Birding Presentation at the Cultural Center in NYM

HAVE YOU SEEN THE MELANERPES ERYTHROCEPHALUS?
Birding Presentation at the Cultural Center in NYM

All are invited to a free birding event at the Cultural Center in New York Mills on Tuesday, June 19 at 7:00 p.m.

With their entirely crimson head, snow white body and half white, half inky black wings, they have been called the “flying checkerboard.” The melanerpes erythrocephalus, known in English as the red-headed woodpecker, used to be a fairly common sight in Otter Tail County.  However, their population has declined dramatically and continues to drop every year, so nowadays it’s not quite so common to see this highly identifiable bird.

On June 19, 2018, at 7:00 p.m. at the Cultural Center in New York Mills, The Little Big Year will host Jerry Bahls who will present a program titled “Red-Headed Woodpeckers – What We Know and Don’t Know.” Mr. Bahls is the founder of Red-Headed Woodpecker Recovery and will talk about the background of the organization, the research being conducted by the group, what they have learned, and what people can do to help this iconic bird thrive.

Mr. Bahls, a retired 3M chemist, has served continuously on the board of the Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis since 1997 and held the office of president of that organization for three separate stints, most recently from 2013 through 2017.  He is a Life Member of the Bluebird Recovery Program and a long-time member of the National Audubon Society, the Wood Duck Society, the Sierra Club and Fresh Energy.  He has also been an activist in regard to bird safety issues raised by the U.S. Bank Stadium, the Minneapolis skyways and other facilities with large expanses of glass and will answer questions in regard to that subject.  He is an outdoorsman and an enthusiastic birder.

The event is open to the public and there is no charge for admission.

The Little Big Year, a program of the Cultural Center that is now in its fourth year, is a group of birders that meets several times a year for presentations such as these, and counts bird sightings throughout the year.  Annual membership is only $10 and children 16 and under are free.  Whether a novice or master, anyone interested in birds is welcome to join.  Contact Alice Martin at 218-385-3245 for more information.

The Cultural Center in New York Mills is a rural hub for creativity, community vitality, and lifelong learning in the arts. We offer visitors intimate opportunities to encounter art and artists in our 80-seat concert listening room, two galleries in a historic building, a gift store featuring local artists, an artist residency program, a sculpture park, and a variety of opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive. Since our incorporation in 1990, we have been passionate about connecting people to artists and rich cultural experiences in rural Minnesota, celebrating the local and being a window to the world.