HummerBird Celebration: The Big Year

Archived in the category: Announcements, Events, General Info
Posted by Joyce Rhyne on 15 Aug 19 - 0 Comments

An event celebrating the spectacular fall migration of hummingbirds

Rockport-Fulton, Texas: Celebrate the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and all fall migrants at the 31st Annual HummerBird Celebration in Rockport and Fulton, Texas, Thursday – Sunday September 19-22.

At 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, attendees will be treated to a Welcome Reception at the Rockport Center for the Arts building located at 101 S. Austin St. in Downtown Rockport. It is free to all attendees. It features wine, cheese, fine art and information on the event. The opening dinner will be a Texas Style Barbecue at the newly remodeled Saltwater Pavilion of Rockport Beach from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This is a ticketed event

This 31st HummerBird Celebration is an event that showcases the communities of Rockport and Fulton’s commitment to birding with a tribute to the Ruby-throated hummingbird, and all migrant and resident birds of the area. To purchase tickets, volunteer, or find out more information on activities and events, please visit www.rockporthummingbird.com or contact the Rockport-Fulton Chamber of Commerce at 361-729-6445. Tickets may also be purchased onsite at the event at the Martha Luigi Auditorium Box Office, 1803 Omohundro St. Rockport, TX.

About the HummerBird Celebration

HummerBird Celebration – 1988-2019 ~ The HummerBird Story

The event was founded in the late 1980s by local part-time resident Betty Baker, Wildlife expert Jesse Grantham and others. Their idea was to create an event as a means of celebrating the spectacular fall migration of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds as they pass through the Rockport-Fulton area on their way south to their winter homes in Mexico and beyond. This magnificent occurrence was first documented by the famous Texas birdwatcher Connie Hagar of Rockport. The hummingbirds pause here each fall to prepare for the most arduous leg of their migration. Upon leaving here, they will fly non-stop across the Gulf of Mexico, an incredible journey of some 800 plus miles. While here, they must eat enough to increase their body fat up to 50% which will be used to fuel their continued migration. In 1995, Texas Parks and Wildlife Officials observed our Hummer Home sites and later created the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail unveiling the first sign of site #50 at the Connie Hagar Cottage Sanctuary. In 2011, a local venue tax was allowed to fund Aransas Pathways; a project creating, protecting and maintaining birding along with history, kayak, bike and hike sites and trails throughout the county. The legacy of the HummerBird Celebration has created such an important footprint for Aransas County and serves as a great example to all.

Leave a Reply

Untitled Document