Stormy Oaks to host 13th annual Fall Migration Festival
The Stormy Oaks Nature Conservancy, along with its nonprofit conservation organization Wildbird Recovery, are hosting the 13th annual Fall Migration Festival fundraiser at the building on Forsythe Road in Middlesex Township on Sunday, Sept. 15.
Stormy Oaks is the only wildlife rehabilitation center in Butler County. It is entirely reliant on donations from the public, and the Fall Migration Festival is its largest fundraiser event each year.
“Pennsylvania has 67 counties. You will not find a licensed wildlife rehabilitation center in every county,” said Melissa McMaster-Brown, vice president of Wildbird Recovery. “The reality is that this number of licensed wildlife rehabilitation centers continues to decrease.”
According to Brown, the Fall Migration Festival raises around $10,000 each year for the conservancy.
“We are an extremely small team that is dedicated and passionate,” Brown said. “Our educational programs and wildlife rehabilitation services exist because of supporters in the community.”
The festival will be held from noon to 4 p.m. and will feature tours of the Stormy Oaks property as well as educational booths regarding birds, bats and other species. Face painting, a silent auction and a basket raffle also will be a part of the event.
“The children will have a wonderful time in our replica bald eagle's nest, playing in the octagon, getting their face painted, and meeting animal ambassadors,” Brown said.
The keynote speaker for this year’s event is Stephen Bucklin, naturalist educator from Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, who will offer a talk on mushrooms.
“He will introduce us to kingdom fungi, give an overview on this enigmatic group of organisms, share stories about common local species of mushrooms, and highlight connections between fungi and birds,” Brown said.
During the festival, Mars Area Public Library is offering its StoryWalk, which offers pages of a storybook on outdoor signs along a path. The StoryWalk path begins next to the woodshed near the parking lot.
“We are thankful for the collaboration with Mars Area Public Library to connect children with reading and nature,” Brown said. “Along the nature trail, pages of a children's book have been transformed into signs. Everyone is invited to stop and read out loud along with the story.”
Guests can buy tickets in person at the venue on the day of the event. Children age 5 and younger do not require a ticket in order to attend.
