FORT SCOTT, Kan. — The Fort Scott National Historic Site will host free guided bird walks this weekend, taking place hourly from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday, Feb. 17, through Sunday, Feb. 19, for the 26th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC).
A National Park Service Ranger will lead easy birdwatching walks starting from the Visitor Center. Some of the “walks” will be completely durable surfaces and accessible. Rangers and participants will record all bird sightings and upload the data to the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). These walks are for birders of all skill levels and participants don’t have to stay for the entire program to make a difference, according to the Fort Scott NHS. Birders are encouraged to bring binoculars and layered clothing.
Since 1998, the GBBC “has been an opportunity for every citizen to contribute to the understanding of wild birds, and their threats,” Fort Scott NHS Superintendent Jill Jaworski said in a press release. “We encourage everyone to join us for this and future bird walks and programs.”
Each checklist submitted during the GBBC helps researchers at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society learn more about how birds are doing, and how to protect them and the environment we share, according to the Fort Scott NHS. An estimated 385,000 people participated during the 2022 GBBC. They reported more than 7,000 species from 192 countries. The results of these bird counts are available at www.birdcount.org/2022-final-results.
Watch for scheduled bird walks in the park throughout the year on Facebook or at the Fort Scott NHS website, www.nps.gov/fosc. For more information about the Great Backyard Bird Count, contact Ranger Bristol at the Fort Scott National Historic Site by calling 620-223-0310.
