Head out for hummingbirds at Hotel Limpia

If you are a big fan of hummingbirds, you’ll want to head down to Fort Davis, Texas, come August 22-25. That’s when the annual Hummingbird Celebration will be held.

The iconic Hotel Limpia is a great place to stay and I’d suggest you make reservations soon if you plan to attend. Call 432 426-3237.

The hummer festival will feature field trips, photography workshops and a “banding breakfast” where birds will be banded and released. Kelly Bryant and Charles Floyd will teach identification sessions and Victor Emanuel will be a keynote speaker.

In addition to seeing hummingbirds, the nearby McDonald Observatory will be celebrating its 40th anniversary and you’ll have a great opportunity to star gaze and learn more about the celestial world. The last time I was there, the view of Mars was spectacular.

One activity at the hummer celebration sounds especially appealing – “lawnchair birding” whereby you sit in shady comfort at a site featuring maximum hummingbird activity.

What hummers can you expect to see? Calliope, ruby-throated and rufous species should be abundant and there’s a chance for Lucifer, Mexican violet-ear, Anna’s, Costa’s, broadtailed, and broad-billed. I’m assured there will be a chance for Rivoli’s, a species I have never heard of. Should be interesting.

While hummingbirds are the big attraction, there are some other neat birds in the Fort Davis area, including acorn woodpecker, black-headed grosbeak, hepatic and western tanagers.

Finally, there’s an excellent local winery and the Blue Mountain Bar & Grill offers some succulent vittles. I particularly recommend the mocha crusted pork tenderloin.