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"Wings of Wonder: WV Birds of Prey" presented by the Three Rivers Avian Center is coming again to the Spring Hill Cemetery Park and Arboretum on Saturday April 25th, 2026 at 2:00 PM! The event is free, open to the public and great for all ages. Here are the details:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Come early at 1.30pm : Bird Talk to Representatives in their field from:
- Handlan Chapter of Brooks Bird Club
- Ratrie Arboretum – Backyard Habitat for Birds
- Charleston Camera Club
2pm: "Wings of Wonder: WV Birds of Prey" - Come meet 6 native WV Raptor Ambassadors close up, including live owls, falcons, hawk and bald eagle Regis. Learn about the habitats they live in, the foods they eat, their unique abilities and the dangers they face. Pick up pro-active tips for helping WV's wild birds and get a chance to ask questions during this award-winning interactive program.
– Presented by Three Rivers Avian Center, Hinton, WV.
Explore the Cemetery afterwards and see what birds you may see.
Three Rivers Avian Center (TRAC) is a private 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to wild bird conservation and educating and involving people in ecosystem stewardship. Founded in 1990, TRAC’s 110-acre facility is located in the southern portion of the New River Gorge National River, between Sandstone and Hinton in Summers County, West Virginia, and is partly bordered by the New River Gorge National River. https://tracwv.org/
Spring Hill Cemetery Park and Arboretum were designated as bird sanctuary in 1916, thanks to the efforts of then State Ornithologist, I.H Johnston. Its 192 acres, provides varied habitats, attracting numerous different birds and the internal paved roads and trails make it a popular place for walkers and bird watchers. This time of year, is a busy time as there are many returning home and passing through migratory birds.
Izrael H Johnston (1869-1947) is buried in the Cemetery, and his tombstone is engraved with the word ‘Naturalist’.
In 1923 he wrote 'Birds of West Virginia’ which was published by The West Virginia Department of Agriculture. Mr. Johnson was instrumental in having the Bald Eagle removed from the ‘varmint’ list in WV. While he admitted it was a predatory bird, he saw no sense in it being called the national bird if people could K*ll it. He also travelled to Washington DC and petitioned State Senator Jennings Randolph for it to be put on National Preservation Lists.
In 1924 he took a trip to Mississippi with his daughter Mary Balle, to film birds. A Winfield Taxidermist Signery Morgan towed Mr. Johnson’s houseboat with his sternwheeler the ‘Eugene’. Mr. Morgan stuffed birds for the State Museum and his own private collection.
In 1925 he started filming birds with a desire to make a film to show children the life of a Cardinal. He had been told by his father that he should develop a trade as birding would never pay. So Mr Johnston also owned and operated a tailor shop at 308 Virginia Street in Charleston. In 1939 after 20 years as State Ornithologist, he left Charleston to go and film birds in California.
In 1895 Izrael Johnstone built a two-story bungalow-style cottage of painted clapboards on Myrtle Rd. Owing to Johnston's nickname of "The Bird Man", the birds he attracted to his garden, and kept in the house, it became known as ‘Bird Haven. It is one of the oldest frame-built houses in the area and exhibits late Victorian features such as a 3-sided front bay window and a front and back parlor area. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
The entire event is free and open to the public and it’s a fun family friendly day!
Sponsored by Spring Hill Cemetery Park Commission
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Event Venue
City of Charleston Spring Hill Cemetery, 1555 Farnsworth Dr, Charleston, WV 25311-1507, United States
Tickets
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