Many in Iowa City who felt their inner birdwatcher awaken this spring as hundreds of American white pelicans descended on the Iowa River may have felt a little let down when the pelicans only stayed for a few weeks before moving on. But an ongoing summer program gives birders and the bird-curious a chance to get to know the birds that make their homes in Iowa City parks.
Members of Iowa City’s Green Iowa AmeriCorps have been conducting Neighborhood Bird Walks since late June.
“The walks will cover many of the key species we find in our area at this time of year, all while exploring many of Iowa City’s beautiful parks,” organizers explain on the the registration page for the walks.
There are still three bird walks left this summer. On Tuesday, there will be a 90-minute walk through Hickory Hill Park. It starts at 5:30 p.m. at the north entrance to the park on Conklin Lane.
The next bird walk will occur at Terry Trueblood Recreation Area on Aug. 7, from 10 to 11:30 a.m., starting at the lodge. And the final walk of the summer will be at Waterworks Prairie on Aug. 9, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The group will meet at the Dubuque Street entrance.
Each of the Neighborhood Bird Walks is limited to 10 participants. Anyone interested can sign up online.
Green Iowa is a statewide community service program based in the University of Northern Iowa. The program was founded in 2009, as part of AmeriCorps efforts to help rebuild communities following the flood of 2008 by advocating for sustainable use of energy resources. In the following years, Green Iowa has partnered with school districts to promote sustainability, help restore disappearing ecosystems and improve water quality.
