(Orleans)– Local birdwatchers are in seventh heaven right now as the spring migration nears its peak.
Ed Thelen os the Iowa Department of Natural Resources is an avid birdwatcher and a local expert on birds and migration. He says more birds and more species of birds than usual have been making their way through the Iowa Great Lakes area recently. He attributes that to open water in local lakes and the fact that things just to the north of us are still frozen. This past weekend alone, Thelen says he and a fellow birdwatcher saw 21 different species of waterfowl on Sunday. That included nine tundra swans at the north end of East Lake Okoboji, several trumpeter swans along Highway nine just west of Lake Park; and several bald eagles. Thelen says 29 bald eagles were seen on Big Spirit Lake a week ago Monday.
Thelen expects the migration will continue atleast another couple of weeks…depending upon how fast the weather warms up. He says there are several good viewing areas locally, including the Spring Run area east of Arnolds Park; Silver Lake at Lake Park (near the boat ramp); the Welch Lake Wildlife Area on Highway 86 just north of the apple orchard; or any place that has open water.
Thelen speculates a heavy snow storm earlier this month in portions of Nebraska and South Dakota pushed more birds our direction.
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