March 4, 2015 - UPDATE - Everyone who loves birding is invited to participate in the final Big Day Birding Adventures of the season, being held on two Saturdays: March 14 and March 28. This is a great chance to go out with experienced park staff in a “citizen science" activity to count birds within the varied habitats of Everglades National Park. Advance reservations are not required; meet at the Anhinga Trail parking area at 8 a.m.
-------------------------------------Release Issued Dec. 30, 2014
The public is invited to participate in the Big Day Birding Adventure, a "citizen science" activity to count birds within the varied habitats of Everglades National Park.
Meet at the Anhinga Trail parking area at 8:00 a.m. on the following Saturdays: Jan. 3, Jan. 17, Jan. 31, Feb. 14, Feb. 28, March 14, and March 28. The Anhinga Trail is in the Royal Palm area of Everglades National Park, about four miles past the Main Entrance to the park, or 15 miles southeast of the town of Homestead. Be prepared to drive your own car over 40 miles one-way to points of interest along the Main Park Road. The activity lasts about 6 hours and ends at Flamingo. Participants should pack a lunch and water and prepare for sun and mosquitoes. Some walking is involved.
"This is a great opportunity for novice and experienced birders alike to observe and learn about the birds of the Everglades…and to explore the park's diverse habitats: from freshwater marsh to pine Rockland to mangrove swamp to Florida Bay," says park ranger Christi Carmichael. "We usually see around 60 species of birds, with a possibility of viewing such feathered wonders as Purple Gallinules, Roseate Spoonbills, and rare Short-tailed Hawks."
Count results will be posted on the park's website and on Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology's online bird database, eBird.
"The public is becoming increasingly involved in 'citizen science' activities," says Carmichael. "Bird count data can help to show trends in bird populations around the world, so scientists and managers may decide if further research or conservation efforts are appropriate for particular species."
For more information call Christi Carmichael at 239-695-3092.
WHAT: Big Day Birding Adventure, a "citizen science" activity to count birds within the varied habitats of Everglades National Park.
WHEN:Meet at the Anhinga Trail parking area at 8:00 a.m. on the following Saturdays: Jan. 3, Jan. 17, Jan. 31, Feb. 14, Feb. 28, March 14, and March 28.
WHERE:The Anhinga Trail is in the Royal Palm area of Everglades National Park, about four miles past the Main Entrance to the park, or 15 miles southeast of the town of Homestead. Be prepared to drive your own car over 40 miles one-way to points of interest along the Main Park Road.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
