MEDIA ADVISORY - Annual Spring Bird Festival Takes Flight in Tommy Thompson Park Toronto's Birding Hot Spot

- Free festival in Toronto's urban wilderness promises good family fun and the chance to explore birds in Toronto -

TORONTO, May 6, 2014 /CNW/ -

WHAT:	May 10 is International Migratory Bird Day and also when Tommy Thompson Park (TTP) Spring Bird Festival celebrates the return of migratory birds at Toronto's only Important Bird Area, the amazing phenomenon of migration and the importance of habitat conservation.
	The festival is a spring favourite for nature enthusiasts in the GTA, and features guided tours, educational activities, bird focused presentations, photography and gardening workshops and more! The festival connects participants to nature and offers opportunities to view live birds up close at the Tommy Thompson Park Bird Research Station. 316 species have been recorded at the park.
	With 11,990 nesting pairs of Double-crested Cormorants, the largest colony on the Great Lakes, TTP is the best place to launch Linda Wires' new book The Double-Crested Cormorant: Plight of a Feathered Pariah.  The book describes the cultural, historical, scientific, and political elements of the cormorant's story.
	The national Get to Know Art Contest officially kicks-off in Toronto at the TTP Spring Bird Festival.  The Get to Know Contest encourages youth to get outdoors and create works of art inspired by nature.
WHEN:	Saturday, May 10, 2014 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
	The Double-Crested Cormorant: Plight of a Feathered Pariah book launch 1:00 p.m.
	See www.springbirdfestival.ca for complete list of scheduled activities and registration.
WHO:	Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA) hosts its 14th Annual Tommy Thompson Park (TTP) Spring Bird Festival.
WHERE:	Tommy Thompson Park @ Leslie St. and Unwin Ave. Toronto, ON
	Limited free parking available in the TTP parking lot and along Leslie St. and Unwin Ave. Please note pets are not permitted within the park. Media sign in at TRCA registration table.

Toronto and Region Conservation

With over 60 years of experience, Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA) helps people understand, enjoy and look-after the natural environment. Our vision is for The Living City®, where human settlement can flourish forever as part of nature's beauty and diversity.  For more information, call 416-661-6600 or visit us at www.trca.on.ca; www.ttpbrs.ca; www.springbirdfestival.ca

SOURCE: Toronto and Region Conservation Authority

MEDIA CONTACT: Rowena Calpito, Toronto and Region Conservation, Tel: [phone] ext 5632 E-mail: [email protected]