Bird Language Weekend: Sep 9-11

Friday, September 9, 5:00 pm through

Sunday, September 11, 12:00 noon

Audubon Center of the North Woods

54165 Audubon Road

Sandstone, MN 55072

Experience Life Through the Eyes of the Birds

Birds and animals share a common language. Their calls and alarms help them stay safe from danger. We can learn to understand this language. In fact, we are “hard-wired” to learn this, as countless generations of our ancestors depended on this ancient skill to survive, around the world. Largely forgotten by modern peoples, this understanding is sorely needed at this time of cultural upheaval and natureʼs shifting patterns.

During this weekend-long program, you will be immersed in a community of nature connection mentors and learners. Through exercises, instruction, games and lots of time sitting in the woods, the community setting amplifies each individual’s learning journey. Together as a group we will begin to uncover unique patterns of the local birds and animals, and what they are telling us through their behavior and language. There are a limited number of spots available for this special program. Please join us!

Click Here to Register

The Program

This program follows the principles of Bird Language shared by Jon Young in his book, What the Robin Knows: How Birds Reveal the Secrets of the Natural World. Our team of facilitators combine decades of experience in birding, wildlife tracking, group facilitation, and nature connection mentoring. We are one of the groups piloting Jon Young's Bird Language Leaders program and have been running bird language programs across the state for the past two years. Lead facilitator Jonathan Poppele has trained with Jon Young since 1998 and is the Minnesota coordinator for Bird Language Leaders. The weekend will include instruction, exercises, storytelling, games, and lots of time sitting quietly in the woods observing and connecting with nature.

The Facility

The Audubon Center of the North Woods is a residential environmental learning center and retreat center located on the shores of Grindstone Lake near Sandstone, MN, 90 miles north of Minneapolis/St. Paul. The center's mission is to instill a connection and commitment to the environment in people of all communities through experiential learning.

We encourage carpooling and can help to coordinate rides from the Twin Cities, including MSP Airport. Please contact us if you would like to share a ride.

Accommodations:

Our program will be hosted in Schwyzer Lodge, the Center's beautiful, historic lakeside house. Schwyzer Lodge offers bunk beds. There are no private bedrooms. We expect to fill all of the upper and lower bunks during the weekend. Please contact us if you need lower bunk accommodations. You can rent linens for $10, or bring your own sleeping bag. Take a peek at Schwyzer Lodge here.

Meals:

We will eat all of our meals in the Audubon Center's main dining hall. Meals begin with dinner on Friday and end with lunch on Sunday.

Schwyzer Lodge also has a full kitchen which you are free to use during the weekend.

Cost:

Basic Price: $250 (includes the full weekend program, on-site lodging and all meals)

Scholarship Price: $150 (discounted price for students, seniors, part time naturalists and others on limited incomes)

Click Here to Register

Contact us:

If you have any questions about the program, here is how you can reach us:

• E-mail Jonathan <poppele@umn.edu>
• Use our online Contact Form

If you have questions about the facility, please contact the Audubon Center of the North Woods.

For a map & directions click here