The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is a fun way for participants of all ages to learn about birds, engage in an easy activity, and make friends in the community.

Join our Great Backyard Bird Count at San Marcos Foothills West Mesa.

CIR is encouraging you to go out and look for birds! This free, fun event involves discovering what bird species reside in our local area and educating ourselves about their distinct characteristics, from the microhabitats they populate to their foraging and nesting habits. 

No experience is necessary for our count! You don't need to be a birder to participate, although binoculars or a camera with a zoom helps, and each walk will include an experienced birder and a recording specialist, who will compile your count. We'll also provide you with a helpful checklist for the day as you observe local species, such as Anna's hummingbird, the Acorn woodpecker, the Western scrub-jay, the Blue grosbeak, and many more! 

The bird count is a fun way to spend a few hours, and it will help serve the greater good for community research. Bird populations are constantly changing, so to help us better understand how to protect birds and their habitats, we continuously record data. 

This free event is also a great introduction to our docent program that will give you the opportunity to share local environmental stories.

Thank you and we hope to see you on the count!

Weekend Schedule:

7:45 am

Bird walk check-in at SMF Preserve

8:00 am - 9:30 am

Walk and bird count

9:45 am

Docent training check-in

Those interested in learning more about the docent training program can stay for this extended session.

10:00 am - 11:00 am

Docent training

Where: San Marcos Foothills West Mesa
When: Saturday, February 17th or Sunday, February 18th from 8 am - 10 am
What To Bring: No experience is necessary for our count! You don't need to be a birder to participate, although binoculars or a camera with a zoom helps, and each walk will include an experienced birder and a recording specialist, who will compile your count. We'll also provide you with a helpful checklist for the day as you observe local species, such as Anna's Hummingbird, the Acorn Woodpecker, the Western Scrub-Jay, the Blue Grosbeak, and many more!
Why The Bird Count?: Not only is the bird count a fun way to spend a few hours, but it will help serve the greater good for community research. Bird populations are always under constant change, so to help us get a better understanding of how to protect birds and their habitats, we continuously record data.