Storybook Trail: Bird Count

Visit the Storybook Trail located along the Nature Trail in Maury County Park for a monthly, seasonal story to enjoy!

Our December story is “Bird Count” by Susan Edwards Richmond. The National Audubon Society's annual Christmas Bird Count stars in this charming picture book, just right for young community scientists, bird watchers, and nature aficionados. A young girl and her mother participate as community scientists in the Christmas Bird Count. The girl is excited when Big Al, the leader of their team, asks her to record the tally this year. Using her most important tools (her eyes and ears!) she eagerly identifies and counts the birds they observe on their assigned route around town. She and her team follow the rules, noting the time of day, the habitat, the birding ID techniques used for each sighting. Finally, they meet up with the other teams in the area to combine their totals for a Christmas Bird Count party and share stories about their observations.

To access the trail: Enter Maury County Park and continue straight on the main park road. Pass the Kids' Kingdom playground on the right, and continue straight up the hill. Halfway up the hill, there is a trailhead with parking on the right.

Our Storybook Trail features storybooks presented on child-height panels, along a short accessible trail to promote adult-child interaction around books and nature in a healthy, outdoor activity. Books are rotated monthly, so there is always a new, seasonal story to enjoy.