OKOBOJI, Iowa | Few things are more relaxing than heading out on an early morning walk and bird watching. That’s why the Dickinson County Nature Center has held a regular bird watching program, Birding on the Greens, for the past several years.
“It’s been a very popular program for us over the years,” said Kiley Roth, community relations coordinator for the nature center.
People of all ages come out to enjoy the program, which usually has between 15 and 40 participants during each outing, said Roth. There is no one demographic attending the program, either, she added.
“That’s one of the great things about this program,” said Roth. “It can be for kids, adults, families, grandparents will bring their grandkids. It’s fun for everyone.”
Participants meet and load up in golf carts at Brooks National Golf Club, 1201 Brooks Park Drive in Okoboji, which is next to the Dickinson County Nature Center. It takes place at 7 a.m. on the first Monday during each month from May to September.
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The program is also a win-win for the nature center and the golf course. According to Roth, Brooks had an interest in becoming an Audubon-certified course. In order to do this, they needed a current list of birds that live on their course to demonstrate that they were a good bird habitat. So, the participants for Birding on the Greens keep a current list for the course to send in which keeps their Audubon certification active.
Charles Vigdal, a naturalist at the nature center, and Ed Thelen, local birder, take participants out to view and identify different birds.
“I like going out birding with Ed,” said Vigdal. “He knows not just what the bird is but characteristics about them and how to identify them in the future.”
It doesn’t matter if a birder has a lot of experience or none; everyone is welcome to take part in Birding on the Greens.
“We have a lot of birders who have never gone out before and it’s a good way for the new people to go out and meet people and learn a lot about it,” Vigdal said.
“It doesn’t matter if they don’t have any experience,” Roth added. “The birders that come along are a great help.”
Binoculars are needed, but the nature center will provide them if participants don’t have their own.
“It’s a pretty easygoing event,” said Roth. “We can provide binoculars and people can come and go if they need to.”
Weather can sometimes be an issue for the event, but often times participants will power through the conditions.
“We brave the weather most of the time,” Roth said.
Potential Birding on the Greens participants can check the nature center’s Facebook page at Dickinson County Nature Center to see if a certain event has been cancelled due to weather.
The program plays into the interest in birding in the Okoboji area, said Roth.
“Birding is so popular in this area especially,” she added. “It’s a relaxing hobby. The more people get involved, the more they enjoy it. It’s a good way for people to get outside and enjoy what Okoboji has to offer.”
