Time to dust off your binoculars and telescopes -- the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is just around the corner! On February 14th, birdwatchers around Houston will descend on Lone Star College-CyFair to join Houston Chronicle nature columnist Gary Clark for an educational workshop and campus birding tour.
The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day celebration that encourages birders of all ages to count birds in nearby nature areas, including their own backyards. This information helps scientists get a better idea of what’s happening to local bird populations.
Dr. Claire Phillips, LSC-CyFair Division II Dean of Math, Science and Engineering, says this about the nearby bird population:
“Our campus and immediate environment has long been a great bird-gathering site for a resident bald eagle, year-round osprey and birds indigenous to the Katy Prairie. But with the creation of the Towne Lake subdivision and the new lake in the Horsepen Creek Park from our Barker Cypress campus, we now have an interconnected waterway system that is attracting different bird species.”
The GBBC workshop with Gary Clark kicks off at 9AM in the Center for Academic and Student Affairs (Room 110). Faculty familiar with LSC-CyFair’s bird species will lead a 10AM nature walk immediately following the workshop. Over 176 bird species have been sighted in the area, so make sure and be on your game!
Best of all, this event is free for the entire family. Start your Valentine’s Day off right and come join in the fun! For more information, visit the LSC-CyFair’s event page here.
