Shared by Tanya Hall, as Guest Blogger.

How does one appropriately honor a man who dedicated his entire life to sharing the joy of learning about nature? Hungry Mother State Park thinks the best way to do that is by attaching his legacy to new opportunities to learn and experience the fascinations of the natural world.

A birding celebration is born

Hungry Mother State Park lost one of its best volunteers when Randy Smith died in 2023. In his working career, he had been a teacher and a coach. His wit and infectious enthusiasm made him a hit in high school classrooms and college courses. As a track coach, he created winning teams of young people who respected his guidance and loved him mightily. He was a lover of music, poetry, Native American culture and most especially, birds. He was a community volunteer who always found time to support projects that filled his heart: seed swaps, nature education programs for adults and kids, and bird walks – lots and lots of bird walks. As a fixture at Hungry Mother State Park, Randy's loss has been felt deeply by all who knew him, volunteered with him and relied on him for popular presentations at the park.

Randy Smith

But in the midst of grief, a new tradition is being born, and on May 3-5, 2024, Hungry Mother State Park will launch a birding festival specifically aimed at honoring Randy Smith. The “Life’s Extras Birding Celebration” will feature lectures, demonstrations, presentations by bird rehabbers and educators, a sketching class – and of course, bird walks at the park and the Saltville Wellfields.

Where does the name come from?

The name for the event is taken from a quote so often heard from Randy. He was a fan of a book by Archibald Rutledge called Life’s Extras. In it, Rutledge pointed to many of the superb joys found in nature and added that while many things are vital (like water) some things just seem to be one of life’s extras (like waterfalls). Randy often began bird presentations by quoting the book and added that he believed that birds are among life’s extras.

That sentiment, of course, doesn’t take away from the vital and critical ecological role birds play in nature! But it does completely express the joy of birding that Randy conveyed to participants in every single education program and bird walk. Tanya Hall, Hungry Mother State Park chief ranger for visitor experience, says when it was time to name the event, they wanted to capture some of that joy. “So instead of calling it a symposium or a conference we went with a word that sums up Randy’s spirit: Celebration.”

Randy Smith (C) with former Virginia State Parks ranger Rachel Toward (L) and Hungry Mother Chief Ranger of Visitor Experience Tanya Hall

The event will be a very full weekend of bird-related events that will appeal to seasoned birders, new birders, kids and adults. And there will be an opportunity to pay tribute to Randy with a ceremony on Saturday (May 4, 2024) where a bench and tree will be installed in his memory near the viewing pond on the backside of Hungry Mother State Park, one of Randy’s favorite places to bird.

Mark your calendars now for this big, bold bird celebration!

Click here to find details. Registration is required (by April 26, 2024) so that organizers may plan. Costs vary depending on how many days you can attend. Full celebration registrants will receive a swag bag and the opportunity to attend all the presentations. Lunch and supper on Saturday only will be available at the park’s event center, also on the registration link.

This will be a celebration of birds and of a volunteer who gave so much of his time to show all of us the fascinating avian world that surrounds us. Get ready to learn, and get ready to celebrate!

Eastern Bluebird