Bird Watching 101

In this five-session class, you will learn everything you need to get started as a successful bird watcher!

Bird watching is one of the most popular outdoor activities in the U.S. Join local educator, naturalist, and birder, Clinton Dexter-Nienhaus, for this foray into identifying birds for beginning bird watchers. The workshop will include tips on finding birds, tips on habitat, behavior, and tricks for identification. Each week will focus on a different topic: ethics, habitat, & equipment, sparrows, warblers, waterfowl, and shorebirds.

Weekly Session Descriptions

April 27, Introduction to Birding: Ethics, Equipment, and Habitat

The first week of Bird Watching 101 is all about the pastime of birding. Come and learn about important equipment and gear you may need to help you ID birds, as well as information on field guides. Also, we will look at where to find birds, because some places are better than others when it comes to looking for birds. All of this information will be helpful moving forward to the following weeks!

May 4, Sparrows

Most people I know think there really is only one species of “LBB” (Little Brown Birds), but sparrows are one of the most fun groups of birds, and a group that is easier than it seems to identify! Come learn about this family of birds, their diversity, and some ID tips to help you feel comfortable with this group of birds!

May 11, Waterfowl

Very often waterfowl do not offer us close looks, and more often than not, we are forced to rely on scope views for proper ID. This week provides an introduction to waterfowl biology, as well as ID, especially at a distance!

May 18, Warblers

The most colorful and vocal of our birds here in northern Minnesota, but also one of the trickiest groups to identify! This week of the workshop will have us investigating and learning about warblers! Particularly ID tips, as there are some shortcuts when it comes to warbler ID.

May 25, Shorebirds

This week we end our workshop series with another group of birds that can be hard to identify – shorebirds. However, there are some shortcuts that can help with the ID! Join us to discover the diversity of feeding styles, habitat use, and variation of shorebirds!

Registration Includes

In-depth instruction over five sessions, to include everything you will need to get started as a successful birder!

You should bring…

If you have a bird field guide, or any other birding resources you’d like to talk about, you are welcome to bring them to class

Skill Level

No prior experience needed

Best for Ages…

13 and older