To cap off our wonderful four-day weekend at the Midwest Birding Symposium, we got the chance to do some birding with Kenn Kaufman. The group was much smaller than our other outings and this trip was definitely our favorite!! Kenn immediately made everyone feel welcome and made sure everyone found each new bird.
Kenn Kaufman finding a Franklin’s Gull (a lifer for the whole Birdfreak Team)
Our trip started at Credit Island, a Davenport, Iowa park that is surrounded by the Mississippi River. Being located on such an important migratory flyway is one of the key reasons this is an excellent birding spot. There were lots of birds to be found – Caspian Terns, Least and Solitary Sandpipers, over 25 Great Egrets, several warblers, and much more.
Kim Kaufman was along on our hike and she is also a wonderful birder. She found two Great Horned Owls while we were all trying to find phantom Black-crowned Night-Herons.
Here’s Kim Kaufman showing Dakota a few things about photography with my old camera
After birding at Credit Island, we headed over to Wildcat Den State Park, an excellent non-Iowa-looking park. Here the warblers and vireos put on a great show, plus many other wonderful birds.
Being around such a knowledgeable person as Kenn Kaufman is an excellent way to learn about birds. We are especially thrilled that Dakota was able to experience this, especially at such a young age (he is only 10). We wish we could bird with Kenn (and Kim) more often!!
and you guys got to go birding with them also! Now I am jealous . . . . for as many times I have met Kenn and Kim, I have never been able to go birding with them!
We were so blessed to be able to bird with both Kenn and Kim Kaufman. They are so real and nice..not to mention wonderful birders. I know that none of us will forget the experience! I was actually really nervous at first, I think we all were, but it was so fun.
The worst thing about the whole weekend was that it went by so fast!