Mathiasen Family Fund Makes Bird Station Improvements
Posted by: Conservation
The Cindy and Jerry Mathiasen Family Fund continued its assistance this year to Pottawattamie Conservation’s Hitchcock Nature Center with a donation for bird station improvements. Two new durable bird feeders are now in place just in front of the Loess Hills Lodge near a birdwatching bench that was also graciously donated by the family. The previous aging feeders had been partially damaged and then went missing last year.
A variety of birds including the Indigo Bunting, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, the Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied, and Red-headed Woodpecker, and the Eastern Towhee can be observed at either of the park's bird stations. Most recently, Dark-eyed Juncos have moved in for the winter.
The family whose children and grandchildren all enjoy nature and have contributed to the projects also partially funded the large set of mounted binoculars on the lodge deck. The binoculars were specially constructed for families and for visitors with disabilities.
Donations were made to the Pottawattamie Conservation Foundation. The Cindy and Jerry Mathiasen Family Fund is a donor-advised fund through the Community Foundation for Western Iowa.
The Mathiasen family encourages park visitors to grab their binoculars and join in the birdwatching fun!
