BIRDING THE SEASONS ON THE D & R CANAL

What a great way to help celebrate the 175^th Anniversary of the D&R Canal by getting out there and monitoring one of its most precious natural resources – the birds - the ones that reside year round - those that winter here, those passing through for the breeding season and those dropping by on their way north and south in their migration.

So what is a “Big Day” anyway? It is ONE big fun day of birding with a little extra challenge. For our purpose, we plan to do an inventory of all bird species seen along the canal on ONE day and see what we come up with. We hope to cover the entire length of the main canal, feeder and adjacent park lands. We will need volunteers to help lead field trips that day and to participate in different segments along the Canal. Saturday, May 2, 2009 has been designated as the “D & R Big Day”. This is a time that likely will represent the greatest number of species based on migration and breeding patterns. Please mark your calendars. No one needs to be an expert – just a pair of eyes and the desire for a fun day! If this has piqued your interest, please contact Arlene Oley (arobirder@aol.com) or the park naturalist, Stephanie Fox (dnrnatualist@verizon.net) at Park Headquarters.

There will also be other field trips through the seasons with dates to be announced so make sure to keep checking the park website for updates. Please look for an upcoming trip in late February/early March.

Please join us !!!