Home
MN Events
Bird Info
Birding Equip
Photos
Maps
Weather
Other Stuff

  Web Links

Info by Location
Equipment
Organizations
State Org/Lists
Bird ID Info
Bird Info
Rare Bird Info
Bird Tour Guides

eMail Editor

2008 Minnesota Birding Festivals, Field Trips & Meetings
                                   (also see additional trip information at bottom)
Compiled by
 Bob Ekblad 


July 2008
S M T W T F S
- - 1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31 - -
   

August 2008
S M T W T F S
- - - - - 1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31 - - - - - -
August 1-3 - Minnesota Ornithologists' Union field trip - Shorebird Workshop (#1)
 
  • The workshop will be held in Milbank, South Dakota, just 12 miles west of Ortonville, MN on US Hwy 12.  The event is being coordinated by Doug Buri.
  • The cost of the entire weekend workshop is $100 plus a $25 non-refundable registration fee.  It does not include food, lodging, or other expenses.  There is a limit of 20 participants.
  • For more info go to www.itctel.com/buri/shorebird
August 8-9-10 - Minnesota Ornithologists' Union field trip - Shorebird Workshop (#2)
 
  • The workshop will be held in Milbank, South Dakota, just 12 miles west of Ortonville, MN on US Hwy 12.  The event is being coordinated by Doug Buri.
  • The cost of the entire weekend workshop is $100 plus a $25 non-refundable registration fee.  It does not include food, lodging, or other expenses.  There is a limit of 20 participants.
  •    [Note: this trip is now full but the same activities are also available the week before - see above]
  • For more info go to www.itctel.com/buri/shorebird

August 8 - Minnesota Birding Weekends Field Trip (pre-trip)
 
  • Pope County (based out of Glenwood - leader Kim Eckert) - more info at MBW
  • $30 fee - registration required
  • Contact Kim Eckert if you need additional information

August 9-10 - Minnesota Birding Weekends Field Trip
 
  • Stevens, Traverse & Big Stone Counties (based out of Morris - leader Kim Eckert) - more info at MBW
  • $40 fee - registration required
  • Contact Kim Eckert if you need additional information

August 30-31-Sept 1 - Minnesota Birding Weekends Field Trip
 
  • Northwestern Minnesota (based out of Thief River Falls - leader Kim Eckert) - more info at MBW
  • $65 fee - registration required
  • Contact Kim Eckert if you need additional information

September 2008
S M T W T F S
- 1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30 - - - -
September 12-13 - Great Minnesota River Birding Day
 
  • Birders will be encouraged to explore any and all good birding sites in the MN River Valley from Ft. Snelling in the east to Big Stone Lake in the west and from Walnut Lake in Faribault County to Inspiration Point in Otter Tail County.  This year birders will be allowed to bird areas of the watershed that are west of Hwy 15 which runs from St. Cloud through Hutchinson, New Ulm and Fairmont to the Iowa border on Friday, September 15th as well as on Saturday, September 16th.
  • To sign up for a team or an area, contact event chairman Bob Williams (612-728-2232)
  • Check out www.birdingtrail.org for more information -or contact Mark Martell at Minnesota Audubon
  • After birding, join a rally at one of three sites: The first will be Friday evening from 4:30-6:30 PM at the Lac Qui Parle WMA Headquarters just NW of Watson off of US 59/Hwy 7 in Chippewa County.  There will be a light dinner served at around 5 PM.  On Saturday there will be a rally in Mankato at Rasmussen Nature Center in Mankato from 2-4 PM and a rally at the MN River Valley NWR Headquarters in Bloomington from 1-3 PM. There will be refreshments at both of these rallies. 
  • You can also send your species list for the day to Bob Williams

September 13-14 - Minnesota Birding Weekends Field Trip
 
  • Minnesota River Valley (based out of Redwood Falls - leader Kim Eckert) - more info at MBW
  • $35 fee - registration required
  • Contact Kim Eckert if you need additional information
September 19-20-21 - Hawk Ridge Weekend
 
  • Sponsored by Friends of Hawk Ridge, Duluth
  • Friday evening's social event will include a presentations by noted authorities.
  • Saturday's and Sunday's planned activities are hawk watching, nature programs, optics displays, refreshments and raptor demonstrations all at the Hawk Ridge main overlook on East Skyline Parkway and also additional birding trips to other Duluth and Superior area hot spots.
  • All events at the Hawk Ridge main overlook are open to the public.  The other events require registration.
  • Visit www.hawkridge.org for more information.

September 27 - Minnesota Birding Weekends Field Trip
 
  • Duluth I (based out of Duluth - leader Kim Eckert) - more info at MBW
  • $25 fee - registration required
  • Contact Kim Eckert if you need additional information

September 28 - Minnesota Birding Weekends Field Trip
 
  • Duluth II (based out of Duluth - leader Kim Eckert) - more info at MBW
  • $25 fee - registration required
  • Contact Kim Eckert if you need additional information

October 2008
S M T W T F S
- - - 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31 -

October 17-18-19 - Minnesota Birding Weekends Field Trip
 
  • Leech Lake, Lake Winnie & Mille Lacs (based out of Deep Portage Conservation Reserve near Hackensack - leader Kim Eckert) - more info at MBW
  • $190 fee covers 3 nights lodging and 7 meals (Fri. breakfast - Sun. breakfast) - registration required
  • Contact Kim Eckert if you need additional information

October  24-25-26 - Grand Marais Autumn Migration Birding Festival
 
  • Hosted by the North House Folk School, an educational nonprofit, in cooperation with the US Forest Service.
  • Headquarters at Grand Marais with morning field trips led be highly experienced birders are at the festival’s core.  Trips explore the Lake Superior shoreline along the entire length of the Sawtooth Mountains up to the Canadian border at Grand Portage.
  • Complementing morning field trips are afternoon workshops as well as two featured evening programs.
  • For information check the Grand Marais Visitor Information Center web site or contact the North House Folk school at 1-888-387-9762 or by e-mail
October 25 - Minnesota Ornithologists' Union Field Trip - Mille Lacs County
 
  • Visit locations around Mille Lacs Lake as well as Kathio State Park and Hennepin State Park from 7:30 AM to Noon.  A state park sticker (or day sticker) is required to enter the parks.
  • Loons, grebes and early winter migrants are the highlights here.
  • The trip is free but is only open to 20-25 participants.  Pre-registration is required.  Contact the trip leader, Pastor Al Schirmacher (320-369-3650), to register or if you have additional questions.

October 31 - Minnesota Birding Weekends Field Trip (pre-trip)
 
  • Duluth (based out of Duluth - leader Kim Eckert) - more info at MBW
  • $20 fee - registration required
  • Contact Kim Eckert if you need additional information

November 2008
S M T W T F S
- - - - - - 1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
30 - - - - - -

November 1-2 - Minnesota Birding Weekends Field Trip
 
  • North Shore (based out of Duluth & Grand Marais - leader Kim Eckert) - more info at MBW
  • $35 fee - registration required
  • Contact Kim Eckert if you need additional information
November 7-8-9 - Rivers & Bluffs Fall Birding Festival (Lansing, Iowa)
 
  • Includes interesting educational programs including two with live educational birds; boat trips on the Mississippi in large, enclosed excursion boats to get close-up views of water birds; silent and live auctions; and other activities to match the magnificence of the area and our very special avian visitors.
  • Field trip leaders will help visitors see some of the 15-18,000 Tundra Swans and 250,000 to 350,000 other waterfowl (and other species as well) that visit the nearby section of the Mississippi River at this time each year.

December 2008
S M T W T F S
- 1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30 31 - - -

December 6 - MOU Paper Session
 
  • Sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union
  • Held from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm at the Bell Museum of Natural History on the campus of the University of Minnesota (corner of Church St & University Ave)
  • Papers presented on various bird related topics; Displays available in the museum halls all day
  • MOU business meeting and election of officers
  • The MOU website has a page set up with the paper session schedule and a link to a PDF version of the registration form: http://www.moumn.org/paper.html.  If you wish to pre-register, registration forms need to be submitted by Nov 21.
  • Contact Donald Mitchell for more information

December 14th through January 5th  - Christmas Bird Counts  (same dates every year)
 
Minnesota Tours / Guided Trips
Minnesota Birding Weekends - Kim Eckert
Owlman Trips (Mar/Apr) - Bill Lane.  See the The Owl's Roost for more info.

Twin Cities Audubon Chapter Field Trip Information
  Minnesota River Valley Audubon George Skinner @ 952-936-0811
  Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis Mary Ellen Vetter @ 763-561-1761
  Minneapolis Audubon Society Mary McGee @ 612-377-0630
  Saint Paul Audubon Society Julian Sellers @ 651-698-5737
2009 Minnesota Birding Festivals, Field Trips & Meetings
                                   (also see additional trip information at bottom)
Compiled by
 Bob Ekblad 


January 2009
S M T W T F S
- - - - 1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Christmas Bird Counts continuing through January 5th
 

January 10-11, 2009 - Minnesota Birding Weekends Field Trip
 
  • Duluth III (based out of  Duluth - leader Kim Eckert) - more info at MBW
  • $35 fee - registration required
  • Contact Kim Eckert if you need additional information

January 17, 2009 - Tri-State Golden Eagle Survey
 
  • Help survey the Golden Eagles in SE Minnesota (and NE Iowa and western Wisconsin) along the Mississippi River.
  • For more information contact the event organizer, Scott Mehus at 608-248-2698 or via e-mail at Scott@nationaleaglecenter.org

February 2009
S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
February 7-8; 14-15; 21-22 - Eagle Spot Weekends
 
  • Volunteers from the Environmental Learning Center will be at Colville Park south of Red Wing from 1pm to 3pm on Saturday and Sunday to answer questions about eagle behavior, ecology and recovery.
  • For information about special events in Red Wing call 800-498-2344 or visit http://www.redwing.org
February 13-14-15 - Sax-Zim Winter Bird Festival
 
  • Sponsored by the Meadowlands community and headquartered out of the community of Meadowlands.
  • Plans are to have dinner events on both Friday and Saturday nights and also possibly have a Sunday brunch put on by the local volunteer fire department.  Dave Benson will be giving a talk on "owls of the north" on Friday night which coincides with the release of his book "Owls of the North" and on Saturday night Laura Erickson will give a presentation about how birds survive the winter season.
  • Field trips will concentrate on finding birds like Sharp-tailed Grouse, Great Gray Owls, Northern Hawks Owls, Boreal Chickadees, Black-backed & Northern Three-toed Woodpeckers, Gray Jays, Common & Hoary Redpolls, White-winged & Red Crossbills, and Pine & Evening Grosbeaks.
  • For a registration form and additional information check out the Sax-Zim Bog Winter Bird Festival website.
February 13-14-15-17 - Great Backyard Bird Count
 
  • Sponsored by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
  • Held right in your own back yard or any place you happen to be.
  • Enter your bird count checklists by going to http://www.birdcount.org and click on the big “Enter your Checklists” button at the top of the page.
  • Don’t forget to send in your photos through the GBBC website!  A select number of photos will be posted during GBBC weekend.
  • Check out the GBBC blog at http://www.birdcount.org/blog, run by Audubon’s Senior Scientist, Rob Fergus, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Science Editor, Laura Erickson.
February 28 - Mar 1 - Festival of Owls
 
  • Sponsored by the Houston Nature Center in Houston, Minnesota
  • This is the only full weekend, all-owl event in North America.
  • Events include many activities at the nature center and around town and also include owling field trips.

March 2009
S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31 - - - -
 
February 28 - Mar 1 - Festival of Owls
 
  • Sponsored by the Houston Nature Center in Houston, Minnesota
  • This is the only full weekend, all-owl event in North America.
  • Events include many activities at the nature center and around town and also include owling field trips.
March 1; Mar 7-8; Mar 14-15 - Eagle Spot Weekends
 
  • Volunteers from the Environmental Learning Center will be at Colville Park south of Red Wing from 1pm to 3pm on Saturday and Sunday to answer questions about eagle behavior, ecology and recovery.
  • For information about special events in Red Wing call 800-498-23444 or visit http://www.redwing.org
March 6-7-8 - Soar with the Eagle
 
  • Sponsored by the National Eagle Center at Wabasha, Minnesota
  • The objective of the Soar with the Eagle weekend is to provide an educational, experiential and entertaining program that features The Eagles, The Mississippi River, The Migratory Flyway and The Human Connection to Eagles.
  • Contact Mike Heim for more information.
March 14 - "Lansing Loop" tri-state field trip
 
  • Meet at 9AM at the Dresbach Information Center at Lock & Dam 7. Exit from I90 to reach the Center. Watch for sign.  The caravan will drive south out of LaCrescent on Hwy 16, then south on Hwy 26.
  • Lunch on your own in New Albin, Iowa (or bring your own bag lunch).
  • Cross east into Wisconsin at Lansing, Iowa, then north on Hwy 35 back to LaCrosse. A stop will be made at the Genoa, Wis. power plant to check out a nest box for Peregrine Falcons.
  • This is approximately a 90 mile loop along and near the Mississippi River in WI, IA, MN.  Estimated travel time is 6 hours.  You are free to leave the group whenever you choose.
  • Featured birds will be resident & migrant Bald Eagles, early migrant waterfowl, possible Peregrine Falcons, and possible Wild Turkeys and E. Bluebirds.
  • Sponsored by Coulee Region Audubon Society. No fee
  • Contact the trip leader via e-mail at Fred Lesher or via phone at 608-783-1149.
March 14-15 - Eagle Spot Weekend
 
  • Volunteers from the Environmental Learning Center will be at Colville Park south of Red Wing from 1pm to 3pm on Saturday and Sunday to answer questions about eagle behavior, ecology and recovery.
  • For information about special events in Red Wing call 800-498-23444 or visit http://www.redwing.org
April 2009
S M T W T F S
- - - 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 - -

April 18-19 - Southwest Minnesota Prairie Birding Festival
 
  • Based out of Luverne, Minnesota
  • Friday evening presentations
  • Saturday events include birding at Blue Mounds State Park and Touch the Sky Prairie (6am-9am), breakfast 9:30am, workshops (10am-11:30am) and a release program in the afternoon.
  • For more information contact the Luverne Convention and Visitor's Bureau and the Luverne Chamber of Commerce, 211 East main, Suite 103, Luverne, MN 56156.  Telephone 888-283-4061.
April 25-26 - Salt Lake Birding Festival
 
  • Sponsored by the Prairie-Woods Nature Society.  The event is open to the public.
  • Headquartered in Marietta / Madison with birding in Lac Qui Parle and Big Stone counties.  Lodging is available in Madison, Montevideo, Dawson, Appleton or Canby.  Camping is available at Prairie Marsh Farm, 1770 151st Ave., Marietta, located 7 miles west of US 75 and 1.5 miles south of US 212 (for more info, contact Ken Larson - see below).
  • Saturday breakfast at 7am at the Marietta American Legion located one block west of Co. Rd. 7 on Hwy 40.   Groups will head out from there on field trips to Salt Lake and the surrounding area.  Lunch will be available at the legion and trips will head out again in the afternoon.
  • Saturday evening chicken dinner at 7:30pm at the Sons of Norway Hall on Hwy 75 in Madison, eleven miles east of Marietta. Reservations are required for the dinner and can be made with Becky Skallerud at 320-598-5554 or beckaberk@yahoo.com. The dinner is $10.   There is a species tally after the dinner.
  • For more info contact Ken Larson - phone is 952-595-9265.
  • Check out the new web page about the event.

May 2009
S M T W T F S
- - - - - 1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31 - - - - - -
May 1- through May 20 - Hawk Ridge "Great Minnesota Birdathon"
 
  • Sponsored by Friends of Hawk Ridge
  • Participate in any single county Big Day between May 1st and May 20th
  • -and/or- Participate in any Minnesota statewide Big Day
  • More information and forms on their web page
  • Proceeds to support Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve
May 1-2-3 - Ramsey County Bird Festival
 
  • Activities include a day full of displays, demos and hikes at Snail Lake Regional Park, many birding tours to little-known spots within the county, a birding adventure by canoe and a tour of the rarely open Arden Hills Army Training Site (formerly known as the Twin Cities Arsenal).
  • A low-cost spaghetti dinner Friday night, May 4th, will feature nationally known bird expert and author Laura Erickson, speaking on ”Backyard Birds--Hooooo Gives a Hoot?” Archimedes, an Eastern Screech-Owl, will be along for the fun as Erickson discusses the birds that make our own backyards so interesting, and what we can do to more easily see and enjoy them. Reservation deadline is Friday, April 27th.  $8/individual  $25 for families of 4 or more.
  • Contact John Moriarty, Ramsey County Parks, for more information via e-mail or at 651-748-2500
  • Additional details and registration information are available on the festival website.
May 2 - Boulder Birding Big Day
 
  • Sponsored by Boulder Lake Management Area - free admission
  • Held at Boulder Lake Environmental Center from 7 am to Noon
  • 7328 Boulder Dam Road, Duluth, MN
  • To register or obtain more information contact Mara at 218-721-3731 or you can email blake@mnpower.com
May 2-3 - Morris Wetland Management District Birding Festival
 
  • Bus tours on Saturday at Noon and Sunday at 7 am.
  • Registration starts at 10 am on Saturday morning at the Morris Wetland Management District office located 4 miles east of Morris, MN on Co Rd #10 (43875 230th Street).
  • Registration is $25.  Call 800-248-5868 or e-mail kdliving@yahoo.com to reserve your space.
  • A guided coach bus tour on Saturday will begin at 11:00AM and return at 4:00PM.   A catered dinner and a presentation will follow at the local Senior Center.  Guides are Bob Janssen, Jerry Bonkoski, and Doug Buri.  The tour bus will leave on Sunday at 7:00AM and return at noon.
  • Hosted by Friends of the Morris WMD and Friends of Prairie.
May 2-3 - Duluth's Down by the Water Spring Bird Festival
 
  • Co-sponsors are Duluth Audubon Society and the Lake Superior Zoo
  • Speakers, field trips & kids' activities
  • Distribution of new Duluth-Superior Area birding map
  • For more information contact the zoo at 218-723-3854 or edu@iszoo.org or see the Duluth Audubon web site
May 8-9-10 - Mississippi Flyway Birding Festival
 
  • Headquartered out of LaCrosse/Onalaska, Wisconsin
  • Birding events in both Wisconsin and Minnesota
  • For more information or to register, see the web site or call Bonnie Koop at 608-784-2292 or Gretchen Skoloda at 608-781-7502
May 9 - Saint John’s Arboretum Spring Birding Day
 
  • Spend a morning hiking through the woods on the grounds of the Saint John's Arboretum with birders during peak migration.  Groups are led by experienced birders and people who know the area
  • Meet at 5:00am - 1:00pm or at 8:00am - 1:00pm.  Meet at Pendulum in the New Science Center.  Early risers will be stunned by the abundance of birds active early in the day.
  • Coffee and rolls will be served at 8:00a.m., lunch at 12:30p.m. Cost is $12 for Arboretum members; $16 for nonmembers. Preregistration required via phone 320-363-3163 or e-mail.
  • A list of birds seen at Saint John’s in its 150 year history are posted here.
  • For more information check out the web site or contact Thomas Kroll.
May 9 - North American Migration Count Day
 
  • Count categories: Stationary, Feeder, Regular, Night
  • Minnesota data compiled by Dave Sovereign
  • Address is: 6479 Upper 55th, Oakdale, MN 55128
  • Phone # is: 651-777-0379
  • Forms must be submitted by June 15th
May 9 - Rice Lake NWR celebration of International Migratory Bird Day
 
  • Celebrate International Migratory Bird Day at Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The Refuge Headquarters and Visitor Center, located five miles south of McGregor on Highway 65, will be open from 7 am to 1 pm and 6 pm to 7 pm
May 9-10 - Great River Birding & Nature Festival
 
  • A full 3-Day Great River Birding and Nature Festival will not take place this year. Instead, the Birding By Mini-Rail Car through the Chippewa Bottoms and the Birding by Boat through the Mississippi Backwaters will be the only events. 
  • The Rail Car event will be reserved through Donna Krebsbach at Wings Over Alma and will run both Saturday and Sunday May 10 & 11 from 7am-12 pm.
  • The Birding the Backwaters with River Pilot Loren Waalkens will be held the May 9, 10, and 11 at 3 times each morning.
  • For more information check out the web site at at www.mississippi-river.org/birding or call 877-525-3248
May 14-15-16-17 - Detroit Lakes Festival of Birds
 
  • Sponsored by Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce
  • Featured speaker is David Allen Sibley, author of the well known field guide to birds.
  • Includes workshops on a variety of topics and fieldtrips to several area birding locations such as Agassiz and Tamarac NWR, Rothsay and Bluestem Prairies.  One event will include birding with David Allen Sibley
  • Contact the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of commerce at 1-800-542-3992 ext 730 for additional information.  Online registration is available at www.visitdetroitlakes.com
May 15-16-17 - Austin Oak/Savanna Birding Festival
 
  • Sponsored by Friends of the J.C. Hormel Nature Center and the Austin Audubon Society
  • The event will be held at the Hormel Nature Center in Austin, MN.
  • Guided birding tours will be offered both Saturday and Sunday.
  • For more information, contact the Austin Convention and Visitor's Bureau at 507-437-4563 or email twdorsey@charter.net or jchnatur@smig.net or visit the Austin City website
May 16 - Hawk Ridge St Louis County Big Day
 
  • Sponsored by Friends of Hawk Ridge
  • More information and forms on their web page
  • Proceeds to support Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve
 
May 16-17 - Bluff Country Bird Festival
 
  • Headquarter city and  field trip locations yet to be determined.  Saturday night dinner and program to be announced in early spring.
  • Registration deadline is May 10th.
  • Brochure and Registration Form available
  • For more information, contact the Southeast Minnesota Historic Bluff Country organization at 1-800-428-2030 or check out www.bluffcountry.com

June 2009
S M T W T F S
- 1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30