CancelledFollowing guidance from the CDC and public health officials, and to comply with county-wide public health legal orders, the Christmas Bird Count for Kids (CBC4Kids) for January 2022 has been cancelled. Annual Point Reyes Advanced registration is required. Space is limited; please only one adult or guardian per family or group. Registration will open in late November or early December 2022. Point Reyes National Seashore, in collaboration with the Point Reyes National Seashore Association (PRNSA) and Sonoma Birding, invites families with children ages 3–18 to the Annual Point Reyes Christmas Bird Count for Kids (CBC4Kids) in early January 2023 (date TBD) at Point Reyes National Seashore's Red Barn Classroom. Gather your fledglings for this half-day event celebrating nature, parks, education and outdoor family fun. The event brings together all the basic elements of birding to introduce the next generation of stewards to the importance of birds in the ecosystem and the annual tradition of bird counts. The park is an ideal location for birding with 490 bird species or 54% of all North American birds recorded here, which also makes it a perfect outdoor classroom for you and your brood to learn more about the fascinating world of birds. This event is in honor and memory of Richard Stallcup, a mentor to a generation of birders. Naturalists will lead groups in the field to identify and count birds. Youth ages 3–6 are invited to join our Budding Birders* group with a range of activities and a bird discovery walk around the education center. Young Birders, ages 7–18, will participate in the official count and venture out to various locations within the park to identify and count birds. All teams will record and share their findings in a short report during the Tabulation Celebration. All children must be accompanied by at least one parent or guardian. Event occurs rain or shine. Space is limited, please only one adult or guardian per family or group. History of the Christmas Bird Count for KidsEvery year for over a century, tens of thousands of volunteers take part in the National Audubon Society's Annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC), the longest-running wildlife census to assess the health of bird populations—and to help guide conservation action. This rigorous event often does not include young children, so, in an effort to train future generations in this nation-wide endeavor, the first CBC4Kids was launched in 2007 by Tom Rusert and Darren Peterie of Sonoma Birding. The CBC4Kids has since expanded across the United States, and even into Canada. Visit Sonoma Birding's website to learn more about how to start a CBC4Kids in your neighborhood. The CBC4Kids was first introduced to the National Park Service in 2011 at Point Reyes National Seashore. The event is in support of local and national initiatives, including Every Kid Outdoors, Let's Move Outside, and Healthy Parks Healthy People: Bay Area. What to Bring & WearParticipants should dress in layers, wear comfortable hiking shoes, and bring rain gear. Sunscreen is also encouraged. Light refreshments including coffee, tea, hot chocolate, fruit, and cookies will be provided thanks to our sponsors. Families should bring a picnic lunch. Optional items include: extra dry clothes, socks and shoes; cameras, binoculars, and bird guides. Limited loaner binoculars and guides will be available. DirectionsTo get to the Red Barn Classroom, follow the Directions to get to the Bear Valley Visitor Center. After turning off of Bear Valley Road, proceed up the two-lane, paved access road toward the Bear Valley Visitor Center. You will see the Red Barn on the left and after about 0.1 miles, there is a brown road sign pointing left to the Red Barn Classroom. Turn left on to the gravel driveway and proceed across the bridge to the parking lot. Advanced registration is required.Registration for the 2023 Annual Christmas Bird Count for Kids will open in November or December 2022. Check back here for a link to the registration page. SponsorsThis event is sponsored by the National Park Service at Point Reyes National Seashore, the Point Reyes National Seashore Association, Sonoma Birding, and the Bovine Bakery This is a zero-waste event. To sponsor the event, or for more information, please contact: |
Last updated: April 18, 2022