Teach others about birds and the Great Salt Lake

Chance to see bald eagles part of Jan. 5 training

FARMINGTON — If you're passionate about birds and the Great Salt Lake and you want to share your passion with others the Division of Wildlife Resources wants you in its Farmington Bay Volunteer Naturalist program.

Volunteer taking flight during a wetlands training day.

Photo by Justina Parsons-Bernstein

You can learn more about the program and other volunteer opportunities with the DWR at a workshop on Jan. 5.

The workshop will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Great Salt Lake Nature Center. The center is located at the Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, 1700 W. Glover Lane (925 South) in Farmington.

"Our volunteers get to play in puddles, see some amazing birds, and share their excitement with scouts and school groups," says Justina Parsons-Bernstein, director of the Great Salt Lake Nature Center. "If you can tell the difference between a cinnamon teal and a great blue heron, or if you want to know the difference, you're the kind of person we're looking for."

Here's what you can do in the following DWR programs:

Farmington Bay Volunteer Naturalist—take people on fun field trips and nature tours. You'll also get to help the staff at the nature center teach school groups about birds and the Great Salt Lake. The staff will teach you about wetland ecology, how to identify birds and how to share what you've learned with others.

Wild Guides Naturalist—this brand new program will give you a chance to get into your community and teach eight- to nine-year-olds about wildlife and the places wildlife live. The DWR will provide you with all of the lesson plans you'll need. You'll also receive neat items to show the kids, including snowshoe hare pelts, and elk and deer antlers.

Community Fishing—teach kids in youth fishing clubs about fish and how to catch them. The clubs meet in the spring at community fishing waters in Utah.

Watchable Wildlife—staff booths at wildlife festivals in Utah. You'll learn more about Utah's wildlife, and then you'll get to share your enthusiasm for that wildlife including peregrine falcons, mountain goats, bald eagles and bighorn sheep with those who attend the festivals!

Hunter Education—teach the next generation of Utah's hunters how to be safe, responsible and ethical.

At the workshop, Parsons-Berstein will highlight the volunteer opportunities at Farmington Bay. Jill West, the DWR's volunteer program coordinator, will also provide information about other volunteer opportunities with DWR.

The workshop is free, and everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.

After the presentation, the staff at the nature center will take those who attended the workshop on a tour of the Farmington Bay WMA. You might see some bald eagles during the tour. The eagles are just starting their winter migration into Utah.

For more information, call Parsons-Bernstein at (801) 589-2373.