The Great Backyard Bird Count

Come out and count the birds! On Saturday, February 18, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., the Carolina Children’s Garden (located in the Clemson Research and Education Center) will host the Great Backyard Bird Count—a free, fun and easy event that engages bird-watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of bird populations. The effort is sponsored by the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. Guided by some of our area’s leading bird-watchers, participants will meet at the Children’s Garden entrance and venture out into the garden and surrounding forest to help count the various types and species of birds found, both native and nonnative to South Carolina. Bird-watchers of all ages and stages, from first time to experts, are welcome to participate. As a note, those planning to join the effort should dress for the weather and bring a bird field guide, binoculars and camera.

Location: Carolina Children’s Garden, 900 Clemson Rd., Columbia. For more information and to register, email [email protected], or visit CarolinaChildrensGarden.org or Audubon.org.