Birding Front And Center At Kick Off Of Great Park Pursuit Outdoor Adventure Challenge (With Video And Photo Gallery)

Birders from around the state, along with state and local officials, descended upon Hammonasset Beach State Park Saturday to kick off the sixth annual Great Park Pursuit Outdoor Adventure.

Participants were invited to take part in guided bird walks, a bird scavenger hunt, and a bird safety patrol. One of the highlights of the day was the release of Martha, a hawk, into the wild.

While the emphasis Saturday was on birds and the environment, Sandy Breslin from the Connecticut Audubon Society also took a minute to remind attendees that birding is big business in Connecticut. She said more than a million Connecticut residents self-identify as wildlife recreation enthusiasts and that there are more than 850,000 Connecticut residents who are birders. Their activities account for more than $873 million in expenditures and thousands of jobs, she said.

The event at Hammonasset Saturday was the first in a series that will be offered by the state. Other family days will feature themes that include fishing, hiking, biking, historic sites, boating, swimming, camping, picknicking, letterboxing, and winter activities.

Families that attended the event Saturday received an Great Park Pursuit Outdoor Adventure Challenge Passport that they can take with them when they visit out state parks in Connecticut.

For more information, please visit the  No Child Left Inside® website  at www.NoChildLeftInside.org.