Workshops help prepare beginners for annual Backyard Bird Count

By JOEY HOLLEMAN

February is an ideal time to head for the woods to birdwatch.

The cool temperatures keep the bugs down. Bare limbs make for less visual clutter. And lots of birds are hanging around because of our temperate winter.

If you’re a newcomer to birding, you might want to take advantage of one of several warmups for the Audubon’s Great Backyard Bird Count, Feb. 16-19.

A workshop for beginners is set for 9 a.m. Saturday at Congaree National Park in southeastern Richland County. The one-hour session will cover basic birding techniques and the identification of common birds.

Afterward, new birders can test their skills on a two-hour “birdwalk” along the 2-1/2-mile boardwalk trail. Instructors will tag along to answer questions. The park even has a limited number of binoculars available.

Call the Old-Growth Bottomland Forest Research and Education Center at (803) 776-4396, ext. 15 to reserve a spot in the workshop, which is free.

The same day, volunteer naturalist Josh Arrants will teach a crash course in birding at the Santee National Wildlife Refuge near Summerton, starting at 8:30 a.m. Saturday. After a short session at the refuge headquarters on the basics of bird identification, the group will drive to the Pine Island section of the refuge for a two-hour field trip.

On the 1,050-acre section, participants are likely to spot golden-crowned and ruby-crowned kinglets, white-eyed and red-eyed vireos and a number of warbler species. Bring your own binoculars and field guide.

As with the Congaree National Park event, you could just show up and hope there’s room. But you should call ahead at (803) 478-2217 to reserve a spot.

Closer to downtown, Columbia’s city park rangers will conduct birding workshops at 7 p.m. Feb. 13 and Feb. 15 at Pacific Park, 200 Wayne St.

After learning the basics at one of those events, you’ll be ready to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count. People across North America take on the role of researchers during that one weekend, registering the species and numbers of birds spotted in their yard or nearby parks.

The results are sent in via computer, creating a snapshot of the bird population. Researchers compare the numbers to years past to help mark trends in bird numbers and location.

There’s no fee to pay or requirement to register. Just go online to www.birdsource.org/gbbc to get the details before you head out into the field.

If you don’t feel competent to identify birds without some help, head back toward Hopkins on Feb. 17. Experts plan to fan out in Congaree National Park from 9 a.m. until noon, and they enjoy the company of birding newcomers.

Also, rangers will help with organized bird counts Feb. 16 at Hampton Park, Feb. 18 at Riverfront Park and Feb. 19 at Southeast Park, all at 2 p.m.

Reach Holleman at (803) 771-8366.