Everyone Can Bird 2023 Recap
The free accessible birding series “Everyone Can Bird” has ended for 2023, and FOLSR is already looking forward to collaborating on similar bird watching outings next year. Through this series, the organizing partners aimed to host three bird watching opportunities that included individuals of all abilities and skill levels in outdoor learning experiences. “Everyone Can Bird felt like a wonderful adventure for us, planning partners, and people who attended," said Luciana Ranelli, education coordinator for the Lake Superior Reserve and a lead on this project. "I met a lot of people through co-hosting this event series. The Reserve and planning partners keep learning about how offering choices, site and program information, and interpretation contribute to more accessible outdoor, community programming."
On Saturday, May 6, the “Spring Arrivals” bird watching morning happened at Boy Scout Landing in Duluth, Minn. This event coincided with spring migration, and even though it was a wet and chilly day, 17 people showed up excited to learn and observe. This was a great location for spotting waterfowl. The most notable sighting that day was hundreds of Common Loons travelling overhead, an excellent opportunity for learning to identify loons and other waterfowl in flight. FOLSR helped to promote the event through social media and was at Boy Scout Landing to greet people. See the news article about the event here on WDIO TV.
Wednesday, August 2 brought 15 people to the “Graduation to Migration” event. The focus of this morning was to learn how chicks grow to fledglings and begin to “graduate” as they prepare to migrate south in the fall. This event was held on Barker’s Island in Superior, Wisc. Participants logged 13 species of birds, including a Great Blue Heron, three Bald Eagles, and a Belted Kingfisher. FOLSR paid for a wheelchair-accessible bus to shuttle bird watchers from Superior Public Library to the event. Eleven of the 15 attendees road this bus to and from the Estuarium. See an interview about the event with Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory’s Margie Menzies on WDIO TV here.
The last event, “Fall Migration,” was held on Saturday, October 14 at Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory in Duluth. It was a roaring success with about 35 people attending. The Duluth/Superior area is one of the very best for spotting migrating birds as they travel around Lake Superior to avoid flying over vast waters. Hawk Ridge bird counters can sometimes record thousands (yes, thousands!) of hawks streaming by overhead in a single day. The Oct. 14 event focused on learning how to identify birds of prey based on their silhouette when flying overhead. Participants saw an abundance of Sharp-shinned Hawks (genus Accipiter), which have shorter, wider wings proportionate to their body when compared to a Red-tailed Hawk (genus Buteo) as well as a longer, narrower tail. Budding bird watchers also learned how to differentiate these from falcons, which have pointed wings specialized for quick turns and fast moves through the air. FOLSR supported this event by helping with planning, publicity and greeting attendees. An excellent discussion about the Fall Migration event and its accessibility efforts can be found here on The North radio station.
During all three events, ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation was provided by KY Interpreting, which proved to be an excellent resource, even for those with full hearing capabilities. Feedback suggested attendees enjoyed spending time with knowledgeable guides, felt that the events successfully accommodated the groups' various needs, and felt inspired to spend more time exploring the outdoors. This series was possible through a collaboration among the Lake Superior Reserve, the Friends of the Lake Superior Reserve, Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory, Wisconsin Sea Grant, City of Superior, University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension, Minnesota Land Trust, and Embark Supported Employment.
Stay tuned for accessible birding events and more in 2024!