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Do This Now: Events at state, regional and local parks

February 19, 2015 at 9:04PM

Winter Fun Day, fat tire bikes, snowshoe, hiking family snowshoeing (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

1 Snowshoe at the river

Wild River State Park, 1-2 p.m.

Saturday

Join the park naturalist for a leisurely one-mile walk on snowshoes along the St. Croix River. Designed for participants ages 8 and older, the program will cover a different topic each week. Equipment will be provided for the first 30 people who register for the program. To register, call 651-583-2125. More information: www.mndnr.gov/ptcalendar.

2 Telescope night

William O'Brien State Park,

7-9 p.m. Saturday

Hear storyteller Dwight Wilcox's winter constellation and night sky tales to learn about Orion, the hunter; Taurus, the bull; and the Seven Sisters. Using a telescope, amateur astronomer Kenny Bahmer will point out glittering planets, stars and constellations. More information: 651-433-0500 or www.mndnr.gov/ ptcalendar.

3 Snowshoe outing

William O'Brien State Park, Saturday, 10-3 p.m.

Meet at the visitor center to hear a short introduction to snowshoes and snowshoeing in the morning. After the introduction, explore the park on snowshoes on your own. To register, call 651-433-0500. More information: www.mndnr.gov/ptcalendar.

4 The Big Chill

Fort Snelling State Park, 2-3 p.m. Saturday

How do animals prepare for, survive, and thrive in winter? Get involved in some hands-on winter activities and fun outdoor exploration. More information: 612-279-3550 or www.mndnr.gov/ptcalendar.

5 Bird banding

Lowry Nature Center, 9 a.m.-noon Saturday

See wild songbirds safely trapped, studied and tagged. You may get a chance to hear a bird's heartbeat. Drop in anytime. Groups of 10 or more: Call 763-694-7650 to reserve a start time. Children 17 years and younger must be accompanied by an adult.

In winter, birds need extra-high calorie seeds rich with fats to keep warm since their favorite foods of insects, fruits and native seeds are scarce. (MCT) ORG XMIT: 1161274 (The Minnesota Star Tribune)