Toilet paper tube birds
Who doesn’t have empty toilet paper tubes? We all do. And if you don’t right now, you definitely will have some soon. Let’s use them for a fun purpose and turn them into adorable birds, and you can make whatever kind of bird you want. I chose a robin — Read More »
Types of bird nests
People live in different types of houses — some made from lumber, some from concrete, some very large and some very small. Birds also build different kinds of nests. Since there are about 18,000 species of birds in the world, so there are many, many different types of nests. Here Read More »
Wildlife of Iowa through the alphabet
American wigeon (Anas americana) This dabbling duck migrates through Iowa. It is known for its whistle-like call and its short, stumpy bill that allows it to pluck vegetation to eat with ease. Blue-winged teal (Anas discors) Blue-winged teal are the second most abundant duck in America, behind the mallard. Common Read More »
Top 10 activities to do outside when social distancing
Tired of being stuck in the house but want to make sure you’re following COVID-19 guidelines and not gathering with others? Then head out to a wild area and try out these awesome activities. They will work your body and brain, and hopefully being outside will help boost your immune Read More »
CFDC receives $9,000 grant for Pollinator Paradise
The Dickinson County Endowment Fund awarded the Conservation Foundation of Dickinson County a grant for $9,000 in September 2019. The grant was utilized to purchase the Build a Pollinator exhibit in the new Pollinator Paradise addition to the Dickinson County Nature Center in Okoboji. “We’re so thankful for the grants Read More »
How lake ice melts
It seems pretty obvious how ice melts, right? It gets warm, so ice changes to its liquid form — water. However, the way that the lakes, including the Iowa Great Lakes, melt may be different than what you would think. Usually in March — the average date for ice out Read More »
Early spring butterflies
Almost 70 species of butterflies have been seen in Dickinson County, Iowa, and the time of year can be told from which ones are most active. In fact, you can tell when spring is making its appearance by which butterflies are hatching after overwintering in the chrysalis state or from Read More »
DCCB wins award for Outstanding Website
Dickinson County Conservation Board won an award for outstanding website during the Iowa Tourism Conference Tuesday, March 3. “It is an honor to have our website selected as the winner for rural areas in the state, because we put a lot of effort into the design, content and functionality Read More »
Three early spring migrators
When the days get longer and the temperatures get a little warmer, it signals that spring is on its way. You’ll even start to here winter bird residents begin to perk up, and you’ll start to see bird species that you haven’t seen for a while. Three of Iowa’s earliest Read More »
Osprey breeding season timeline
Spring is coming, and that means that we starting looking for the Okoboji osprey to return to the nest in Kenue Park. They are amazing creatures that follow a strict schedule, and you can almost set your watch by them. Here is a quick timeline of the typical osprey year: Read More »
Up-and-coming invasive species
Environmentalists have been watching and waiting as new invasive species begin to take hold and move across the country and across Iowa. Jumping worms, the brown marmorated stink bug, the gypsy moth and the spotted lanternfly. Let’s take a look at a few of these up-and-coming invasives. Jumping worms Most Read More »
Owls of Iowa
Iowa is home to nine different owl species. You might not have seen all of them before, however, as two are state endangered — the short-eared owl and the barn owl — and one is state threatened — the long-eared owl. Let’s take a look at some of the most Read More »