By Ian Harding
Have you been wondering about all the bird calls you’re hearing around town this spring? What is the name of that bird?
The Lake Links Association is doing a bird survey Saturday, May 4, and needs your help documenting birds along the trail to help enrich the experience for all. A survey last week (before the spring rush) identified 25 species … so it will be an enriching experience for volunteers.
We need eight volunteers to assist. No special skills are required, since we’ll be using the amazing free Merlin smartphone app. This would be an ideal nature outing for a parent/grandparent–kid team.
When: Saturday May 4, 6:45 a.m. to 7:15 a.m. In case of rain/ high winds we will delay to Sunday, May 5, at 6:45 a.m.
What: a 3-minute bird call survey using the free Merlin smartphone app, followed by 5 minutes of observation and note-taking, followed by a second 3-minute bird call survey and 5 minutes of observation and note-taking.
Where: 10 assigned locations around the 10-mile Lake Links Trail circling White Bear Lake. (Each person/team will be assigned a location).
Training: There will be a short training session on May 2, 6:30 pm, at 24 Bertha Court in Mahtomedi on how to use the Merlin app and the observations log sheet we’ll provide. If you can’t make it Thursday we can arrange another time if need be.
After party: We will gather to compare notes at the Wild Bean coffee shop in Mahtomedi. Lake Links will provide baked goods to volunteers. We should be done by 7:45 a.m.
If you want to join us, please email lakelinksmn@gmail.com with your name and city (so we can attempt to match folks with their local area).
Here is a little taste of what you may well see and hear:
Any questions email us at lakelinksmn@gmail.com