“Birds. At Home, On the Range” is the theme of a bird watching tour set for June 5-6 at the Rasmussen-Lehman 33 Ranch in Belvidere, SD. Hosted by the South Dakota Grassland Coalition, attendees will watch and record bird species, and hear presentations from landowners and conservation experts. New this year is the opportunity to earn a college graduate credit for participating in the bird tour.

Attendees will gather at Rasmussen-Lehman 33 Ranch at 3:30-4 p.m. on June 5. The evening program includes a ranch history, bird and plant identification tips, a barbecue in the Badlands and optional bird watching and recording.

The following morning begins with coffee and rolls at 6 a.m., followed by bird watching and recording, bird banding, invertebrate trapping, bird photography, a session on “Birds and Cows: Putting Them Together,” lunch, a slide show and closing comments. The meeting ends at 2 p.m.

Space is limited to 80 participants. Registration, which is $20/person or $35/couple if accompanying a student (students of high school age and under are free), includes birding materials, transportation and meals. For more info, or to register, contact Justin “Judge” Jessop at 605-280-0127 or jjessop@sdconservation.org.