This month, Colonial Beach voted to designate the osprey as the official town bird.
According to the resolution adopted on March 16, Colonial Beach was already a designated bird sanctuary. The 2.6 sq. mile town hosts 40-plus nesting sites for ospreys, which are an indicator of the health of the Potomac River and the Chesapeake, the document said.
And it adds that residents of Colonial Beach celebrate osprey’s return as a sign of hope and new life.
Osprey Festival around the corner
Declaring the town bird came only weeks before Colonial Beach will host its 4th Annual Osprey Festival on April 9. The event has been canceled for the past two years due to the pandemic. But this year, there is a full slate of activities planned.
The Osprey Festival is a celebration of birdwatching and the area’s abundant natural resources, the official event page notes.
Since that weekend kicks off “Earth Day Month,” the festivities will begin on Friday, April 8, with a downtown art walk featuring wildlife subjects and live music in the historic section of Colonial Beach.
On Saturday, in addition to live demonstrations and talks, there will be hikes, golf cart tours, trolley rides, vendors and exhibitors on Town Hill, which is adjacent to the beach.
Pre-purchased tickets, which are available at colonialbeachospreyfestival.org, are $10 per person or $15 per family. Tickets purchased on the day of the event at the gate will increase to $15 per person and $20 per family.
Ticket prices cover:
· The Souvenir Program and Guide to Bird Watching in and around Colonial Beach
· All presentations, including the exclusive Zoom presentation with international Osprey expert Dr. Alan Poole,
· Golf cart tours of nests, and
· Trolley tour around the whole town with a naturalist and local historian.
The event’s exhibition area and Grand Ole O’spry Concert will be open to everyone free of charge. And visitors can rent individual golf carts all weekend. There are also kayaks and canoes available to rent in town along the Potomac.
The proceeds from ticket sales for this go to Downtown Colonial Beach to aid its effort to preserve and revitalize the historic downtown area.
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