Casey Wright, Baldwin City, foreground left, and other participants in a Saturday, June 25, Kansas Land Trust Bird Walk, spot an Indigo Bunting in a section of the Baldwin Woods. The walk was through the Earles Easement, a 135-acre wooded area with trails near the southeast corner of Douglas County State Fishing Lake.

Early morning thunderstorms and an uncomfortably close lightning strike didn’t stop the Kansas Land Trust’s bird walk near Baldwin City from happening Saturday morning.

Steve Roels, KLT member and a graduate student at Kansas University, led participants through the Earles Easement, a 135-acre section of the historic Baldwin Woods. Roels, who has seen almost 900 species of birds, gave bird-watching advice, answered questions and identified birds during the walk. Roels said an array of birds can be seen in Douglas County.

“You do have a good mix of eastern woodland species that reach the edge of their range right here in eastern Kansas,” Roels said.

Tari Hamlin, Lawrence, said she came to see birds she hasn’t seen in her backyard.

“I just wanted to come out and see what it was all about,” she said.

Saturday’s walk was the second KLT hosted in June. Carol Huettner, KLT office manager, said the organization might host another walk in the fall when migratory species return to the state. The walks generally last about two hours and are free to attend.