Carleton College Sponsoring Bird Watching Outing in Cowling Arboretum

Spring is the time for bird watching, and the Carleton College Cowling Arboretum is sponsoring a beginning bird watching field trip on Saturday, May 23, from 6:30-9 a.m. 

Designed to help beginning bird watchers to gain experience identifying birds by sight and call, this trip will be led by Northfield resident Gene Bauer, and Carleton student Owen McMurtrey ’12 (Chicago).

“With trees not fully leafed-out, spring can provide an excellent opportunity to actually see those small flighty creatures overhead.  Added to the increased visibility is the fact that many migratory birds pass through the area, especially along river corridors, adding to the rich diversity of color and song in our forested areas,” Arboretum Director Nancy Braker reports. The spring migration occurs each year during late April and May, she said, bringing thousands of birds through southern Minnesota on their way to northern forests.  Additionally, many birds are returning to the area to spend the summer, raising their young in the woodlands, floodplain forests and grasslands.

To help visitors keep track of birds seen in the Arboretum, a downloadable copy of the Arboretum Bird Checklist form is available the College website at "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi">http://go.carleton.edu/48.  This checklist has been compiled over many years and includes all species ever observed in the Arboretum, including the time of year each species is most likely to be observed.

Some of the most colorful birds to watch for include the Blackburnian Warbler and the Scarlet Tanager. The Blackburnian Warbler, with striking orange and black on the head, is only passing through, heading for the pine forests in the northern parts of the U.S. and Canada. The Scarlet Tanager male has a brilliant red body, with contrasting black wings. While visitors can expect to find these beauties nesting in the Arboretum, it is far easier to see them now before the trees are completed leafed-out and they are obscured from view.

Reservations are required for this trip, and attendance is limited.  Contact Braker at (507) 222-4543 or by email nbraker@carleton.edu to reserve a spot or for more information.