Page 48 Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2024-2025 Christmas Bird Count The Christmas Bird Counts are sponsored by the National Audubon Society and are held throughout the Americas. The counts are done from December 14th to January 5th every year. For more information visit https://www.audubon.org/conservation/science/christmas-birdcount or call your local state park for more information: in Weslaco - Estero Llano Grande State Park, (956) 565-3919; in Mission - Bentsen - Rio Grande Valley State Park, (956) 584-9156. Fourth of July Butterfly Count The North American Butterfly Association holds annual Fourth of July butterfly counts all over the nation. The Mission-area count is coordinated by the Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park. The NABA Butterfly Count Program also includes a Spring Seasonal Count and a Fall Seasonal Count. For more information, visit https://naba.org/ butterfly-counts/. Ocelot Festival The Ocelot Conservation Day and Ocelot Run return to South Texas every year on the first weekend in March. The event is held at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville. The event is held to share information about ongoing conservation efforts and to educate about ocelots in a family-friendly environment that includes games, activities, and presentations. Visitors can expect to learn more about ocelots, the work underway to conserve them, and how they can help. For more information about the event, email director@flanwr.org or call (956) 832-3905. Information may also be found on the website at www.flanwr.org Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival Birders will flock to the Valley in search of the specialty birds of the Rio Grande Valley for the 31st annual Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival. The Festival runs from November 6th to the 10th, with field trips, keynote speakers, afternoon presentations, a rousing trade show, an exciting silent auction, a souvenir booth, and local art and photography. For more information, such as field trip destinations and registering, visit www.rgvbf.org. The Great Texas Birding Classic The Great Texas Birding Classic, coordinated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, takes place every year from April 15th through May 15th, with a registration deadline of April 1st. With more than 40 tournament categories based on age, region of the state, length of time birding, and more, there is truly something for everyone. It is the biggest, longest, wildest bird watching tournament in the United States! For information and dates, visit https://tpwd. texas.gov/events/great-texas-birding-classic/ or call 512-389-4500. Texas Butterfly Festival The 28th Annual Texas Butterfly Festival will be held from October 26th to the 29th, 2024 in Mission. The festival includes educational workshops and field trips across the Rio Grande Valley for anyone interested in learning more about butterflies, dragonflies, and birds. Whether you are a curious nature enthusiast or an experienced naturalist, you are sure to find something thrilling in this 4-day festival that features expert guides, speakers, and instructors. Online registration opens May 1st. For more information visit www.texasbutterflyfestival.com, or call the National Butterfly Center at (956) 583-5400. Texas International Fishing Tournament The 84th annual Texas International Fishing Tournament will be held from July 31st to August 4th, 2024 in the Port Isabel-South Padre Island area. For information go to www.tift.org or call (956) 943-8438.
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