Palmyra Cove Nature Park to host Burlington County’s 2017 bird spotting competition.
Palmyra Cove Nature Park (PCNP) does the only Burlington County Bird Quest, and this year, it will fall on May 6. The day is a way to discover the unique birds that live in and migrate throughout Burlington County as well as a chance to learn how to identify birds by sight, sound, behavior and habitat.
There are usually about 50 participants in the light-hearted competition, and they can bird anywhere in the county from 7 a.m. to noon. Then they all meet at PCNP to have lunch, mingle and go over their bird list, according to the event’s spokeswoman Elizabeth Verna.
In years past, the participating groups that have come back year after year, Verna said. There is a winning group that gets a small bird pin, but the day is mostly “bragging rights” for the most species seen.
Participants are mostly from Burlington County. A couple of groups were seeded from PCNP’s “Beginning Birding for Adults” walks. Those walks are run by PCNP’s Director of Natural Sciences/Park Manager Kristina Merola, who also has her own group competing in the Bird Quest. A group of PCNP teachers also participate. There are also random drawings with giveaways that day.
Interested participants must be 18 years old and must obtain a registration form at Palmyra Cove. The fee to participate is $10. Any questions contact Kristina Merola at 856–829–1900 extension 1267, or kmerola@bcbridges.org.
For more information, visit Palmrya Cove’s website at http://www.palmyracove.org/
