Every year during the last weekend in April, a record number of individuals from near and far flock to Hoquiam Washington and to Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge to celebrate the magnificent migration of thousands of shorebirds at the annual Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival.
 
The 12th Annual Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival to be held on the weekend of May 2nd - 4th, 2008 in Hoquiam, Washington, promises you a great nature experience. Witness the migrating shorebirds at Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge and other birding hotspots in Grays Harbor County. Events include field trips with expert birders, lectures, exhibitors, vendors, authors, the shorebird fun fair, poster contest, and banquet.
 
Best Shorebird Viewing

Shorebirds migrating from as far south as Argentina stop to rest and feed in Grays Harbor Estuary every spring. The estuary's open mudflats provide ample food for the migrants, and great wildlife viewing opportunities for the public.
 
Best shorebird viewing is usually between two hours before and two hours after high tide from mid-April through mid-May. Birds can be viewed from the Sandpiper Trail at Grays Harbor NWR.
 
For more information on the Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival, visit the website www.shorebirdfestival.com, call 1-800-303-8498, or e-mail dlmoor2@coastaccess.com. You can also contact Grays Harbor Audubon Society or Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge at (360) 753-9467.