The Potomac Valley Audubon Society (PVAS) has put together a special series of local events in late April and early May to mark the 23rd annual observance of International Migratory Bird Day.

The IMBD is an international program that aims to promote greater understanding and appreciation of the importance of migratory birds in North, Central and South America.

It was initiated in 1993 by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center.

This year’s IMBD theme is “Restore Habitat; Restore Birds.”

All the local events will be free, and anyone with an interest is invited to participate. Pre-registration is required for the Birdathon event and a May 5 bird walk at Altona Marsh; it is encouraged but not required for all the other daytime events. No pre-registration is needed for a May 13 evening lecture.

To register for events and get more details go to the PVAS website at www.potomacaudubon.org.

For each trip, participants should dress for the weather, wear comfortable walking shoes and bring drinking water and insect repellent. Binoculars will be provided if needed.

For additional information about specific events contact the individuals mentioned in the event descriptions or Krista Hawley at adultprograms@potomacaudubon.org or 703-303-1026.

The schedule of events follows below.

Monday, April 27: Children’s birding workshop and birdwalk at the Wind Dance Farm and Home School in Morgan County. 8:30-11 a.m. In the event of rain, this event will be rescheduled to Friday, May 1. For more info contact Sandy Sagalkin at monsansagalkin@myactv.net or 240-291-6465 or Leslie Milbourne at winddancefarm.org 304-258-4672.

Saturday and Sunday, May 2-3: Sixth Annual Ruth Ann Dean Memorial Birdathon. Teams and individuals will compete to identify the highest numbers of bird species they find in the area within any 24-consecutive-hour-period during the weekend. Free and open to anyone who is interested, but all must pre-register. Those who participate are encouraged to seek pledges from neighbors, family, and friends to help raise funds to improve wild bird habitat at PVAS’s Stauffer’s Marsh Nature Preserve. For more info contact event coordinator Sandy Sagalkin at 240-291-6465 or monsansagalkin@myactv.net.

Sunday, May 3: Bird Walk at the Eidolon Nature Preserve in Morgan County. To be let by local birders Jon Boone and Janet Ardem. A good opportunity to see the rare Cerulean Warbler, which nests here. Meet at the preserve at 7:30 a.m. For more info, contact the Nature Niche store in Berkeley Springs at 304-258-0992 or natureniche@naturenichewv.com.

Monday, May 4: Bird Walk on the C&O Canal, across from Shepherdstown. Meet at 7 a.m. at the large C&O Canal parking lot on River Road, just south of the railroad bridge. For more info, contact walk leader Lynne Wiseman at 304-676-2725.

Tuesday, May 5: Bird Walk at Altona Marsh in Jefferson County. Walk will start at 7:30 a.m. and last about 3 hours. Because this is a protected site and there are access issues, participants must pre-register and sign a waiver. For more info contact trip leader James Farley at jamesfarley@frontiernet.net or 540-686-2056.

Wednesday, May 6: Birding trip in Western Berkeley County. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the Eagle Mart Plaza parking lot on Route 9 just south of Hedgesville. Participants will carpool from there because there is limited space for parking at the sites that will be visited. Trip will last about three hours. For more info, contact trip leader Bob Dean at bobdean52@gmail.com.

Thursday, May 7: Bird walk at Stauffer’s Marsh in Berkeley County. Meet at 8 a.m. in the parking area at the north end of the marsh. Walk will last about 2 hours. For more info contact walk leader Steve Hartman at 304-433-7777.

Friday, May 8: Bird walk at the Murphy’s Farm section of the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. 7-10 a.m. Meet at the park’s visitor’s center off Route 340. Please note that the Park Service will charge a fee of $10 per vehicle to enter the Park unless you have an annual Park pass or a NPS Golden Eagle pass. For more info contact trip leader Deb Hale at 304-535-2346.

Saturday, May 9: Bird Walk at Sideling Hill in Maryland. Co-sponsored by the Washington County Bird Club. Meet at 7 a.m. in the upper parking lot of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration facility at 18306 Col. Henry K. Douglas Drive, Hagerstown (off Route 65, just south of U.S. 70). For more info contact trip leader Sandy Sagalkin at monsansaglakin@myactv.net or 240-291-6465.

Sunday, May 10: Mother’s Day Bird Walk in the Finial Attack Trail/Otto Farm section of the Antietam National Battlefield. Co-sponsored by the Washington County Bird Club. 7:30-10:30 a.m. Meet at the Burnside Bridge parking lot. For more info contact trip leader Sandy Sagalkin at monsansaglakin@myactv.net or 240-291-6465.

Wednesday, May 13: Bird walk at the Bolivar Heights section of the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. 7-9 a.m. Meet in the Bolivar Heights parking area. For more info, contact trip leader Deb Hale at 304-535-2346 or debhale72@gmail.com.

Wednesday, May 13: PVAS evening program at the Hospice of the Panhandle Facility at 330 Hospice Lane, Kearneysville. 7 p.m. in the main meeting room of the Main Office Building. Joette Borzik will give a presentation on the birds of Cuba.