So You Want to be a Birder?
This month, Crystal Cove Alliance kicks off its first gallery exhibit of 2016 with the Birds of Crystal Cove, which invites visitors to grab a field guide and a pair of binoculars to start their own birding adventure.
The exhibit, which is hosted in Cottage #46, celebrates some of the unique birds who call Crystal Cove home. It features photos of local birds, interviews with featured birders and naturalists, and helpful tips on how to start birding yourself.
“People will gain a new appreciation for this beautiful place by seeing that there’s much more to it than the beach and the waves,” says CCA Education Coordinator and exhibit curator Hailey Laskey. “By engaging in birding, you gain a deeper understanding of how the entire ecosystem coexists.”
Ready to go birding? Hailey recommends starting off with a friend at first. “It’s so much more fun to bird with a partner,” she says. “Whoever you’re going with, whether it’s a novice or an experienced birder, bring a Sibley guide book and binoculars and just start walking around.”
Throughout February, if you snap a picture of any birds around the Park, tag your photos with #covebirds and share them on social media! CCA’s expert birders will help identify birds posted to Facebook and Instagram, and select photos will be added to the exhibit.
On Saturday, February 13th, you can also join CCA for Field Science Saturday, our community Citizen Science program that immerses participants in the science of natural resource management. As a special treat for birders, the Citizen Science projects this month will include the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Great Backyard Bird Count. The event is free with a $15 day use fee required per vehicle. RSVPs are requested.
Top image: Allen’s hummingbird, typically seen near Cottage #13
In-text image: Snowy plover, usually found along the tidepools and surf line
Photos courtesy of Trude Hurd