Overton Park Bucks for Birds

Overton Park Conservancy needs your help to remove harmful invasive plants from the Old Forest…and we want you to experience the spectacle of spring bird migration on the way!

During the month of April, we’re asking you to pledge a dollar or more for every bird we photograph in the Old Forest State Natural Area. This will be the height of spring migration, when millions of birds make the long journey to their breeding grounds. Some of these birds travel thousands of miles, and places like the Old Forest are a green oasis—126 acres of plants that provide food and respite for tired birds. It’s the best season for bird-watching in Overton Park because so many migrants only appear here for a few days each year.

When you make your pledge, you’re supporting those birds—and other wildlife of the Old Forest. We’ll use the funds we raise here to begin an invasive plant species removal project targeting nandina and mahonia, two ornamental species native to Asia that are colonizing our forest. Nandina’s berries have been shown to be toxic to birds, and both plants out-compete the native species that are crucial to the forest’s ecosystem.

We’ll be posting photos of each bird we spot this April, and blogging about the experience throughout the month. Last year we photographed 45 different species during migration, and we plan to beat that number this year! Follow along with us and learn about the incredible diversity of life supported by the Old Forest.

How does this work? You choose a dollar amount you’d like to pledge for every bird we see. (For example, if you pledge $1 per bird and we photograph 52 birds, your total donation will be $52.) Make your pledge at any time before April 30. At the end of the month, we’ll update our final total and your credit card will be charged one time. It’s that easy!

How many birds have you spotted so far? As of April 20, we're up to 39 birds and warbler season is in full swing so we're picking up new birds every day. We've blogged the first 29, so keep watching for the next 10!