Join Fairmount Park Conservancy and Troy Bynum of TB Wildlife Photography LLC on Sunday, April 27 from 1 1 AM–1:30 PM for an introduction to the City Nature Challenge and the iNaturalist app followed by a guided bird hike in West Fairmount Park.

The City Nature Challenge (CNC) is an annual event where cities around the world compete to see who can record the most wildlife observations (plants and animals) on the iNaturalist app. While there is a friendly competition component of the CNC (click here to see how Philadelphia ranked last year), the observations made are also really important in helping scientists to track changes in wildlife populations over time.

We’ll start inside with a brief intro on how to use the iNaturalist app. Troy, a skilled wildlife photographer and owner of TB Wildlife Photography LLC, will also go over some helpful tips and tricks for using your phone’s camera outside. From there, we’ll head out on a hike where Troy will guide us as we look and listen for birds in both open fields and more forested areas. As we hike, participants are encouraged (but definitely not required) to use the iNaturalist app to take pictures of plants and animals to add to Philadelphia’s City Nature Challenge totals.

After the hike, we’ll return to Ohio House where staff will be available to assist with uploading any observations to iNaturalist. We’ll also have a monitor setup so we can see in real time all of the observations made throughout the park and city.

Looking for another City Nature Challenge event in Fairmount Park? Check out our friends at the Discovery Center’s City Nature Challenge event on April 26.

INSTRUCTOR BIO: Troy Bynum, owner of TB Wildlife Photography LLC, is not only an enthusiastic birder but also a passionate wildlife photographer from Philadelphia, PA. Troy’s work focuses on capturing and showcasing the remarkable colors, intricate patterns, and rich textures that are abundant throughout the natural world. In his work, Troy draws attention to the oftentimes overlooked naturally occurring beauty found in the wild. Troy is on a mission to accentuate and celebrate the inherent magnificence of nature.

TICKETS: Free**, donations appreciated. Registration is required.
**We are proud to be able to offer a free ticket option for this event. However, there is limited capacity for all of our hikes. Last-minute cancellations and no-shows can take away tickets from others. We ask that you be mindful of this and please only register if you plan to attend.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:

• This hike is roughly two miles over mostly flat and open parkland.
• The hike are appropriate for adults and mature adolescents.
• Please dress according to weather conditions and wear good hiking shoes (boots/sneakers).
• Please bring your own water and snack (drinking water is not available in the park).
• There are bathrooms available at Ohio House, our starting point, but not out on the hike route.
• Participants are encouraged to download the iNaturalist app beforehand. Instructions on how to use the app will be given before the hike.
• BYOB – as in, please bring your own binoculars. If you don’t have any, we will have a limited number of binoculars to borrow. Please reach out to programs@myphillypark.org to let us know if you need a pair.
• Space is limited in this hike and registration is required. If you can no longer attend, please show courtesy to fellow parkgoers and try to cancel your registration with advance notice so that someone else can participate.
• Important pre-event information and any event updates are sent out via email. Please make sure the email address entered is correct and that you check it before coming out to the event.

PARKING/GETTING THERE: We will meet at the Ohio House in West Fairmount Park. There is plenty of free parking available in the lot. As always, never leave valuables in your car! If traveling by public transit, the nearest stop is at Belmont Ave and Belmont Mansion/Fairmount Park Drive – a half-mile walk from the start. The closest Indego bike station is at Parkside and Belmont Ave – also a half-mile walk from the start.

QUESTIONS? Please reach out to programs@myphillypark.org

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