FLOC: First Friday Birding October

Support Floracliff with a Donation Floracliff depends on community support to offer these free events. Your donations support programs to promote knowledge and appreciation of nature and projects to protect, steward, and monitor the sanctuary and its wildlife. You can easily donate online at Floracliff.org. What is FLOC? FLOC (Floracliff Ornithology Community) was established in 2018 as a monthly community science project to document Floracliff’s bird diversity and seasonal changes. These free bird walks are led by advanced birders who are also trained Floracliff volunteers. It offers a fun opportunity for beginner and intermediate birders to to learn from others and for advanced birders to pass along their knowledge and experience. Over the years, FLOC has developed established route(s) to maintain a systematic approach to collecting data. All FLOC observations are shared to eBird. Birdwatching Guidelines & Ethics The American Birding Association (ABA) states “Birding should be fun and help build a better future for birds, for birders, and for all people”. As FLOC outreach continues to grow, we want these outings to remain enjoyable and educational for birders of all levels, while also minimizing impact to the birds being observed. The ABA provides a comprehensive Code of Birding Ethics found here. In short, we expect those attending FLOC outings to minimize disturbance to birds and fellow birders by practicing the following: • Minimize habitat disturbances by staying on the trail. • The use of audio recordings should be limited and at the discretion of the FLOC leader(s). • Be mindful and cautious around active nests; give them space. • Document birds honestly. • Be respectful of the interests, rights, and skill levels of fellow birders by keeping conversations quiet and helping others spot and learn about birds in the field.