Several years ago, we were convinced we had an endangered screech owl in our tree. The bird was just a little thing that did not seem to be afraid of us and eventually sat in our grass just watching us. When the very nice lady from Nebraska Raptor Recovery arrived, she informed us that in fact we had a simple barn owl. Once she made sure the bird was safe, he flew away. (Thanks, Miss Carri for helping us. After watching our kids play baseball together for many years, I had no idea you had such a fun “job” on the side!)
Isn’t he cute? Ignore the kid walking in front of the camera who hopefully did not realize we were video taping! This experience almost made me want to become an avid bird watcher – maybe I will have time in another season.
If you happen to also enjoy watching feathered friends, May 2016 is the month for you in Nebraska. All sorts of birding opportunities are happening across the state. All of the below italicized information is taken verbatim from an e-mail from Nebraska Game and Parks. (By the way, they recently updated their website. If you have not visited their site in awhile, you will definitely want to check it out. I was quite impressed!) Back to the birds!
The month of May is the official Nebraska Bird Month. Across the state, conservation organizations and agencies have worked together to plan events, classes and festivals for all Nebraskans to attend.
We invite you to spread your wings and learn more about our state’s bird population. A sample of upcoming events include:
- May 14 — 2016 BioBlitz at Niobrara State Park: Become a citizen scientist and learn how to gather biological info on the park’s many migratory birds.
- May 14 — Investigate Second Saturday Science Lab at the State Museum of Natural History, Morrill Hall, in Lincoln: Examine bird nests and feathers, learn about local prairie birds and habitats, and make your own feathered friend to take home.
- May 21 — Free Park Day at Wildcat State Recreation Area: Join in a guided bird hike, do crafts and more.
- May 28 — Migratory Bird Day at Indian Cave State Park: Enjoy a bird tour, making bird treats and an outdoor movie about birds.
Help celebrate Nebraska’s birds and learn more about the avian world.
To find out more events either by date or by location, please go directly to the Nebraska Bird Month website.
Author: neodyssey
My name is Gretchen Garrison. I started this blog about Nebraska in 2013. So far, I have written three books about Nebraska and Lincoln.
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