15 Jun Developing a Birding Program

I am currently working on developing a birding walk along the 1- mile Netul Trail. I may extend to the addition .5 miles at the Canoe Landing depending on the audience and team fitness, as well as the weather conditions. While I am still working out the project, I do know that my topic would be about the birds before and after the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Within the journals, the captains have detailed recordings of birds that the Expedition member saw during their travels. One such bird that was described by William Clark is Clark’s Nutcracker. 

“I saw today a Bird of the woodpecker kind which fed on Pine burs its Bill and tale white the wings black…and about the size of the robin.”  Clark, Aug. 22, 1805

However, not all birds continue to exist or live in the same space they once did. Lewis had recorded a California Condor during their stay at Fort Clatsop. Lewis wrote a brief description accompanied with a drawing of the Condor’s Head.

“[T]he tail is composed of 12 feathers of equal length, each 14 inches …. the underside of the wing is covered with white down and feathers…a white stripe of about two inches in width, also marks the outer part of the wing….” Lewis, Feb. 16, 1806

Head of a Vulture (California condor, Gymnogyps califorianus),

February 17, 1806, Codex J, p. 80

This week I had the opportunity to walk along the Netul Trail to scope out what bird species are currently on the trail. Especially birds that can be easily identifiable to visitors unfamiliar with birding. A small issue with birding in Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, the site is filled with tall trees clumped together which make it difficult to view most birds. Nonetheless, visitors can hear the birds throughout the park. I am slowly building up my skills in identifying birds by their songs and calls. Some birds are easier than others to recognize their songs and calls but many of the birds along the Netul Trail are the same. I am hoping that by the end of the program visitors can identify one bird by its sound or visual appearance. With that being said, I leave you with some photos of birds I have observed.