THOMASVILLE- Join the staff at beautiful Pebble Hill Plantation for a morning of birding on Saturday, February 15th at 9 a.m., as they explore the diversity of feathered friends that inhabit the Red Hills region of South Georgia and North Florida with birding expert, Janell Cleveland. An avid birder and local Thomasville resident, Cleveland will lead the walk and share her expertise on bird species that make their homes in this area. This walk is for anyone who wants to explore birding as a hobby or simply wants to spend a morning in the outdoors enjoying nature.

On this guided walk, participants will learn the basics of birding, bird identification skills, how to use binoculars for observation, and recognizing bird species by their calls. Guests will observe year-round residents such as Northern Cardinals, Blue Jays, and Tufted Titmice and participants will also look for birds that are on the move in this time of year.

“Georgia’s Neotropical songbirds – tanagers, thrushes, buntings, swallows, vireos, and most warbler species – that nested here in the spring and summer have by now migrated to their winter homes in Central and South America,” said Kitty Spivey, program coordinator for Pebble Hill Plantation. “Another group of migratory birds, however, is coming in to replace them.”

These so called “winter birds” breed primarily up north and then migrate in the fall to winter in Georgia and some other Southern states.

As part of the program, Cleveland will share how participants may use smartphone tools to upload their findings and aid in bird identification. These are tools that can be used at home or any other places where there are opportunities to observe birds in their natural habitats.

Cleveland’s passion for birds has taken her around the world, and she has birded in 43 states, 12 countries, and on four continents. Her favorite place to birdwatch, though, is here in South Georgia. 

“Janell has always loved being outdoors and grew up camping, hiking, and canoeing. Her grandmother taught her about birds from a young age, and they would spend hours wandering through her gardens and studying birds and their behavior.” Spivey said. “She enjoys sharing that passion with others.”

The beginner birding walk is open to guests age 8 and older. Participants will meet at 9 a.m. at the Learning Center and are encouraged to bring water, insect repellant, binoculars, and to wear comfortable shoes and neutral colored clothing. Bird identification books and binoculars will be available for free-loan during the program. The walk will end at 11:00 a.m.

Pebble Hill Plantation is a designated birding site on the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Southern Rivers Birding Trail. There are always unique local birds and beautiful migrating birds to see at Pebble Hill.

Participants are invited to bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the grounds of Pebble Hill after the birding walk. Tickets for this program are $16 for adults (ages 17 & older), $8 for children (ages 8 to 16), and are on sale now and may be purchased by visiting pebblehill.com. More information may be obtained by calling 229-226-2344.