The Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast is hosting a pair of events that will allow children to participate in this year's Audubon Christmas Bird Count. The annual bird count is now in its 122nd year, and the idea is for citizen scientists around the country to venture into the wild to count the number and types of birds they see as a way to better understand the country's bird population.

The Conservation Foundation events will take place 9-11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 11, at the Celery Fields, 6893 Palmer Blvd., Sarasota, and 9-11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 18, at Felts Audubon Preserve, 4600 24th Ave. E., Palmetto. Intended for kids ages 5-10, the events are both free, but capacity is limited. Register online here.