Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center’s

Big Year Birding Challenge

Join us in 2024 for a brand new program series and citizen science opportunity! Hosted in partnership with renowned bird expert Ben Douglas, the Big Year Birding Challenge is designed to encourage everyone to learn more about birds and see how many different species they can identify at Carpenter Nature Center in a single year. This is a great opportunity for newcomers to get into birding, for experienced birders to work on their life list, for Carpenter to identify the different species that come through the Nature Center, and for everyone to have year-round fun in nature.

Throughout the upcoming year, we’ve created many opportunities for you to join our trained naturalists to further build the Carpenter Nature Center and your personal lists. See the calendar below for a preview of what’s coming! We will be using eBird, a site run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to help track our sightings. Information on how to sign up and to see the species list for the Nature Center can be found below.

Questions? Contact Jennifer Vieth at (651)-437-4359 ext. 108 or jennifer@carpenternaturecenter.org.

Species Count Update

203 species observed as of 09.30.24

Goal: 190 species

Click here to see the year-to-date Minnesota Campus species list on eBird.

Click here and here to see the Wisconsin Campus year-to-date species lists on eBird.

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Join the Big Year Birding Challenge

Participation in Carpenter’s Big Year Birding Challenge is FREE, however being a ‘Friend of CNC’ is encouraged and donations are always appreciated.

Calendar of Events

The following events are part of Carpenter’s year-round programming, and are a great opportunity to build your list. These are optional to attend, and may have program fees to participate.

August 23 – Public Bird Banding (MN Campus)

September 7 – Guided Bird Hike (MN Campus)

September 14 – Guided Bird Hike (WI Campus)

September 28 – Raptor Release (MN Campus)

September 29 – Fall Migratory Raptor Count & Hawk Watch (MN Campus)

October 10 – Saw-whet Owl Banding (WI Campus) *FULL*

October 12 – Guided Bird Hike (WI Campus)

October 25 – Public Bird Banding (MN Campus)

October 30 – Saw-whet Owl Banding (MN Campus) *Limited Seats*

November 2 – Guided Bird Hike (MN Campus)

November 9 – Guided Bird Hike (WI Campus)

November 29 – Public Bird Banding (MN Campus)