St. Paul Audubon - Urban Birding Festival 2012

Song Sparrow_4524.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I'll be hosting one of the bird walks in the Arden Hills Army Training Site during St. Paul Audubon's Urban Bird Fest.

My walk will focus more on bird photography than the other bird walks. Come join me and bring your camera with the longest glass you can comfortably carry. Good binoculars or a spotting scope will come in handy. There are all sorts of birds we may encounter including: nesting common loons and trumpeter swans and osprey; various woodpeckers; ketrels; harriers; hawks; sparrows; warblers; meadowlarks; bluebirds; turkeys and more. I recently spotted a colony of bank swallows in there. We may have a chance to see beaver and river otters too! I haven't had time to train any of these animals so there are no guarantees. ;-) If you follow my TCAAP WVA blog, you have a pretty good idea of what to expect.

Keep in mind, we'll be walking about a mile or two so you might want to leave the 600 f4 and tripod at home unless you are really fit. There are bathrooms in the Readiness Center and water will be available but I suggest you bring what you need to stay hydrated and a snack, especially if it's really hot.

You MUST BE OVER 18 YEARS OLD TO PARTICIPATE! Although the site is very well cleaned up, it's my understanding that the MN Pollution Control Agency has made this rule. People under 18 years old will not be admitted into the site.

Saturday June 16, 2012
Arden Hills Army Training Site - MN National Guard Readiness Center
4694 Hamline Ave, Arden Hills, MN 55126
Bird/Photo walk begins at 9:30am to 11:00am

We'll meet in the parking lot of the National Guard's new Readiness Center. It's on Hamline Avenue and Ben Franklin Street in Arden Hills a couple blocks north of Ramsey County 96. Take 35W North to the Co Rd 96 exit (the next exit north of 694). Go east on Co Rd 96. Take a left (North) at the stoplight at Hamline Avenue and stay on Hamline until you can't go any further (a gate will stop you). Park in the Readiness Center lot. There will probably be signs.

For details on all sorts of bird walks that weekend visit the websites with each area or www.urbanbirdingfestival.org