MPCC students watch eagles on field trip

Biology students from North Platte and McCook recently went on their first of three bird-watching field trips as part of their “Birds of Nebraska” biology class this semester.

The class traveled to the eagle viewing area below the Kingsley Dam near Lake McConaughy and saw about a dozen bald eagles.

Instructor Rob Bogardus – who teaches the class in McCook and via distance learning to students in North Platte – said the weather was ideal and the group was able to watch the eagles actively fishing on Lake Ogallala.

He said students saw about 20 species of birds including thousands of ducks and geese as well as shore birds.

The 18 students enrolled in this class are the most ever according to Bogardus. Later this semester the class will take field trips to the Red Willow Reservoir and Hugh Butler Lake near Cambridge.

The goal for each student is to find and identify 75 different bird species by the end of the semester.