activities will include riverboat tours on the Savannah River and a supper and book-signing session with Jeff Mollenhauer, director of Audubon South Carolina's bird conservation program and author of Falcon Guide's "Birding South Carolina."
Mollenhauer will also give a demonstration of bird-netting and bird-banding techniques, and the Center for Birds of Prey in Charleston will provide a raptor demonstration.
Also on the agenda are a cookout and butterfly release at Living History Park, along with an assortment of nature art, photography and other attractions pertaining to birding (including some activities for kids).
The event's main organizer has been Tanya Strickland, environmental coordinator for the municipal government's storm-water department. She confirmed that the gathering is the first of its kind in North Augusta, and hopes are for success in bringing more attention to the stork and kite, in particular.
"The South Carolina Heritage Corridor, working with the City of North Augusta, decided to pursue this event, and we put together a great team to make it happen," Strickland added.
The gathering, which will have music in Boeckh Park as its kickoff Friday evening, is being billed as "the first ecological tourist event highlighting unique wildlife in our region."
Registration is $20 a person or $40 a family. The field trips are $5 each, the boat rides are $10 each and the fee for the keynote speaker and supper is $20.
Details are available at 441-4246 and www.northaugusta.net.
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