Crossroads Presents Opportunities for Bird Enthusiasts

On Saturday, December 19, Crossroads at Big Creek will take part in the annual Sturgeon Bay Christmas Bird Count, helping local birders get involved in the 110-year-old tradition in which bird watchers and scientists, families and individuals throughout North America take a day out of the busy holiday season to count all of the birds they see in an assigned area.

Most experienced birders have already received assignments from Charlotte Lukes, the local coordinator/compiler, but Crossroads welcomes beginners to take part in this citizen-science effort. While many birders count from pre-dawn to dark, Crossroads will divide the day into two-hour segments. Parties will leave the Collins Learning Center at 8 am, 10 am, 12:30 pm, and 2:30 pm. Those who would like to stay out for more than one session should bring a bag lunch and thermos. (Hot coffee and cider and rest rooms will be available in the Collins Learning Center.)

In addition to the Christmas Bird Count, several other bird-related programs will be held in December. On Thursday, Dec. 24 at 1 pm, the annual Greeting Card Birds lecture will be presented.

A Cross-Generational Educational program on “Door County Birds” will be offered from 1:30 – 3:30 pm on Monday, Dec. 28. This program is designed so one adult and one youth (age 7-12) can learn together though multimedia presentations and activities including a make-and-take bird feeder project. Thanks to a grant from the Door County Community Foundation, this program is free but pre-registration is required. Call 920.746.5895 to sign up. (Enrollment is limited to eight pairs of learners, but if fewer than four pairs sign up before 4 pm on Dec. 26, the activity will be postponed.)

Every Sunday afternoon, snow conditions permitting, Community Ski will be offered. Friends of Crossroads will loan skis and snowshoes between 1 – 3:30 pm free of charge to those who want to get in touch with nature through environmentally gentle recreation.

Crossroads at Big Creek is a preserve welcoming learners of all ages for programs in science, history and the environment. The Collins Learning Center is open 2 – 5 pm daily. The Center will close a 3:45 on December 24 and will be closed December 25.