Learn to birdwatch in time for spring migration with a four-week class starting April 3 in Meadville.

Audubon Pennsylvania in Northwestern Pennsylvania will present Birding 101 for beginning birders and those who want to sharpen their skills. Classes will take place on four consectuvie Wednesdays starting April 3 from 7-8 p.m. at 301 Chestnut St.

Preregistration is required, and there is a $10 fee for registration and materials.

Sarah Sargent, an expert birder and ornithologist, will instruct on the use of field guides, common birds, bird songs, identification tips, where to look for birds, habitats, binocular use and more.

Audubon Pennsylvania in Northwestern Pennsylvania also will conduct bird walks at Erie National Wildlife Refuge’s Sugar Lake Division in Guys Mills on April 27, May 4, May 18 and May 25. Expert guest birders will lead the walks on trails at the refuge from 8:30-10:30 a.m Walks are open to the public.

For information, or to register, call Judy Acker at Audubon Pennsylvania, (814) 333-1170.

Audubon Pennsylvania and the Presque Isle Audubon Society are accepting volunteers to help with a work day March 23 at Gull Point on Presque Isle State Park.

Volunteers must preregister by e-mail to Sarah Sargent at ssargent@audubon.org. Plan to meet at the Beach 10 parking lot, near the Gull Point trailhead, at 9 a.m., and to work until noon. Dress for the weather, and wear footwear suitable for the hike to the point.

New access trails to the relocated observation platform are being established. Posts and signs will be installled and rope strung between them from the boundary trail to the platform. “Area closed” posts will be placed around the point, facing Lake Erie, to alert boaters not to land. The Pennsylvania Game Commission also will provide signage.

Gull Point access is restricted each year between April 1 and Nov. 30 because of the area’s importance to birds during migration and nesting seasons.

The sixth in a series of occasional profiles of birdwatchers who are from or spend a lot of time in northwestern Pennsylvania.

Lisa Danko

Age: 56

Lisa Danko.

Family: Married 33 years, with two adult children, two grandchildren and a third on the way.

Lives in: Harborcreek Township.

College: Masters in Entomology from Pennsylvania State University.

Profession: Adjunct instructior of Biology,  Gannon University and Butler Community College.

Originally from: Buffalo, N.Y.

I got into birding …: I attended the Allegany Nature Pilgrimage over 30 years ago and was surrounded by families who loved and shared nature. That was back in my college days.  So once I married, my husband and I shared a love of nature. This led us to join Presque Isle Audubon Society. We became active there, holding many post including both of us as past presidents. Once we bought our house we started with backyard bird feeding and identification. Our travels always involve wild life watching.

Spark birds: Puffins in breeding plumage in Maine and veery  in the forest — sounds like a flute, and I remember hearing this when I was a child. Woodcocks and snipe  in my yard, they are a sure sign of spring returning.

Favorite bird: Colorful birds , but bluebirds are my favorites.

Favorite places to bird in northwestern Pennsylvania: Fields off all the back roads.

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Set aside three hours March 23 to join a group search for bald eagles along the Clarion River.

Pack along your binoculars and spotting scopes to the Cook Forest State Park office from 8:30-11:30 a.m. for a driving tour to eagle hotspots along the National Wild & Scenic Clarion River. The park staff says this is the prime time of the year to view bald eagles on their nests and find new nesting sites.

The carpool is likely to be long, and the hiking “aggressive” to get to better viewing areas. Hot chocolate and coffee will be available at the office.

For information, call (814) 744-8407.

The fifth in a series of occasional profiles of birdwatchers who are from or spend a lot of time in northwestern Pennsylvania.

Julie Dell

Age: 61

Julie Dell.

Family: Husband and three grown sons; three grandchildren

Lives in: Franklin Township

Profession: Reference assistant at the Edinboro University of Pennsylvania library

Originally from: Erie

I got into birding ..: We moved to the country 34 years ago and there were birds here that I had never seen before. I was curious as to their names, so I bought a bird guide and resurrected an old set of binoculars. It grew from there to buying better binocs … putting up bluebird houses … feeding 600 pounds of seed all winter … taking the binocs when we would travel … taking trips JUST to bird … paying for birding classes … joining Audubon, etc. My latest venture is becoming a Purple Martin “landlord” this spring.

Spark bird: Bluebird

Favorite bird: Snowy Owl

Favorite place to bird in northwestern Pennsylvania: Presque Isle State Park

Strangest place I’ve gone birding: In Germany, while hiking up a hillside to view a historic grave site. I was not even thinking about “birding” but saw a “water dipper” working a stream. I had never seen this type of bird and was amazed. I had no idea what it was and tried to get an idea from a German couple. Needless to say, because I didn’t speak German and they didn’t speak English it was not too successful. We all had fun trying. They seemed pleased that I was excited about “their” bird.

Rarest birds I’ve seen: Snowy plover and piping plover

Birding gear and equipment I take everywhere: Binocs, spotting scope, birding guide (book and most recently birding app with calls). Insect repellent. 

Favorite birding field guide or app: Peterson field guide. Got a mini iPad for Christmas and am looking forward to using the Sibley birding book I downloaded for it this spring. It has the bird calls on it so you can check them when you are in the field!

What I like most about birding: The beauty of the birds! Time spent outdoors.   Meeting people that love the birds as much as I do.

The best bird watching day I’ve ever had: I went to Arizona expressly to see hummingbirds. Southeastern Arizona is the “hummingbird flyway” for almost all species of hummingbirds found in the United States. I planned a trip with my sister-in-law, who lives in Scottsdale, to drive to Miller Canyon. We stayed at Beatty’s Miller Canyon Guest Ranch and had an amazing time! Hummingbirds like fairies in the trees, everywhere! So many different species at one time that people were calling out the ones they saw and it was hard to keep track or now where to look first! In one day I saw 12 different species of hummingbirds ! 

The worst birding day I’ve ever had: No such thing.

Dream birding destination: The Monterey California Audubon birding festival. Four days of guided hikes and boat tours! 

Best birding advice you ever got: Don’t always reach for the binocs first. Watch the behavior, flight pattern, body shape. Sometimes the bird is gone before you can get the binocs to your eyes!

Your advice to beginning birders: Get out there! Meet other people who are birding too! You will meet some great people and learn a lot. Take a field class if you can. There is nothing better than having someone who knows for sure what bird you are seeing.

Should a sighting be counted if you’ve only heard an identifiable bird call but not seen the bird itself?: That is an individual thing. Personally I won’t count a life bird for myself unless I see it. If you were participating a “big year” competition I would think that it would depend on the rules for that competition.

Do you keep a life list? Yes, I keep a life list … sort of. I am not obsessive about it, and probably have not recorded everything. Best count is 276. 

Do you approve of the idea of competitions such as a Big Year or Big Day?     Sure … people can bird and have fun any way they want!

Previous entries in the NWPA Outdoors Birder Bio series:

No. 1: Shawn Collins

No. 2: Bonnie Ginader

No. 3: Michele Rundquist-Franz

No. 4: Lee Ann Reiners

Interested in participating in the Birder Bio profiles series? E-mail matt.martin@timesnews.com for details.

Volunteers are invited to join Presque Isle State Park naturalists March 16 to explore and clean up Gull Point Natural Area before seasonal access closes April 1.

The work crew will clean the shoreline and trails from 9 a.m. to noon so migratory shorebirds have a pristine habitat to rest and feed during their migration season.

Registration is required; call Stacey Marendt at (814) 833-7424. Service hours are available.

The Gull Point observation deck at Presque Isle State Park has been moved from its previous site farther inland and now stands closer to the water on a part of Gull Point that has had invasive plant species removed. According to the park’s plans, the bare sandy ground surrounding the tower will regrow with native species that were overgrown with the invasive species. ANDY COLWELL/Erie Times-News file photo

The fourth in a series of occasional profiles of birdwatchers who are from or spend a lot of time in northwestern Pennsylvania.

Lee Ann Reiners, Field trip director, Presque Isle Audubon Society

Lee Ann Reiners, of Tidioute, encounters a Nazca booby on one of the Galapagos Islands in March 2012. Contributed photo

Age: 62

Lives in: Tidioute, Warren County, and Leesburg, Fla.

Profession: Retired library assistant, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

Originally from: Pittsburgh

I got into birding …: I don’t remember how old I was. My parents gave my brother and me a little Herbert Zim bird field guide and we used it till it fell apart. Although we lived in Pittsburgh, we had a summer cottage near Cambridge Springs in Crawford County. My brother and I roamed the woods and fields exploring all sorts of habitats and their wildlife. When I was 20, I began birding with a nature group and learned about keeping lists.

Spark birds: All birds fascinated me, so I really can’t single out that one special bird that actually sparked my interest. Possibly cagebirds, parakeets and canaries, which my grandmother raised and I loved to play with, and the feeder birds in our back yard.

Favorite birds: Hummingbirds, chickadees, woodpeckers.

Nemesis bird: Currently, LeConte’s Sparrow. Plus I’d love to see an ivory-billed woodpecker if there are still any alive. I got to hold one in my hand – it was Roger Tory Peterson’s from his skins collection. Unfortunately, long deceased.)

Favorite place(s) to bird in northwestern Pennsylvania: Land o’ Lakes state game lands near Cambridge Springs; Tidioute Bird Trail;  and while canoeing on French Creek, Conneaut Marsh and the Allegheny River.

Strangest place I’ve gone birding: In Trinidad we were taken to a cave where Oilbirds lived. They sleep in the dark cave during the day and come out at night. We were allowed into the cave one person at a time to catch a glimpse of the roosting birds and take a picture by flashlight.

Rarest bird I’ve seen: North America, Whooping Crane; South America, San Isidro Owl

Usual birding partner: My husband, Charles Houpt

Birding gear and equipment I take everywhere: 15×50 Canon IS binoculars; various Canon cameras and lenses; Sibley Field Guide to Birds; monopod walking stick; iPod for ID’ing some of the bird calls I might hear.

Favorite birding field guide or app: Sibley’s

What I like most about birding: The birds, of course! I can sit and watch a chickadee for hours on end. I love to settle in beside a babbling brook and watch whatever flies into my view. Better than jelly donuts!

The best birdwatching day I’ve ever had: A day at Hummingbird Lodge in Ecuador in March 2012 when I actually reached out and touched a hummingbird on its soft little tummy.

The worst birding day I’ve ever had: I am a first responder for Tamarack Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center, which means I can transport injured wildlife to the center. Last September I got a call to transport a Bald Eagle from Althom in Warren County to the center. En route I could hear its labored breathing and low moans of pain. That is something I will never forget – the sounds of pain from that magnificent bird. He was showing signs of lead poisoning and a blood test was run. His lead level was so high that it was off the meter. The pain was caused by the lead eating away his internal organs. I watched this bird die. Eagles are opportunistic feeders and will eat already-dead animals they might find. If the animal is killed by lead ammunition, the eagle will ingest the lead, which travels rapidly into their bloodstream. (More information can be seen at http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_information/lead_poisoning/ & http://www.tamarackwildlife.org/2011/12/bald-eagles-and-lead-poisoning.html )

Dream birding destination: I’ve been to my dream destinations, but would love to go back to Hawai’i to see what I missed the first time, when I was traveling with a non-birder and missed a lot.

Best birding advice you ever got: It was actually canoeing advice that I applied to birding: find the best paddler as you enter the whitewater and follow him, do what he does. With birding, it’s pick out the best birder in the group and stick close by!

Your advice to beginning birders: Join the Audubon Society and attend meetings and field trips so you can learn as you go. And learn birding etiquette, so you won’t be disturbing the birds in their habitat, especially during breeding season.

Should a sighting be counted if you’ve only heard an identifiable bird call but not seen the bird itself? I mark it down as a “heard bird,” but don’t count it on my list till I’ve seen one.

Do you keep a life list? Yes, I do. My current total is 1,083, and I passed the 1,000 mark last month in Ecuador — my husband presented me with a “1,000” applique to sew onto my birding hat! (He also passed 1,000 on that trip!)

Do you approve of the idea of competitions such as a Big Year or Big Day? Yes, because info gathered from those events can be used for statistics in research. And they are fun, as long as the participants aren’t interfering with the natural routine of the birds. (Plus, the Big Year competition inspired a fun movie! We in Presque Isle Audubon Society made the opening night in Erie one of our field trips and we went to it as a group.)

Etc: I post many of my photos to http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeann-charlie/sets/

Previous entries in the Birder Bio series:

No. 1: Shawn Collins

No. 2: Bonnie Ginader

No. 3: Michele Rundquist-Franz

Interested in participating in the Birder Bio profiles series? E-mail matt.martin@timesnews.com for details.

The Festival of the Birds won’t go off this year as organizers decide where to take the event next, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be a major birding event around Erie this spring.

Birds and Vines, based out of Pymatuning State Park, is scheduled for April 16-18. Participants will tour four state parks –  Pymatuning, Goddard, Oil Creek and Presque Isle – in a search for newly arrived migratory songbirds, waterfowl and raptors, and also will visit regional wineries, where there’s not only wine to be sampled but prime birding habitat to be explored.

All of the parks are Audubon Important Bird Areas. Tours will start at 6 a.m. each day, with stops at two parks and nearby wineries. Conneaut Cellars Winery, Wilhelm Winery and one or two Erie-area wineries to be determined are on the agenda.

Cost for the program is $65 per person or $120 per couple; it’s designed for adults only. Transportation and some meals are provided. Reservations are required and are limited; registration deadline is April 10.

Cabins at Pymatuning State Park will be available. Organizers recommend staying in cabins since the program will start so early each day. Cabin reservation costs are separate from registration fees. Cabins sleep 6-8 people each.

For information about the program, or to register, call the Pymatuning park office at (724) 932-3142.

Cabin reservations can be made by calling 888-727-2757.

Great horned owls evidently can thrive anywhere.

WSVN-TV –

The third in a series of occasional profiles of birdwatchers who are from or spend a lot of time in northwestern Pennsylvania.

Michele Rundquist-Franz

Presque Isle Audubon Society President Michele Franz watches a cardinal feeding near the former Stull Interpretive Center at Presque Isle State Park in Erie on Jan. 25. GREG WOHLFORD/Erie Times-News

Age: 49

Family: married to Jim Franz; daughter, Tami, and 2 grandchildren, Emory, 5 and Kayleigh, 2

Lives in: Harborcreek Township

College: Bachelor of Arts in English, Mercyhurst; Master of Arts in Speech Language Pathology, Edinboro

Profession: Speech therapist with Aegis Therapies at Golden Living Center-Walnut Creek

Originally from: Erie

How I got into birding: I was primarily a backyard birder until I moved to Harborcreek and started seeing birds that were new and interesting to me. A friend of mine, Julie Leonard, introduced me to Jerry McWilliams, birding guru/mentor, and his bird identification classes and from there my interest took off.

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