We’re excited to announce our 9th Annual Eagle Point Bird Count, in conjunction with World Migratory Bird Day and Global Big Day!
GLOBAL BIG DAY 2026
Global Big Day 2026 is scheduled for Saturday, May 9, 2026 – a day when birdwatchers around the world count and report as many bird species as possible in a single 24 hour period. Birders everywhere, from beginners to experts, contribute their sightings to platforms like eBird to help build a global snapshot of bird populations and migration patterns on that day.
You can be a part of this exciting effort! We are signing up volunteers to count bird species and bird numbers within a 60 km radius of Eagle Point Provincial Park! Each year, the number of bird counting volunteers has grown and last year, our volunteers counted a record 111 species! Can we match or beat last year’s incredible numbers? With your help, we can meet this challenge!
You can volunteer for as little as 15 minutes! Be a birding superstar and count birds for 24 hours! Put in as much effort as you feel you can!
All volunteers are invited to attend our Bird Count Kick Off on May 6 at 5:30pm at the Pembina Nordic Centre. We’ll have a short presentation on eBird and Merlin, snacks, refreshments and Q & A. After the presentation, we will either have a guest speaker or go on an easy bird walk on the trails.
How to count birds:
Option 1 – Count on Your Own
Count in your yard or your neighborhood. All volunteers who wish to count birds should register by clicking the button above, or by emailing the Bird Count organizer (Kathy) at outreach@epbrparkscouncil.org
What do you need to participate?
A backyard, neighbourhood or some back roads
2026 Eagle Point Bird Count Checklist for each location you visit OR eBird app.
(If you intend to use eBird, you must add an additional observer to each checklist before you hit submit). That additional observer represents Eagle Point team. Once you’ve completed your checklists, you share them to Eagle Point so that we can pool the resulting checklists). See example below.
Option 2 – Free Guided Bird Tour and Count
Join us on the self-drive Eagle Point Guided Bird Tour! The tour is lead by our experienced EPBR Staff and is open to beginners! Our birders will help you hear and observe peregrine falcons, a variety of woodpecker species, early arriving warblers, vireos, swallows, sparrows and waterfowl. We will be making stops in Eagle Point Provincial Park, Blue Rapids Provincial Recreation Area, Buck Creek and Buck Lake’s north shore.
You can join us for the entire tour, or just join us for a segment. The self-drive tour begins at 7:30 am at Hilltop Trails trailhead (just above Willey West Campground).
Anticipated Bird Tour Itinerary
- 7:30am – Hilltop Trails and Willey West Campground
- 10:00 am – Blue Rapids Provincial Recreation Area wetlands and river shore
- Enroute stops along farmland and fence lines for sparrows and hawks
- 11:45 am – Buck Creek – roadside ponds, village bird feeders and bluebird road
- Enroute stop along Township Road 470 to Buck Lake Provincial Recreation Area roadside ponds
- 1:00 pm – Buck Lake Provincial Recreation Area for waterfowl, catbirds, warblers followed by walk to Buck Lake Fish and Game Group Camp for flycatchers, waterfowl, vireos and others.
Bird Tour Information
Participants must be able to walk a minimum of 3 km at a slow pace. Please wear appropriate clothing and footwear designed for walking in woods and along muddy shorelines. Hiking boots are great. Bring a water bottle or two and enough snacks to hold off hunger for several hours. If you have binoculars, please bring them. We have a few pairs that we are able to lend out to those who do not have binoculars. You can specify in the registration document.
