Homer has really gone to the birds lately.

Apologies, but this is the only time of year the Betster gets to make that joke.

If you or your non-nature aware friends haven’t noticed, the beaches of Homer are quite alive with the sound of sandpipers, dunlins and the literally dozens of other shorebird species Homerites can expect to lay binocular-strained eyes on.

Though our Cosmic Hamlet by the Sea has already experienced what the bird people call a surge of winged creatures who appeared a bit ahead of the Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival schedule, the weekend promises even more. If the final scene of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” is your kind of thing, then you’re in luck, because that’s roughly what our beaches will look like when our feathered friends arrive.

If you ever dreamed of knowing what it was like to be Tippi Hedren, now’s your chance. Simply don a blond wig and a vague sense of wonder and helplessness and the birds are sure to flock to you as they did her.

In all seriousness, we’re glad to have friendly fowls back on Homer soil. If you’re not one for straining to see across the slough and spending the rest of your day with a pair of binoculars etched around your eyes, there are plenty of other activities to engage in, from art shows to photography classes and beyond.

If you’re really more a Tippi and prefer to avoid animals of the avian variety, then try your luck with these Best Bets:

BEST BACK TO NATURE BET: “Homesteading in Harmony with Nature with Mossy Kilcher” will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Friday at Seaside Farms, located at 40904 Seaside Farm Road. Mossy Kilcher will share her lifelong attunement with living in community with all of the creatures and seasonal changes with a tour of her farm.

She will teach how close observation of the lives of all of the inhabitants of the land and respecting their needs leads to greater productivity, harmony and wiser decisions on the homestead. This workshop costs $15. For more information, contact the Homer Folk School at 299-9117.

BEST STEMS AND BUDS BET: Been itching to get back into your garden or revitalize your indoor plant population? You’re in luck! The Homer Garden Club Plant Sale is this Saturday from 11 a.m. to noon at the Homer Chamber of Commerce. A garden item garage sale opens at 10 a.m., where coffee will be available. All kinds of perennials are available from local gardens.

BEST BOAT BET: It’s here, folks! The 24th King Salmon Calcutta Tournament. It will start at 7 a.m. Saturday at the Anchor Point Boat Launch located in the State Recreation Area, opposite the Halibut Campground at the end of Beach Access Road.

Fishing will continue until 4 p.m. and all fish must be weighed in by 6 p.m. Winners will be announced at the Anchor Point VFW. The entry fee is $100 per boat and $25 per kayak.

Official rules and registration are available at the Anchor Point Chamber of Commerce website, www.achorpointchamber.org.

BEST, YOU GUESSED IT, BIRD BET: OK, the Betster just has to include one event about birds. There are so many to choose from, but a good one for those who don’t know much about birds, but still want to be involved, is the Migration Run 5K on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 13. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the race begins at 9 a.m.

All ages and abilities are welcomed. the race will begin near the Fishing Hole/Pier One Theater on the Homer Spit and ends at the base of the spit. Transportation will be provided from the base back to Pier One. The cost is $20 for Adults, $10 for ages 10-17 and $5 for youth under 10.

A $5 discount for the adult cost is available for current KBRC members with online discount code http://my.raceresult.com/95929. KBRC Buffs will be provided to all adult registrants. Medals will be provided to top male and female finishers, fastest youth and fastest mom.