As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Sunday, 21 July 2019

Rescuing the Rookery: Fergus Falls birders work to save the city's unique attraction


NEWS - Rescuing the Rookery 
Posted: Mon 6:42 PM, Jul 15, 2019  | 
Updated: Mon 7:07 PM, Jul 15, 2019
FERGUS FALLS, Minn. (Valley News Live) - For Wayne Perala - birding is a labor of love that has lasted for years.
"I've been birding non-stop probably for six years, but I think most people know I bird almost in all of my free time. So I work and bird and that's what I do," the avid birder says. "It's the most rewarding hobby I've ever picked up. It's so fulfilling – you're not taking anything from the environment, all you're doing is observing. And it's the chase of finding a lot of birds and photographing birds and finding rare birds – it's extremely satisfying."
Perala visits Fergus Falls' bird sanctuary at Adams Park often - and his passion is matched by others all over the country.
"From the state of Minnesota – the western side of the state is viewed as we get all of the good birds. So there's a lot of trips where people come from the cities out to this side of the state in order to catch a glimpse of some of the rare birds found out here," he says. "We bring busloads of people down here to view the birds up close. It's always a popular destination."
And it isn't just the birders who benefit.
"This rookery draws visitors in from all over – bird watchers and tourists come here to see them. It's an asset to our city," says Molly Stoddard, the Instructional Systems Specialist at U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's Prairie Wetlands Learning Center. "I'm just glad this rookery is here. It's so different, it's so unique. And it's a great opportunity for people to watch wildlife."

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