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Wednesday, April 6, 2011

A Busy Weekend - a few events of Interest

Friends of Iowa State Parks Summit on April 9 

The Iowa Parks Foundation and IDNR's State Parks Bureau invite you to attend the first Friends of Iowa State Parks Summit



April 9, 2011
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Izaak Walton League
4343 George Flagg Parkway
Des Moines, Iowa 50321

The purpose of this meeting is to provide a forum for Friends of Iowa State Parks groups to come together and share their plans, projects, challenges and celebrate successes. This exchange will help to inspire all the Parks Friends Groups to find new methods to achieve our common goals. By working in a more collaborative manner we will be able to accomplish more for our great parks.


Display tables will be provided for groups to ‘show-off’ plans, projects and progress they have realized in your park.


Prairie Chicken Festival at Kellerton on April 9


There will be a Prairie Chicken Festival at Kellerton prairie chicken viewing site from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 9.


The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has been actively managing the southern Iowa grassland landscape for this charismatic species for many years. The improvements are benefitting other species like northern harriers, short eared owls, pheasants, upland sandpipers, eastern and western meadowlarks and others. Breeding bird surveys indicate that grassland habitat is sorely lacking for many grassland nesting birds.


There will be a prairie chicken feature on Outdoor Iowa on IPTV on Thursday, April 7 at 6:30 p.m.




Peregrine Falcon Event at McGregor on April 9


Peregrine falcon enthusiasts are invited to see and hear a nesting pair at Bunge Elevator in McGregor, on Saturday, April 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This pair is one of the 16 nesting pairs that have established territories around the state.


It is particularly enjoyable to hear the falcon's courtship calls this time of year as this species recovers from the brink of extinction, said Pat Schlarbaum, wildlife diversity technician with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.


Experts will be on hand with information and spotting scopes during the event. Parking is available west of the elevator and a trail provides access to a public overlook of the Mississippi River where falcons can be viewed.


A web camera will be trained on these falcons when birds initiate nesting in the near future.

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