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We believe in connecting people with nature.
Most of our programs are FREE and open to the public. Check our calendar and join the fun! Recent happenings:
May 8, 2025 - Bird Walk at Kutzky Park
It was hard to pick just one "bird-of-the-day" on our walk at Kutzky Park this morning - but three favorites included a Blue-headed Vireo, a Black-throated Green Warbler and a Veery. Mike Degerstrom lead our group of 10 on this chilly but also bright and sunny morning to search for migrating birds. We found 41 total bird species including 9 species of warbler. Over the years we've seen 27 species of warbler at Kutzky but we're pretty happy if we find 10+ in a single day. Today's birds were mostly way up high in the trees which made finding them and getting photos a challenge. Birds of all kinds are still streaming in from the south so birding should continue to be good for the next couple weeks. . Bird species today: Canada Goose, Mallard, Mourning Dove, Double-crested Cormorant, Downy Woodpecker, Least Flycatcher, Blue-headed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Barn Swallow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern House Wren, European Starling, Gray Catbird, Veery, Swainson's Thrush, Cedar Waxwing, House Sparrow, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow. Baltimore Oriole, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Grackle, Northern Waterthrush, Black-and-white Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Palm Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak Photos by Sandy Hokanson May 6, 2025 - Bird Walk at Kutzky Park
The weather was perfect with sunny skies but it was slow birding on our noon walk at Kutzky Park today. The main influx of migratory songbirds have yet to arrive so we had to be content with just few. Still, our group of 14 did find 26 species including 3 warblers (Blackpoll, Northern Waterthrush and Yellow-rumped). One theory about the lack of birds this spring is that they are bottled up further south where it has been very stormy - but really - we just don't know. Our next walk at Kutzky Park is at 6:30 am on Thursday, June 8 - let's hope we have bigger numbers then! Many thanks to Lance Vrieze for leading today. Photos by Sandy Hokanson Species list: Mallard, Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Least Flycatcher, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern House Wren, European Starling, Gray Catbird, Swainson's Thrush, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, House Sparrow, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Grackle, Northern Waterthrush, Blackpoll Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak May 3, 2025 - Wildflower Walk at Izaak Walton Wetlands
Our annual spring wildflower walk took place this afternoon at the Izaak Walton Wetlands on the west side of Rochester. A mostly cloudy morning turned into a beautiful sunny day and our group of 13 found plenty of blooming and almost blooming plants to examine while we leisurely strolled through the woods. Spring wildflowers only last a few weeks and our timing was perfect. We found large areas covered with bluebells, false rue anemone, trout lily, spring beauty and much more. Some plants, like the Bloodroot are already going to seed while others like nodding trillium haven't fully opened yet. We hope you have the time to see them before they are gone for this year. Many thanks to Sandy Hokanson, Carmen Noman and Jim Sullivan for identifying plants and birds along the way. Photos by Jim and Sandy. Plant species included: Virginia Bluebells, Bloodroot, Buttercup, Blue Cohosh, False Rue Anemone, Rue Anemone, Violets, Ground Ivy, Wild Geranium, Blue Flag Iris, Jack-in-the-pulpit, May Apple, Spring Beauty, Trout Lily, Wild Ginger, Jacobs Ladder ... and so many more that are just small shoots Birds seen or heard: Canada Goose, Blue-winged Teal, Mallard, Ring-necked Pheasant, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern House Wren, American Robin, American Goldfinch, White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Orange-crowned Warbler, Northern Cardinal Zumbro Valley Audubon needs your help to pay for programs, printing brochures and outreach supplies to teach kids and adults about nature. Donate to Zumbro Valley Audubon via giveMN.org
© ZVAS 2023 - Zumbro Valley Audubon Society - PO Box 6244 - Rochester, MN 55903
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