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The extensive cliffs,shrub-steppe,and riparian cottonwood forests provide a rich mixture of <br />habitats.Particularly important are the immense basalt cliffs and talus slopes interspersed with <br />shrub-steppe vegetation,which support a diverse assemblage of birds and obligates associated <br />with this habitat,including White-throated Swift,Cliff Swallow,Rock Wren,Canyon Wren,and <br />twenty-one species of raptors.Ten of these raptor species breed in and around the canyon, <br />including two pairs of Golden Eagles and five pairs of Prairie Falcons.The cliffs and shrub-steppe <br />habitat also support dense populations of Red-tailed Hawks,American Kestrels,and Great- <br />horned Owls.Up to twenty Bald Eagles winter along the river,subsisting primarily on trout.The <br />riparian habitats along the river and its tributaries support a high diversity and abundance of <br />passerines (songbirds). <br />Yakima River Canyon Bird Fest will be a free,family-friendlyevent targeting birders throughout <br />the Pacific Northwest and from around the world.Birders travel thousands of miles to add to <br />their 'life lists'and our festival will fall right in between two complimentary festivals --the Grays <br />Harbor Shorebird Festival in late April and the Leavenworth Bird Festival in late May.Birders <br />plan their travel calendars to engage in as many birding opportunities as they can,and this <br />festival in May is the best time to see colorful,diverse and rare bird species in the Canyon. <br />Yakima River Canyon Bird Fest will feature Friday afternoon registration at festival <br />headquarters based in Helen McCabe Park.Most attendees will camp on site at Helen McCabe <br />Park,in the Canyon or at the Yakima River RV Camp.In addition,we will secure partnerships <br />with Canyon River Ranch Lodge and other local hotels to provide reduced and/or group rates for <br />festival attendees.Friday evening activities will include owl hooting and bat field trips as well as <br />music and drinks at a local venue to be determined.Saturday morning will begin with very early <br />field trips (the early bird gets the worm!),and activities will continue throughout the day <br />capping off the evening with our keynote speaker.Complementary GISS activities occur on <br />Saturday as well.Sunday morning will have more early morning field trips and the festival will <br />wrap up at noon on Sunday.This schedule will ensure our attendees will stay over both Friday <br />and Saturday nights. <br />Yakima River Canyon Bird Fest will be funded primarily through sponsorships,grants,in-kind <br />donations,and vendor fees.Limited numbers of festival activities will have participation fees <br />(floating trips,social gatherings and field trips that require shuttles).KEEN and our partners will <br />offer various sponsorship levels to bird/wildlife watching companies and vendors.We will bring <br />in world-renownedspeakers who will attract a large crowd of eager bird watchers.We will use a <br />customized Eventbase App to ensure our attendees can find their way around to venues,track <br />their attendance at field trips,and provide an additional opportunity to highlight our sponsor's <br />logos and websites. <br />County-wide Lodging Tax Application P a ge |11