A fun, free celebration of springtime birds, The upcoming Urban Birding Festival -- May 13-16 – is a fun, free celebration of spring birds and and birding. Everyone, from brand-new to experienced birders, is invited to take part in all or part of this free four-day event. No registration is required. Just show up at the events you wish to attend.

The festival, with St. Paul Audubon a key sponsor, features free daytime and evening bird walks, plus Saturday's series of events at Fridley's Springbrook Nature Center, "Birding Central" for the festival. The only event with a fee is Birding Central's catered lunch on May 15. The festival wraps up on Sunday, May 16, with hikes through the seldom open Arden Hills Army Training Site. All walks during the festival are led by experienced bird watchers, many of them Audubon members.

The full schedule is posted on St. Paul Audubon's web site, www.saintpaulaudubon.org.