Naperville Park District’s Knoch Knolls Nature Center invites families and individuals to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count and winter birds activities on Presidents’ Day, Monday, Feb. 17 from 10AM-3PM.
Visit the Nature Center, located at 320 Knoch Knolls Road, Naperville, to learn more about winter birds and to identify and record the birds you see. A naturalist will be on hand with binoculars and bird identification books to help guide kids and parents in their observation. No registration is necessary but at least one adult must attend with each family or group of children.
The data will be shared with researchers at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society to learn more about how birds are doing and how to protect them. The official website for the event is located at gbbc.birdcount.org. In addition to the observations that will be made at Knoch Knolls Nature Center, any resident can join the count in their back yard and enter their results between February 14 and 17 on gbbc.birdcount.org or download the eBird mobile app.
Knoch Knolls Nature Center offers other free nature activities during the months of February and March for kids, families and adults, including the following:
- Nature Discovery Days. On Saturday, Feb. 15, families can drop in between 11AM and 2PM to learn more about winter birds in Illinois through self-guided activity stations at the Nature Center. On Sunday, March 8 and Sunday, March 22, the Nature Discovery Days theme is “Wild Weather,” and families may drop in between 1 and 4PM. No registration is needed.
- Hikes with a Naturalist. Adults are invited to join a naturalist for a winter hike on Friday, February 28 from 10-11:30AM to learn about local wildlife and families with children ages 3 and up can take a similar hike on Saturday, Feb. 29. A Woodcock Walk will take place on Saturday, March 14 from 6:30-8PM. Adults can learn about this short-legged, plump bird with a unique mating display. These events are free but registration is required.
- Landscaping Workshops. A series of landscaping workshops will help homeowners learn about pruning (Sunday, March 1 from 1:00-2:00 p.m.), landscape design (Sunday, March 15 from 1-2PM.), and establishing and maintaining your lawn (Sunday, March 29 from 1-2PM). Each of these workshops is free, but registration is required.
Knoch Knolls Nature Center will begin its regular (spring through fall) hours on March 1, which are: Monday-Saturday, 9AM-5PM and Sunday, noon-5PM. Winter hours are: Monday-Friday, 9AM-4PM and Saturday, 10AM-3PM.
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