Hawk watch at High Trestle Trail Overlook on Oct. 10 as part of World Migratory Bird Day

Join birders from around Central Iowa at the High Trestle Trail Overlook, near Madrid, on Oct. 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., to witness raptors heading south on their migration route.

Iowa wildlife experts will be on hand to help identify and count migrating hawks, falcons, vultures and osprey flying along the Des Moines River. Hawks migrate during the day and fall hawk watching is commonly used to understand how raptor populations are doing from year to year.

“Many of Iowa’s birds are summer residents or are only seen during spring and fall migration, spending their winter in places like Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and South America,” said Anna Buckardt Thomas, avian ecologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

The theme for World Migratory Bird Day is ‘Every Bird Counts – Your Observations Matter.’

“Anyone can help collect information about birds through community science programs, like Project FeederWatch, the Great Backyard Bird Count, the Christmas Bird Count, and the Iowa DNR’s Volunteer Wildlife Monitoring Program,” she said.

The High Trestle Trail Overlook is one mile west of Madrid. Visitors are invited to park in the lot off Qf Ln and either walk, bike or ride to the overlook on the west side of the High Trestle Bridge.

Participants are encouraged to bring a pair of binoculars.

World Migratory Bird Day will also have family friendly programming in the Madrid Public Library beginning at 9 a.m., with topics that include Big Owls Hoot, Little Owls Toot with a live owl; How you can be bird friendly; and Become a Bird Detective: Basics of Bird ID.

The event is hosted by Boone County Conservation, Dallas County Conservation, the Iowa DNR, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Iowa Audubon, Iowa Wildlife Center, and Iowa Young Birders.

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