‘Bird Language Lessons’ comes to Elkhart County Parks By: Maura Johnson A singing Eastern Towhee. Photo courtesy: Elkhart County Parks
ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. – Elkhart County Parks will be hosting a free “Bird Language Lessons” workshop this weekend at Benton Spillway Shelter in River Preserve County Park.
On Sunday, April 11 from 1 to 3:30 p.m., participants can learn how to ID different birds by their sound and learn about the behavior behind these calls.
“Birding spring migration is a bit like an Easter egg hunt,” said Annie Aguirre, Event Coordinator, “You’re scrambling to find these brightly-colored treasures hidden all around, and before you know it, they’re gone. Lucky for us, these birds are in full song, so by keeping your ears open, you have a good chance of finding them.”
A few red-winged blackbirds and a flock or two of sandhill cranes arrived over the weekend. Maple sap was running. Like usual for the start of March.
But it still isnât a usual winter for ski resorts. If it were, the downhill season at Swiss Valley Ski & Snowboard Area in Jones would toast its finale this Sunday â typically a week into March. Instead, spokesman Mike Panich says the resort has booked its âSlush Cupâ contest (a sort of farewell party) for March 14 with the option of staying open even longer if the weather permits and visitors keep coming.
Snowmelt or not, the resort recently looked more like it was ramping up operations, not chilling out, stoked by the momentum from a super-busy season when weekend ski rentals often ran out. Jamie Stafne, who oversees operations, says this seasonâs attendance will surely âblow the record for the past two decades.â