by Anna Ferguson, published in The Brunswick News

Hundreds of birding enthusiasts are expected to flock to Jekyll Island this week to delve into the wonders of the natural world.

The second annual Bird Education Network’s National Gathering, hosted by the Council for Environmental Education, took flight Sunday at the state park, with the goal of bringing together wildlife educators to promote bird conservation efforts, event sponsors say.

Themed “Bird Education Through Conservation: A National Gathering,” the event has generated interest in bird lovers worldwide, with some guests coming to the island from as far away as Panama and Canada, said Geoffrey Castro, a representative of the gathering.

During the weeklong event, educators and bird professionals will network and exchange ideas about the best practices for educating the public about bird conservation, while also encouraging attendees to explore the island and nearby wildlife viewing areas, said Barbara Price, president of the Council for Environmental Education. The previous conference, held in 2007, was put on in Austin, Texas. This year, though, coordinators opted to move the event to Jekyll Island because it has solidly established itself as a birding haven, Price said.

That reputation is one the island leaders hold to tightly and do not take lightly, said Jones Hooks, executive director of the Jekyll Island Authority.
The island prides itself for being a birder paradise by playing host to events such as this conference and the renowned Colonial Coast Birding and Nature Festival, and in 2001, was designated an Important Birding Area by the Audubon Society, Hooks said.

“With no less than 65 percent of the island protected as a natural sanctuary, Jekyll Island is the perfect setting for this bird education conference,” said Hooks.

Home to more than 250 bird species, including bald eagles, Roseate spoonbill, painted bunting, and wood storks, the island has for years attracted the attention of birders, Price said.

“The council was drawn to Jekyll Island because of its reputation in the birding community,” said Price. “Jekyll Island offers one of the best opportunities for our conference attendees to come within viewing range of so many magnificent species.”