UPCOMING EVENTS
PAST EVENTS
"Walk on the wild side" | great backyard bird count - February 17, 2024
Kicking off a series of monthly guided "Walk on the Wild Side" events at the Neilson Spearhead Center is a birding walk, led by past board president of the Mississippi Headwaters Audubon Society, Jaime Thibodeaux. Participants will join Jaime in observing birds at Spearhead, and reporting your sightings for the 2024 Great Backyard Bird Count.
You'll learn about local birds and enjoy the peace and quiet of Spearhead, while contributing to science! The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual citizen science initiative providing a powerful data source for researchers.
For more details about the Great Backyard Bird Count, visit birdcount.org.
Saturday, February 17th | 9:00 - 10:30 am | Neilson Spearhead Center - 48851 County 29, Bemidji, MN 56601
If you use Facebook, please RSVP on our Facebook event.
You'll learn about local birds and enjoy the peace and quiet of Spearhead, while contributing to science! The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual citizen science initiative providing a powerful data source for researchers.
For more details about the Great Backyard Bird Count, visit birdcount.org.
Saturday, February 17th | 9:00 - 10:30 am | Neilson Spearhead Center - 48851 County 29, Bemidji, MN 56601
If you use Facebook, please RSVP on our Facebook event.
annual CHRISTMAS BIRD COunt - December 16 & 19
Help us gather data on bird populations in Bemidji! The CBC builds on over 120 years of data, which is used by conservationists to monitor bird populations and ecosystem health. Long-term datasets like this are extremely rare - they are gold for scientists!
Do we really count birds? YES! Audubon CBC takes place across the globe. The CBC was invented as an alternative to a holiday bird and wildlife hunting competition. In 1900 an ornithologist, Frank Chapman, proposed a competitive bird census, instead. The CBC is a great way to get out and enjoy winter in our northern woods!
There are three opportunities to take part:
Bemidji Area - December 16th
Meet at the Country Kitchen in Bemidji from 7:30 am to 8:00 am for assignment of survey area or pairing of teams. Beginners are welcome, but expect to be paired with a more experienced birder. Contact Jaime Thibodeaux at 218-308-6853 (text or call) or [email protected] for more information. Heads-up text or email to Jaime is helpful if you’re a beginner to coordinate pairing.
You can RSVP for the Bemidji Area Count on this Facebook Event Page.
Itasca State Park - December 19th
Meet at the Jacob V. Brower Visitor Center lobby between 7:30 and 8 a.m. for assignment of count areas or contact Connie Cox to get an assigned area. For registration, questions, and further details, call 218-699-7259 or email [email protected].
You can RSVP for the Itasca State Park count on this Facebook Event Page.
Take part from home!
If you are unable to attend a counting event, we also invite people who live within the census area to count birds in their own yard. To see all of the CBC census areas, visit www.christmas birdcount.org.
Do we really count birds? YES! Audubon CBC takes place across the globe. The CBC was invented as an alternative to a holiday bird and wildlife hunting competition. In 1900 an ornithologist, Frank Chapman, proposed a competitive bird census, instead. The CBC is a great way to get out and enjoy winter in our northern woods!
There are three opportunities to take part:
Bemidji Area - December 16th
Meet at the Country Kitchen in Bemidji from 7:30 am to 8:00 am for assignment of survey area or pairing of teams. Beginners are welcome, but expect to be paired with a more experienced birder. Contact Jaime Thibodeaux at 218-308-6853 (text or call) or [email protected] for more information. Heads-up text or email to Jaime is helpful if you’re a beginner to coordinate pairing.
You can RSVP for the Bemidji Area Count on this Facebook Event Page.
Itasca State Park - December 19th
Meet at the Jacob V. Brower Visitor Center lobby between 7:30 and 8 a.m. for assignment of count areas or contact Connie Cox to get an assigned area. For registration, questions, and further details, call 218-699-7259 or email [email protected].
You can RSVP for the Itasca State Park count on this Facebook Event Page.
Take part from home!
If you are unable to attend a counting event, we also invite people who live within the census area to count birds in their own yard. To see all of the CBC census areas, visit www.christmas birdcount.org.
WINTER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION - December 21, 4:00 - 6:00 pm
Join us for a family-friendly solstice event! We’ll go for a snowy winter hike or snow shoe, followed by a bonfire with hot chocolate and spiced cider. There will be an opportunity to take part in a brief reflection to mark the longest night of the year.
Since Neilson Spearhead Center trails are normally open from only dawn to dusk, this is a unique opportunity to enjoy the preserve after dark and take in the night sky!
What we ask you to bring:
- Gear for current conditions (warm layers, snowshoes, etc.)
- Light source (flashlight, headlamp, etc.)
- Mug or thermos (let's make this event environmentally friendly!)
You can RSVP for the Winter Solstice Celebration on this Facebook Event Page.
LOCATION: Neilson Spearhead Center - 48851 County 29, Bemidji, MN 56601
Since Neilson Spearhead Center trails are normally open from only dawn to dusk, this is a unique opportunity to enjoy the preserve after dark and take in the night sky!
What we ask you to bring:
- Gear for current conditions (warm layers, snowshoes, etc.)
- Light source (flashlight, headlamp, etc.)
- Mug or thermos (let's make this event environmentally friendly!)
You can RSVP for the Winter Solstice Celebration on this Facebook Event Page.
LOCATION: Neilson Spearhead Center - 48851 County 29, Bemidji, MN 56601
ANNUAL MHAS MEMBERS CELEBRATION: SEPTEMBER 28, 2023, 5:00 - 7:00 PM
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Come join us for our MHAS Annual Members Celebration and Meeting! We have reserved the Diamond Point Park Pavilion located just north of Chet Anderson Stadium on the Bemidji State University campus for the event. Hopefully this is close by for many of you and the Pavilion can be enclosed in case of rain.
Enjoy nature activities for the family ('Unnatural Hike', 'MHAS Jeopardy', 'Backwards Hike', prizes and more), listen to local musicians, learn about what MHAS has been doing this past year and what's planned for 2024. Our featured speaker is Kate Pearson, elementary school teacher and mastermind behind the Horace May School Forest - an incredible nature education site serving kindergarten through 3rd graders right here in Bemidji. The Forest offers students opportunities to experience and learn about plants and wildlife living in all four of Minnesota's major ecological regions: aspen parklands, prairie grasslands, deciduous forest, and coniferous forest. If you can, bring a finger food to share with other members and community. Drinks will be provided. |
Peace Pole Dedication and Picnic w/special guest Nicolas Carter: Friday, June 23, 5:00 - 7:00 PM
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Join us in dedicating an International Peace Pole at the Neilson Spearhead Center- our way of inspiring and bringing people from all walks of life together. Our special guest for the evening is Nicolas Carter, a talented and versatile International harpist, born in Minnesota and raised in Paraguay, who will grace us with a performance. Popcorn and lemonade will be served. Bring your friends, family, lawn chairs, and a meal of your choosing (please note this is an alcohol and drug-free event).
Nicolas is in Bemidji thanks to a grant received by Headwaters Music and Arts from the Region 2 Arts Council. Headwaters will host a workshop with Nicolas, 12-4 pm Thursday, June 22, followed by a free performance at 7 pm that same day. The public is invited to both of these events that will be held at Headwaters Music and Arts’ performance hall. For those who want another opportunity to experience Nicolas he’ll also be offering a presentation at Bemidji Public Library Friday, June 23, at 10 am |
international migratory bird day hike: may 13, 2023
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MHAS will celebrate our migrating birds on Saturday, May 13 with a leisurely hike around Spearhead Lake. We’ll welcome summer avian visitors like loons, warblers, and waterfowl while spotting spring wildflowers and the first green leaves. The hike is nearly 5 miles long, so plan on a 4 hour stroll over a trail with gentle hills. Bring snacks and water for a trailside lunch. Meet at 9 am at the Neilson Spearhead Center parking lot. Led by George-Ann Maxson. Call 218-586-3414 if you have questions. |