Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First

Birding tours to resume this spring

The birds of Kimball County will be highlighted during a six week series of Watchable Wildlife Tours sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory and the Kimball Area Tourism Department.

The series, titled “For the Birds,” will run from April 1 to May 15. All tours will depart from the High Point Welcome Center of Western Nebraska located at I-80, Exit 20. The tours are free, but reservations are required.

Tourism Director Jo Caskey explained why reservations are required.

“Our guides for these tours are providing equipment to help people have a more enjoyable wildlife viewing experience,” she said. “If we don’t know how many people to plan for, we may not have enough binoculars, etc., to go around.

“The guides have other responsibilities, as well. We don’t want to tie up their time waiting to see if anyone shows up. If we have no reservations for a morning tour, I can contact the guide the evening before. It’s a courtesy to all involved.”

Reservations may be made by calling the center at 308-241-0573.

The tours are scheduled as follows:

- Mountain Plover Migration – Tuesdays at 6:30 a.m.

- Hawk Watch – Thursdays at 6:30 a.m.

- Ground Nesting – Saturdays at 8 a.m.