The Pageantry of Flowers & Feathers

Wild Columbine

Now, as spring approaches its fever pitch, there’s perhaps no better time to take to the mountainous woodlands of southeastern Kentucky in search of flowers and feathers.  Ample seasonal warmth and abundant rainfall have conspired to adorn the craggy slopes and cryptic hollows with a flourish of blossoms and a variety of avian dynamos.

An assortment of field trips, pilgrimmages, and special events celebrating birds and blooms will be hosted across eastern Kentucky in the days to come.  Why not pick one, make a short drive, and get back in touch with your wild side while having a passel of fun?

Glorious spring annually adorns the vaulted slopes of Kentucky’s Pine Mountain in a cloak of green and the lush forest enters an enchanting period of flowerings.  By late April, the blooming of wildflowers is nearing its peak, and an assortment of warblers can be observed migrating through Kentucky.  This year, Pine Mountain State Resort Park  will host an adventurous weekend opportunity to celebrate the occurrence of both on April 29-30, 2011.

 Enjoy guided outings that will include seek-n-find wildflower hikes, a misty morning bird walk, and a how-to wildflower photography field trip.  Enjoy breakfast with the birds by the enourmous dining room windows as the park’s Naturalist directs observation and build your own take-home bluebird box in a hands-on workshop session.  Feature evening programs will showcase spectacular wildflower photography, lovely native wildflowers and shrubs, and an up-close live birds of prey show featuring barn owl, great horned owl, peregrine falcon, Mississippi kite, and a golden eagle.  Don’t miss this outdoor celebration of the arrival of spring to the mountains.

You can request additional program information or make a reservation by phoning the park’s Guest Services Desk at (800) 325-1712.  Look into it; it just might be your best outdoor experience of the spring!

Tags: Naturalist Dean Henson