Paris, Tenn.–The Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge and The Parisian Theater are teaming up to talk about “Migration”! The Illumination movie which starts Friday, December 22nd in theaters portrays a family of mallards that gets a bit lost during their southbound migration and end up in New York City.
Following this hilarious movie, the refuge is seeking to showcase the real migration happening at the refuge this winter.
“With hundreds of thousands of mallards and other waterfowl, as well as bald eagles, cranes, pelicans and other migratory birds overwintering at the 51,000 acre refuge, we want to take advantage of this opportunity to call attention to the migration ‘show’ happening in real time” according to Ranger Joan Howe.
A booth will be set up within the Parisian Theater (located at 161 Jim Adams Drive in Paris) that will highlight “Mallards, Migration, Bird Conservation” and especially how to visit the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge to see these birds for yourself.
While the refuge is not exactly “Jamaica”, depicted as the mallard family’s destination in the movie, you can find some mighty happy ducks as they use the refuge to rest and feed and replenish energy reserves before their return journey back up north in the spring.
The refuge is inviting the public to a Ranger Guided Tour featuring these birds that will happen on Saturday, December 30th at 10 am beginning at the Refuge Visitor Center located at 1371 Wildlife Drive in Springville, TN. After a short bird identification program, attendees will caravan around an adjacent bay of Kentucky Lake to see tens of thousands of waterfowl currently seeking refuge in that bay alone. For those that attend, we invite you to dress warmly for being outdoors and bring binoculars. However, the refuge has plenty of loaner binoculars available that morning.
Ranger Joan and her friend “Puddles” the blue goose will be headed to the movie theater to greet those going to that Saturday’s matinee show.
This local community partnership is also taking the opportunity to highlight the Tennessee Junior Duck Stamp program where students are encouraged to study about native North American waterfowl and then design a “Duck Stamp” to submit to an art competition. Winners of this competition are invited to an awards ceremony at the Discovery Park of America. To remind all children of this free program, the public is invited to pick up a copy of a “Junior Duck Stamp Passport” activity booklet at the refuge visitor center or at the Parisian Theater. Get your passport stamped when visiting the refuge visitor center to receive a free small popcorn that can be used anytime you purchase a ticket for any movie at the Parisian Theater.
Ranger Joan said, “I always look forward to a good movie, but I am so looking forward to seeing you all “migrate” to the refuge where we can all get a little “ducky” If you can’t make it on Saturday, the ducks will be there all winter!
For more information about the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge or the Tennessee Junior Duck Stamp program see www.fws.gov/refuge/tenessee or find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/