Welcome the spring season and get outdoors at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary’s annual Spring Equinox Celebration on March 23, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in and around the Visitor Center.

The annual event is held on the Saturday closest to the spring equinox and is designed to build excitement for the arrival of the spring season. Trail fees apply for non-members.

Throughout the day, the Sanctuary will offer complimentary hot chocolate and bird friendly coffee, and a volunteer naturalist will be on hand at the bird feeder windows to help point out and identify the growing number of birds and small mammals.

Visitors of all ages are also invited to complete a self-guided ‘signs of spring’ scavenger hunt, a fun and easy way to help everyone be on the lookout for the telltale signs that warm weather is returning.

The day will begin with Raptors Up Close!, at 11 a.m. followed a guided nature walk at 12:30 designed for people of all ages and skill levels. Those interested in the walk should sign up upon arrival, as participation is limited, and a trail fee applies.

From noon to 2 p.m., kids can create their own bird’s nest and a clothespin dragonfly, and the day will wrap up with a second live raptor program at 2 p.m.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is located just three miles south of New Ringgold on Route 895, or 7 miles north of the I-78/Route 61 Cabela’s intersection.

For more information, call 610-756-6961 or visit the Hawk Mountain website. Trail fees cost $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $3 for children ages 6 to 12. Members are always admitted free of charge, and memberships can be purchased, starting at $40.

Open year-round, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is the world's first refuge for birds of prey and an international center for raptor conservation. Its eight miles of trails and half a dozen scenic overlooks are open to the public for a modest trail fee.

3/18/2013