If You Can Name It, You Can Love It: Birding Course

The Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTMNERR) is offering a five-week birding course titled If You Can Name It, You Can Love It, led by certified Florida Master Naturalist, Linda Burek. This course will run on Fridays from September 6 to October 4, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Birding, or bird watching, is a hobby enjoyed by nature enthusiasts of all ages who take pleasure in observing and identifying different bird species in their natural habitats. This course is designed for both beginners looking to get started in birding and experienced birders wanting to deepen their knowledge of the local avian life.

Participants will meet in Classroom 3 at the GTM Visitor Center. The course will cover a variety of topics, including what makes the area supportive of many bird species, tips for identifying common birds in the area, using birding applications, and accessible birding hotspots. 

There is also an optional field trip to Fort Mose on October 11, 2024 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and an optional boat tour on October 18, 2024.

Admission: $175.00 for members of Friends of the GTM Reserve; $225.00 for non-members. Register now to secure your spot.

When: Fridays, September 6 – October 4, 2024, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.

Where: Classroom 3 at the GTM Visitor Center, located at 505 Guana River Road, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida 32082.

About GTMNERR: The Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve is a protected stretch of land consisting of wetlands, estuaries, and more on Florida's East Coast that actively works to maintain and help preserve the natural landscape of Florida. The GTMNERR's volunteers and employees are dedicated to the preservation of an unspoiled and undeveloped natural treasure, supporting a vibrant ecosystem and subsystems.

About Linda Burek: Linda Burek, who has extensive experience in birding, served as the lead compiler for the St. Augustine Christmas Bird Count from 2018 to 2021, participated in weekly bird counts at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park, and led bird walks as a member the St. Johns Audubon Society's Board of Directors.