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The Great Backyard Bird Count Competition
Birders of all ages, grab your binoculars!
Swooping, singing, hunting, and foraging – bird watching is a great way to get to know your local landscape. Join The Parklands’ team on February 14–17, 2025, as we participate in The Great Backyard Bird Count! Launched in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) was the first online citizen-science project to collect data on wild birds and to display results in near real-time.
This citizen science event is for learners of all ages to begin or continue their journey into birding. On each walk, the hike leaders will keep track of the bird count that our participants spot with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology eBird app. At the end of each day, we will tally up all our bird counts and add them to The Great Backyard Bird Count citizen science project. Dress warmly and avoid white or bright colors. This event is free and open to all, and no registration is required.
We are so excited to have the Beckham Bird Club helping us with our bird count again this year! Please consider joining them for one of their bird walks, noted below, and becoming a member of their great organization. For more information on the Beckham Bird Club’s field trips and meetings please visit this link: http://www.beckhambirdclub.org/field-trips-and-meetings.html
Schedule of Guided Birding Hikes:
⁕ = Led by Parklands Staff
♢ = Led by Beckham Bird Club
Friday, February 14
- 8:30am–noon: Humana Grand Allee, Beckley Creek Park ⁕
Meet at Humana Grand Allee Soccer Fields Parking Lot - 1pm–3pm: Miles Lakes Area, Beckley Creek Park ♢
Meet at North Beckley Paddling Access
Saturday, February 15
- 8:30am–noon: Pope Lick Park ♢
Meet at John Floyd Community Building Parking Lot - 1pm–3:30pm: Distillery Bend, Beckley Creek Park ♢
Meet at Humana Grand Allee Soccer Fields Parking Lot
Sunday, February 16
- 8:30am–noon: Seaton Valley, Turkey Run Park ♢
Meet at Seaton Valley Trailhead Parking Lot
Monday, February 17
- 8:30am–noon: Creekside Area, Beckley Creek Park ⁕
Meet at PNC Achievement Center - 1:30pm–3:30pm: Sky Dome, Turkey Run Park ♢
Meet at Boulder Pond Parking Lot
Golden Binoculars Competition:
In the spirit of citizen science, The Parklands of Floyds Fork, The Louisville Nature Center (see their scheduled hikes here), and this year’s newcomers, Jefferson Memorial Forest, have challenged each other to a friendly Great Backyard Bird Count competition! During the 2025 GBBC, our organizations will see who can count the most bird species within their designated areas. The winner will get to bring home the coveted pair of Golden Binoculars!
You can help your favorite outdoor retreat bring home the golden binoculars in two ways! First, you must pick your team! Then:
- Attend an event hosted by your team – birding hikes will be taking place at all locations during GBBC. Hike participants will be shown how to make an e-bird checklist to turn into the GBBC.
- If you are unable to attend scheduled events, you can still participate by birding at either location on your own within the competition dates and submitting a checklist to e-bird. (The Parklands 2025 count area is limited to Beckley Creek Park.)
At the end of the GBBC, we will collect the checklists from e-bird and add up the total number of species found within each area. The area with the most species wins the golden binoculars! Help out your favorite outdoor spaces and support a great citizen science project at the same time!