OKOBOJI, Iowa - Even with recent snowstorms, birder Ed Thelen isn’t worried about there being birds in the area during the first Birding on the Green event 7 a.m. Monday, May 7.
“I think birds migrate on the photo period, so I think it will be the same as usual,” he said. “We get a good diversity of birds. Usually, we have 50 species of birds. You’re catching some of the migrating warblers, the fly-catchers, the swallows.”
Thelen will lead the May Birding on the Green program with Dickinson County Conservation Board naturalists. Meet at the Brooks National Golf Club in Okoboji and hop on a golf cart to rack up avian species at the Audubon-certified course.
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“It’s just nice being out, and I tell you what --- I’d just love to see some green grass,” Thelen said.
Birding on the Green will take place May 7, June 4, July 9, Aug. 6 and Sept. 10 and is open to all ages. Thelen and local birder Lee Schoenewe will help Dickinson County naturalists and program-goers to identify birds by sight and sound, and a variety of species have been seen in past years.
Environmental education coordinator Bryanna Kuhlman said she loves seeing blue and green herons and has also been excited to see the rare eastern wood pewee, red-eyed vireo and also a red-tailed hawk eating prey in past years.
“We do Birding on the Green in partnership with Brooks Golf Course to help them keep their Audubon certification and to get the community out and trying a different hobby and to enjoy the birds we have in the community,” Kuhlman said.
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Between 40-60 species are tallied at each Birding on the Green program. Binoculars are provided or people are welcome to bring their own. Each program is free and lasts approximately two hours.
For more information on Birding on the Green or other free Dickinson County Conservation Board programming, call (712) 336-6352 or visit www.dickinsoncountyconservationboard.com .
