Grassbird Birds At Glacier Ridge

Rarely do I go birding with a group of people. Normally I take just one close friend or I go by myself but this past weekend I explored the concept of birding with a group. I had a school assignment to complete where I was required to go on a wildlife education outing of my choice (coolest homework assignment ever) and review the outing from an educational standpoint.

I visited the Metro Park programs site and found an outing at Glacier Ridge that seemed interesting so I grabbed my good friend Shauna and we ventured out to join our first group birding experience.

The number of people who turned out for the event surprised me. Initially I was nervous the birds would see a pack of humans and fly away as fast as possible but that turned out to not be the case. We got to see and hear a lot of winged wonders, like the bobolink, prairie swallow, grasshopper sparrow, and eastern meadowlark.

The educator, Chrissy Hoff, is a highly skilled naturalist who is knowledgeable about the wildlife and the plant life of her park. We also had the birding experience of a Marcia Brehmer, a highly trained Metro Parks volunteer whose years of birding experience was both enlightening and entertaining.

I would recommend group birding to anyone who is interested in sharing a learning experience. It’s great to walk with people who have different worldviews and levels of birding experience. It’s like having 20 pairs of eyes and ears. However, if you’re seeking a peaceful bird outing and a quiet connection with nature, group birding might not be the event for you.

All in all I made some good connects and met some really talented birders who taught me thing I’ve never noticed before. I would suggest going to Metro Parks program site and finding an event that suits you or your family. If you attend one please share your experiences in the comments below.