Events Focused On Feathered Friends Planned

Jen Watson, assistant director and youth services coordinator with the ELANCO Library, is a woman with experience in birding. Watson first took a field course in college with a section on ornithology, and she later worked at the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies in Colorado, where she provided educational activities, such as bird walks that included information about banding. Watson is now eager to share what she knows with area residents.

"I think people are a little intimidated by bird watching, but it is one of the more accessible outdoor activities," said Watson. "I am hoping to give people the basic skills they need to feel comfortable."

To that end, Watson has planned two activities at the library, 11 Chestnut Drive, New Holland. Bird ID 101 will be held on Friday, Feb. 17, at 3 p.m., and the ELANCO Library Great Backyard Bird Count will be held on Saturday, Feb. 18, at 10 a.m. Both events are free and no registration is required.

The Bird ID 101 program will include instructions on how to use a field guide and information about field marks - characteristics used in species identification. "I will touch on using factors such as habitat or time of year where you are (located) in looking for certain bird species," Watson said, adding that she will focus on birds that are common to the area and skills needed to feel comfortable identifying them.

Watson specifically picked that weekend in February to coincide with the Great Backyard Bird Count, which is an annual international event organized by Cornell University, the National Audubon Society, and other organizations to help scientists doing bird population research. "(The Backyard Bird Count) is a citizen science project that has been going on for years," explained Watson. Those taking part in the event use http://www.ebird.org, a website dedicated to compiling data about birds. "People (who participate input) population data concentrated on one weekend, so it's a time stamp sceintists can look at (to provide a) snapshot of information on bird species declining in certain areas or (increasing) from other years," said Watson, who will use an ELANCO Library eBird account for data collected in the area around the library. "It's a really great tool for (researchers) to use," said Watson. "It's a way for the public to get involved."

"It's (an opportunity to) come and enjoy and watch the birds and have a good morning together," commented Watson.

In the case of inclement weather, those planning to attend either event may check the library website at https://elancolibrary.org or search for "Eastern Lancaster County Library" on Facebook to make sure the library is open.