York River State Park will be a host location for the Great Backyard Bird Count again this year from Friday, Feb 17th thru Monday, Feb 20th.
A project of the National Audubon Society and the Cornell University Ornithology Lab, the Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event. It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds.
This year, members of the Historic Rivers Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalist and the Williamsburg Birding Club will be on hand to help guest identify and count the various bird species at 1 p.m. each day of the event. We have a Park Pack specifically for birding and all of our park packs contain a small pair of binoculars to help spot our feathered friends. A very limited amount of spotting scopes will also be available. Beginners and well seasoned birders will enjoy the GBBC in the backyard of the Historic Triangle.
Directions to York River State Park: From I-64, take the Croaker Exit 231B. Go north on Route 607 (Croaker Rd.) for one mile, then right on Route 606 (Riverview Rd.) about one and a half miles to the park entrance. Take a left turn into the park.
Drive Time : Northern Virginia, two to three hours; Richmond, one hour; Tidewater/Norfolk/Virginia Beach, one hour; Fredericksburg, two hours; Roanoke, five hours.
