2026 Birding Bonanza Schedule of Events
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| birding_bonanza_schedule_of_events_2026.pdf |
Birding Bonanza Weekend Events
Friday May 1, 2026
Early Birding Competition Sign-in from 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Participants receive T-shirt, swag bag, official competition tally sheet, official rules, official maps of areas for competition, team photo. Participants must register online first, then in person Saturday morning, May 2.
5:00 PM Friday – 5:00 PM Saturday – Birding competition times – Registration required.
Friday, May 1 from 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM – Owl Walk #1. Join Lisbon Mayor Peter Wilson for an owl walk at Hellbender Bluff. LIMITED TO 25 PARTICIPANTS. Please email [email protected] to register. Make sure you identify which walk you would like to attend and how many in your party. Meeting place information will be emailed after acceptance of registration. Dress for the weather, wear appropriate shoes, and bring a flashlight and insect repellent.
Friday, May 1 from 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM – Owl Walk #2. Join Jason Short, Audubon Society of Mahoning Valley President, for an owl walk on Logan’s Loop at the Beaver Creek Wildlife Education Center. LIMITED TO 25 PARTICIPANTS. Please email [email protected] to register. Make sure you identify which walk you would like to attend and how many in your party. Meeting place information will be emailed after acceptance of registration. Dress for the weather, wear appropriate shoes, and bring a flashlight and insect repellent.
Saturday May 2, 2026
Official Birding Competition Sign-in from 5:30 AM – 6:30 AM
Participants receive T-shirt, swag bag, official competition tally sheet, official rules official map of Beaver Creek State Park, team photo. Coffee and Donuts for Birding participants.
Participants must register online first, then in person weekend of.
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Beaver Creek Wildlife Education Center open to visitors.
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Lunch for visitors, volunteers, and participants while supplies last.
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Raffle baskets tickets for sale.
Saturday, May 2 from 2:00 – 3:00 – Raptor Hallow. Volunteers from Raptor Hallow will be in the yard at the Wildlife Center with some live birds of prey. They will talk about the birds and visitors can take pictures and watch them fly. Come out for an enjoyable program at the Wildlife Education Center!!
5:00 PM – Birding Competition Ends.
5:30 PM – All birding competition participants meet at the Wildlife Center for dinner and awards.
Saturday, May 2 from 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM – Owl Walk #3. Details being finalized.
Saturday, May 2 from 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM – Owl Walk #4. Join Jennifer Balsinger, President of Butler Bird Club, at the Beaver Creek State Park Campground for an owl walk. LIMITED TO 25 PARTICIPANTS. Please email [email protected] to register. Make sure you identify which walk you would like to attend and how many in your party. Meeting place info will be emailed after acceptance of registration. Dress for the weather, wear appropriate shoes, and bring a flashlight and insect repellent.
Sunday May 3, 2026
Sunday, May 3 from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM – Migration Bird walk. Join Matthew Smith and Ryan Moss from Division of Natural Areas & Preserves of Ohio, and Audubon Society of Mahoning Valley President Jason Short at Sheepskin Hollow State Nature Preserve along North Fork Little Beaver Creek State Wild & National Scenic River. We will walk the rail bed and look for spring migrants. Parking is limited so carpool if possible. Please park in the small parking areas by bridge and underpass until filled up. Then start parking along Jackman Road, the lane west of the iron bridge. Please do not block any roads or lanes. We will meet by the iron bridge around 8:45.
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Beaver Creek Wildlife Education Center open to visitors.
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Raffle baskets tickets for sale
Sunday, May 3 from 2:00 – 3:00 – 250 Years of Birds in America. Join Wildlife Center volunteer Jason Short, President of the Audubon Society of Mahoning Valley under the pavilion as he talks about birding in America over the past 250 years. He will discuss their history, uses, extinction, conservation, symbolism, and how American culture has made the hobby of birdwatching into a billion dollar industry.
(C) Sunday, May 3 from 4:00 – 5:00 – Hawks of Ohio. Join Jason Lee, Naturalist for ODNR Division of Parks and Watercraft at Mosquito Lake State Park under the pavilion for a program with live hawks that are found in Ohio. People can get a close look at these beautiful birds and take pictures. Birds provided by BobKat’s Lil’ Critters.
5:00 PM – Raffle Ticket Drawing
Friday May 1, 2026
Early Birding Competition Sign-in from 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Participants receive T-shirt, swag bag, official competition tally sheet, official rules, official maps of areas for competition, team photo. Participants must register online first, then in person Saturday morning, May 2.
5:00 PM Friday – 5:00 PM Saturday – Birding competition times – Registration required.
Friday, May 1 from 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM – Owl Walk #1. Join Lisbon Mayor Peter Wilson for an owl walk at Hellbender Bluff. LIMITED TO 25 PARTICIPANTS. Please email [email protected] to register. Make sure you identify which walk you would like to attend and how many in your party. Meeting place information will be emailed after acceptance of registration. Dress for the weather, wear appropriate shoes, and bring a flashlight and insect repellent.
Friday, May 1 from 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM – Owl Walk #2. Join Jason Short, Audubon Society of Mahoning Valley President, for an owl walk on Logan’s Loop at the Beaver Creek Wildlife Education Center. LIMITED TO 25 PARTICIPANTS. Please email [email protected] to register. Make sure you identify which walk you would like to attend and how many in your party. Meeting place information will be emailed after acceptance of registration. Dress for the weather, wear appropriate shoes, and bring a flashlight and insect repellent.
Saturday May 2, 2026
Official Birding Competition Sign-in from 5:30 AM – 6:30 AM
Participants receive T-shirt, swag bag, official competition tally sheet, official rules official map of Beaver Creek State Park, team photo. Coffee and Donuts for Birding participants.
Participants must register online first, then in person weekend of.
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Beaver Creek Wildlife Education Center open to visitors.
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Lunch for visitors, volunteers, and participants while supplies last.
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Raffle baskets tickets for sale.
Saturday, May 2 from 2:00 – 3:00 – Raptor Hallow. Volunteers from Raptor Hallow will be in the yard at the Wildlife Center with some live birds of prey. They will talk about the birds and visitors can take pictures and watch them fly. Come out for an enjoyable program at the Wildlife Education Center!!
5:00 PM – Birding Competition Ends.
5:30 PM – All birding competition participants meet at the Wildlife Center for dinner and awards.
Saturday, May 2 from 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM – Owl Walk #3. Details being finalized.
Saturday, May 2 from 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM – Owl Walk #4. Join Jennifer Balsinger, President of Butler Bird Club, at the Beaver Creek State Park Campground for an owl walk. LIMITED TO 25 PARTICIPANTS. Please email [email protected] to register. Make sure you identify which walk you would like to attend and how many in your party. Meeting place info will be emailed after acceptance of registration. Dress for the weather, wear appropriate shoes, and bring a flashlight and insect repellent.
Sunday May 3, 2026
Sunday, May 3 from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM – Migration Bird walk. Join Matthew Smith and Ryan Moss from Division of Natural Areas & Preserves of Ohio, and Audubon Society of Mahoning Valley President Jason Short at Sheepskin Hollow State Nature Preserve along North Fork Little Beaver Creek State Wild & National Scenic River. We will walk the rail bed and look for spring migrants. Parking is limited so carpool if possible. Please park in the small parking areas by bridge and underpass until filled up. Then start parking along Jackman Road, the lane west of the iron bridge. Please do not block any roads or lanes. We will meet by the iron bridge around 8:45.
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Beaver Creek Wildlife Education Center open to visitors.
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Raffle baskets tickets for sale
Sunday, May 3 from 2:00 – 3:00 – 250 Years of Birds in America. Join Wildlife Center volunteer Jason Short, President of the Audubon Society of Mahoning Valley under the pavilion as he talks about birding in America over the past 250 years. He will discuss their history, uses, extinction, conservation, symbolism, and how American culture has made the hobby of birdwatching into a billion dollar industry.
(C) Sunday, May 3 from 4:00 – 5:00 – Hawks of Ohio. Join Jason Lee, Naturalist for ODNR Division of Parks and Watercraft at Mosquito Lake State Park under the pavilion for a program with live hawks that are found in Ohio. People can get a close look at these beautiful birds and take pictures. Birds provided by BobKat’s Lil’ Critters.
5:00 PM – Raffle Ticket Drawing