The Fort Union and Confluence Bird Count is set for Saturday, Sept. 10 from 8 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
It was said by the great western naturalist John James Audubon, “I never for a day gave up listening to the songs of our birds, or watching their peculiar habits, or delineating them in the best way I could.” Fort Union had many explorers who came to the fort and experienced the natural history as well as the cultural history. Audubon used paintbrush and oils to produce world-renowned images of wild birds. You can enjoy these colorful creatures in person.
Newbies and veterans, adults and kids—come out and experience the natural beauty and sounds of birds in this area where two rivers carve out a unique ecosystem. Bird counts are a fun family event in which citizens lend eyes and ears to help us measure the health of our bird populations. At Fort Union, you will be inspired by a special guest, the former president Theodore Roosevelt.
Meet in the Fort Union parking lot at 8 a.m. Birds will be counted at Fort Union, then caravan 2.5 miles to the Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence Interpretive Center. At the Confluence Center you will view prize-winning bird photographs from the 2011 photo contest and whet your whistles and pacify your palates with breakfast treats! There will be a coloring contest for younger participants. All participants will receive a collectible bird count badge.
Learn the different bird calls and why the natural world is so important to humans. Guides Audrey Barnhart and Kerry Finsaas will take you into the world of the wild where you can see this habitat up close. “Record-high water and record-low mosquitoes provide great birding conditions,” according to Barnhart. Finsaas warns, however, “there could be a few gnats out there, so repellant will be available.”
Fort Union Trading Post and the Missouri Yellowstone Confluence Center are located 24 miles north of Sidney, and 25 miles southwest of Williston via Highway 1804. While here, visitors are encouraged to tour the reconstructed Fort Union Trading Post and enjoy the Missouri-Yellowstone Interpretive exhibits and trails.
For more information on Fort Union-Confluence bird count activities, contact Audrey Barnhart at 701-572-9083 or Kerry Finsaas at 701-572-9034. Both sites are on Facebook.
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