Learn to count birds for the Great Backyard Bird Count

In preparation for the 14^th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), the Fanwood Environmental Commission invites you to an informative and fun birding seminar on Saturday, January 29 from 2:00-4:00pm at Forest Road Park building in Fanwood (Rain date Feb 5^th).

Join us for a seminar with birding expert, Holly Hoffman about attracting birds to your backyard feeder. Pre-registration is required for this event since space is limited. To register, download the form at www.fanwoodec.org or pick up one from the Fanwood Borough Hall.  Drop off completed registration form by January 26th at Fanwood Borough Hall or call to register at 908-322-8236 or email your registration to fanwoodec@fanwoodec.org.

You will also have an opportunity to enjoy and participate in many bird related activities and games to learn how to identify birds and how they adapt to different habitats. Girl Scouts cadettes Lisa Staniec, Amanda Karacsony, and Elizabeth Hom from Troop 40785 will be assisting the Commission as part of their Silver Award. Learn to count birds for GBBC (Feb 18-21) and make and take a simple bird feeder for your backyard. Win attractive door prizes!

Birders of all ages and skill levels are welcome at this free event. Participation counts towards requirements of certain Girl Scout badges and Boy Scout merit badges.

We invite you back to the Fanwood Nature Center over Presidents’ Day weekend (Feb 18-21) to count birds for the GBBC as tens of thousands of volunteers at all levels of birding experience across the country will.

The GBBC (Great Backyard Bird Count) led by the Audubon Society & Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a “citizen science” project that invites people from all over North America to count birds in their backyards, parks & open spaces and enter their tallies online at www.birdcount.org. These reports create an exciting real-time picture of where the birds are across the continent and contribute valuable information for science and conservation. For more, visit http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/.

The Fanwood Nature Center, which boasts eight acres of unspoiled land, is located on Cray Terrace in Fanwood, off Terrill Road, and has been home to many types of birds including cardinals, woodpeckers, finches and scarlet tanagers. The Fanwood Environmental Commission is thankful to its local sponsors – Wild Birds Unlimited, Parker Gardens, Dunkin Donuts, Wendy’s (South Avenue), Home Depot, and BJs.