Spring Bird Walk scheduled, May 14

Now that spring is officially here (even though it’s taken a while to feel like it), the Winnebago County Conservation Board wants you to get outside and enjoy it. To help you do that, they are hosting a Spring Bird Walk on Saturday, May 14. The walk will begin at the Pilot Knob State Park shelter house, starting at 9 a.m. It will last about an hour. Pilot Knob is located five miles east of Forest City.
Spring is a great time to observe birds in Iowa, since many of our nesting birds are returning from their southern wintering grounds and others are flying through on their way north. Before the walk, Winnebago County Naturalist Lisa Ralls will introduce people to birdwatching and will discuss which bird species we can see during spring here in northern Iowa. Along the walk itself, participants will learn how to look for birds, what to listen for, and how to identify the birds they observe. There will also be handouts for people to take home to help them continue to identify the songbirds they see.
No preregistration is required for the walk and it will be free of charge. People should simply meet at the shelter house at 9 a.m., but are encouraged to bring along a pair of binoculars, if they have them. (Some binoculars will be available that day for those who don’t have any.)
In case of inclement weather, the walk may have to be postponed or canceled and that announcement will run on KIOW Radio (FM 102.3), the WCCB Facebook page, and the WCCB Twitter feed. For questions about the WCCB’s Spring Bird Walk, people can contact Lisa Ralls at either lralls@winnebagoccb.com or at 641-565-3390.