Free Library of Philadelphia To Introduce Birding Backpack Program 🎒📚

PHILADELPHIA — The Free Library of Philadelphia will introduce its new Birding Backpack program Saturday, at a special event at the site of the future Discovery Center at East Park Reservoir at 33rd and Oxford in Strawberry Mansion.

The backpacks will soon be available at the Andorra, Cecil B. Moore, and Widener Library branches.

Tony Croasdale, the Parks and Recreation Environmental Education Planner, will lead birdwalks at the event, marking the debut of the birding backpacks.

“You can check out a backpack with binoculars, and maps, and a field guide to birds, and you can use them wherever you want, but the idea is to get the folks in those neighborhoods to go out to the parks that are closest to them,” Croasdale explained.

And the price is definitely right.

“You don’t have to invest money to purchase your own binoculars, and field guides — you can borrow some to let you try it out, or if you don’t have the means, you can always just keep repeatedly borrowing these,” said Croasdale.

Croasdale grew up in a Northeast Philadelphia rowhouse without a backyard, so Fairmount Park filled that role. Now, his job is to introduce young people to the wildlife it shelters.

“It’s the greatest feeling in the world. I’ve had kids hyperventilate with excitement when they see an Osprey and a Bald Eagle in a tussle,” he said.

For details, visit birdphilly.org

BirdPhilly is an initiative of the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club. Founded in 1890, the DVOC has been based at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia since 1891. The DVOC runs fields trips throughout the tri-state region, however BirdPhilly focuses on trips within in Philadelphia city limits in collaboration with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and the Fairmount Park Conservancy.

Through BirdPhilly our goal is to increase interest and awareness of Philadelphia’s birds by providing quality birding experiences on expertly guided field trips. All field trips are free unless the site charges an admission fee. These trips are open to children, adults, and well behaved pets. BirdPhilly also participates in DVOC’s Philadelphia Bird Race to raise funds for conservation and research projects.