Join Sugarloaf docent Dana Glei for an easy ~1-mile walk focused on birding for kids. To start off, we will practice using binoculars (we will have a few extra sets of binoculars for kids who do not have their own) in the back deck of the Visitor Center. Each child will be provided with a simple checklist of the ~20 birds we are likely to see/hear at Sugarloaf; by the end of the hike, they will probably have checked off 15 species to start their own Life List.

From the Visitor’s Center, we will hike along the Creekside trail to the meadow at the White Barn. Along the way, we will be watching and listening for birds. At the White Barn, we will take a break to view any birds we might see in the meadow or near the nesting boxes for bluebirds and barn owls. From there, we'll walk back to the picnic tables across from the main parking lot, where children will have the option of dissecting an owl pellet or drawing birds they might have seen during the hike. For anyone interested, we will also demonstrate the usefulness of the Merlin app for learning to bird by ear. Finally, we will encourage beginning birders to start recording their sightings using the eBird app. (Help citizen science! In this year’s Great Backyard Bird Count [www.birdcount.org], 642,003 people from 210 countries submitted eBird checklists identifying 7,920 species.)

Bring water, sun protection, binoculars and a bird identification guide if you have them, and if you'd like, a snack. If you want to try to use the Merlin app on your own phone, ensure it's installed on your phone along with the bird pack for US: West Coast before you arrive at the park, as cell service non-existent within the main park area. Parking fees apply.