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."
