March 20, 2020

Coffee with the Birds 2020 Wrap-Up We had the last Coffee with the Birds program on March 7, wrapping up another great season! This season we had over 300 people participate! Congratulations are in order for Sarah Powell whose name was drawn at the March 7 event for our Grand Prize! The prize package included bird feeders, seed, rock art, bird pin and a free Birding Field Trip! Congratulations Sarah! We hope to see you all again next December for the start of the next Coffee with the Birds season.But don't wait till then to get out and enjoy the birds!

We hope to see you all again next December for the start of the next Coffee with the Birds season.But don't wait till then to get out and enjoy the birds!

Birders Coping With COVID-19 Pandemic Everyone is currently a mix of emotions and confusion due to the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 virus. The Birding Update is not the place to heighten the anxiety about the virus, but rather we want to provide healthy ways to cope with this most unusual of times. Below are things for you to be aware of and ideas on how you can battle cabin fever and still enjoy the birds during COVID-19.  Click here to sign up for Ottawa County Department of Public Health alerts related to COVID-19.

Program Cancellations & Upcoming Changes

Let's start with the bad news. Due to concerns related to COVID-19, Ottawa County Parks has cancelled all programs and closed the Nature Center, our restrooms, and our rental facilities through April 10. That means we had to cancel the 3/19 Birding Basics class as well as other upcoming programs. If you were registered, you should have received an email informing you of the cancellation. Here's the list of birding programs we have cancelled:

3/27 - Woodcock Walk

4/3 - Woodcock Walk

4/1 - Bird Walk at Pine Bend

4/8 - Bird Walk at Crockery Creek

While we've had to cancel some programs, and may have to cancel more in the future depending on what happens, we are taking opportunity to get creative and still provide some sort of programming content. Watch for more updates in the near future for online programs and videos.

We will update you with any changes as things progress. Thank you for your patience.

Birds Active at the Nature Center Feeders Even though the Ottawa County Parks Nature Center isn't open right now, we wanted to assure you that the birds are still here and active at the feeders! Click the link below to enjoy a short video we shot today and see how many different birds you can find in it!  Do you see any I don't mention in the video? Bird Feeder Video

Birding & Social Distancing The Audubon Society put out a great article on how birding can still be done responsively during this pandemic and how it actually is a healthy thing to get out!  Click the link below to read! BIRDING IS THE PERFECT ACTIVITY WHILE SOCIAL DISTANCING

LIVE!  Bird Cams If you can't get out birding yourself, you can go online!  The Cornell Lab of Ornithology as a website dedicated to LIVE Bird CAMS.   You can watch the birds at a feeder at their lab in New York, or up in Canada and even down in Panama!  They also have cameras on the nests of hawks, owls and even an Albatross in New Zealand.  If you have a "smart TV" try casting the Live YouTube videos off your computer or phone and onto your TV! Check it out by clicking the link below. CORNELL LAB OF ORNITHOLOGY LIVE BIRD CAMS

Ottawa County Parks are open - but be safe!

Our parks are still open and we encourage you to go outside and bird, or just breathe the fresh spring air (did you hear, spring has arrived!). If you do go out, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Please keep your group smaller than 10, avoid congregating, and practice social distancing (6'-10' apart)

• If you visit a busier park (like Rosy Mound or Grand Ravines), consider exploring someplace new if the parking lot is over half full. Click here to see a map of all 40 of our properties.

• Hard surfaces like railings and benches are not disinfected. Be sure to wash your hands before and after visiting a park. 

You can find our most recent COVID-19 announcement by clicking here.

Happy Spring Birding Trails!

Blue-winged Teal pair by Lisa Casler. Early spring is when waterfowl are on the move. Watch for ducks like these teal to arrive on local ponds, lakes and wetlands.