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Jed Boal ReportingMore of us head outside as the weather warms. It's the best time of year to visit the Great Salt Lake for bird watching. Jed Boal takes us for a paddle and a preview of the 8th Annual Great Salt Lake Bird Festival.
The Great Salt Lake can be a raging sea or a sheet of glass. More birdwatchers in Utah are picking up paddles to hunt for birds with binoculars.
Scott Baxter, Birding Guide: "People that aren't even birders, people really interested in the outdoors, they want to learn a little bit about birding, a little bit about the lake and the area."
During the 8th Annual Great Salt Lake Bird Festival, Scott Baxter will guide birders by kayak. Egg Island is not far from the north end of Antelope Island. Baxter calls it the Gallapagos Island of the Great Salt Lake.
Migratory birds are on the move. About 200 different species are among the seven to eight million birds on the lake right now.
Scott Baxter, Birding Guide: "This is the migratory path. Birds are leaving Mexico and moving north into Canada to nest."
Many people who come out to the Great Salt Lake in the next few weeks will be coming out for the first time in a long time. It's a good time to discover or rediscover the Great Salt Lake and what a jewel it is.
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Bus and van field trips explore several areas usually closed to the public.
Scott Baxter, Birding Guide: "You can go see the alpine birds, the shore birds, you can see the raptors."
The Bird Festival runs May 18th through 23rd. For a full list of activities look for the link at the top right of this story.
