BIRDING ON THE GREEN

Monday, July 15, 2024 – 7:00am-9:00am – Brooks Golf Course

Get those binoculars ready, as the Dickinson County Nature Center is collaborating with Brooks Golf to start another season of Birding on the Green! This free program is offered to anyone who may have just opened a field guide all the way to the experienced birder. Attendees are encouraged to bring their binoculars, but the nature center will also provide a limited number to lend. 

Monday, May 6th, from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m., the group will meet in the parking lot of Brooks Golf, and birders will hop into golf carts to begin the excursion. While driving throughout the course, a list of the species they see and hear will be formed, and this is the perfect opportunity to learn and ask questions!

Last season, Lee Schoenewe, Don Vrchota, and Dickinson County Nature Center education staff led the group and identified songbird species like the Eastern Wood-Pewee, Red-Eyed Vireo, and Indigo Bunting. Due to bordering tree plantings and various ponds throughout the property, birds of prey and wetland species were also viewed, totaling 81 species for the program season.

Don Vrchota, president of the Jackson County Birdwatchers, will lead the program along with DCNC education staff. A crop farmer and carpenter by trade, Vrchota began photographing birds to aid in identification, allowing him to see markings and characteristics. Photography became a more serious hobby that accompanied birding and carried over to capturing other wildlife. His passion has taken him across the Midwest, namely to the Golden Eagle Count in Rushford, MN. He also compiles and leads various Christmas bird counts in Jackson County, MN. 

Vrchota enjoys spending time with those who enjoy birding and being outdoors. “I like the people and enjoy nature!” he smiled. Vrchota spoke of his eagerness to educate others about wildlife and hopes people will become more interested in the hobby.

Birding on the Green will occur on the first Monday of the month from May to September* on the following dates:

May 6th

June 3rd

July 1st

August 5th

September 9th (*moved due to Labor Day)

Birding on the Green runs from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m.; no registration is required. To learn more information, call (712) 336-6352 or visit www.dickinsoncountynaturecenter.com. Visit our Facebook and Instagram pages for the latest news and updates about the nature center.