Nature School - Coulee Region Audubon Society

Dan Jackson locating birs by listening

The Coulee Region Audubon Society is a longtime organization serving Northeastern Iowa, Southeastern Minnesota and Southwestern Wisconsin. They are dedicated to protecting birds and conserving bird habitats and to the education of people of all ages through our meetings, events, field trips, and other programs.

It is this educational component that makes their guided field trips and efforts in the Driftless region perfect.  You can support their mission and learn a ton along the way at their "nature schools."

I have long been interested in their early spring migratory bird hikes in the La Crosse area. These crack-of-dawn-hikes (6:30-8:00am) are the perfect time to hear bird song and see active early birds.  I've thought, "I can't get up and about that early". Was I ever wrong! This year I made a commitment to go on some of the marsh hikes to increase my bird knowledge. Best time I've spent in bird learning in a long time.

These free hikes are scheduled annually for three consecutive weeks in late April to early May. On Tuesdays, everyone meets at La Crosse's Myrick Park The Nature Place and heads out on the marsh trails to catch songbird, shorebird and waterfowl action. On Thursdays, the focus shifts to the lower parking area at Hixon Forest for an amble along the edge of forestland. 

Spotting a bird

Led by Dan Jackson, the participants include seasoned society members, birders and newbies like me. The pace is slow and when one of the 35-40 birds is spotted or heard, the group stops to pinpoint the location. It's binoculars and cameras up as we scan the canopy. We follow Dan's unerring ear and green laser light to spot the smallest of the migrating songbirds or summer resident birds that have recently migrated to the area from wintering grounds.

Dan has an encyclopedic knowledge of bird song, behavior, preferred habitat, flight and wing patterns and I swear, he is a bird whisperer. Like all great birders, he has his eyes and ears attuned and can quickly point out a rare diving caspian tern or osprey, a hooded merganser in flight or a hopping northern waterthrush. And don't get me started on his warbler ID skills.

Warbling vireo
Image - Gwyn Calvetti from CRAS website

All along the walk he identifies birds by song and note as he stops and the group locates the bird in trees or shore. He patiently works with participants so we can all see a bird he has spotted. Other knowledgeable birders on these guided hike contribute as well. 

I can't recommend these nature school guided bird hikes enough. You will leave with much more knowledge than when you started and meet some great people too ! Here are the next three guided hikes as well as other guided birding hikes and events they sponsor.

Hixon Forest Bird Walk

 - Thursday, May 7                      6:30-8:00 am

 - Hixon Forest, lower parking lot, La Crosse WI

We will meet at the Hixon Forest parking lot at the end of Milson Court. We will walk a loop on the lower trails that follow the north edge of the golf course.

Myrick Marsh Bird Walk

 - Tuesday, May 12                 6:30-8:00 am

 - The Nature Place, 789 Myrick Park , La Crosse WI

We will meet at head of main trail at the east side of the Nature Place parking lot. We will walk a loop on the marsh trails and be back at the parking lot around 8:00. All are welcome and it is free and open to the public. 

Hixon Forest Bird Walk

 - Thursday, May 14                    6:30-8:00 am

 - Hixon Forest, lower parking lot, La Crosse WI

We will meet at the Hixon Forest parking lot at the end of Milson Court. We will walk a loop on the lower trails that follow the north edge of the golf course. All are welcome and it is free and open to the public. 

Images, unless Noted - Marge Loch-Wouters

Nature School is what I like to call the guided hikes I go on when I’ve a mind to learn more about the natural world and to fulfill my required training hours to maintain my annual Master Naturalist volunteer certification. The Nature School series highlights parks, organizations and groups that provide free or low-cost guided learning experiences while hiking. The Driftless area of MN, WI and IA is rich in dedicated biologists, naturalists and citizen scientists who share their knowledge, passion and expertise. By doing so, they help hikers of all ages better understand our natural world. It’s always a delight to attend their “schools.”