MORGAN FALLS OVERLOOK PARK INTRODUCES INTERACTIVE BIRDING!
Sandy Springs has installed a cutting-edge digital display at Overlook Park that’s revolutionizing how visitors discover local wildlife, bringing the traditional park birdwatching experience into the 21st century. The 55-inch portrait-oriented screen automatically updates every 45 minutes to an hour with real-time bird sighting input from eBird, a popular app used by birdwatchers to log their observations. The display shows recently spotted species, complete with photos, spotter names and sighting dates.
Jason Green, digital communications manger for Sandy Springs, spearheaded the project as part of the city’s digital innovation initiative. “Back in the day when I was a kid, there always used to be a recent bird sightings board when you would visit parks and nature preserves, but it’s something that’s died out because of technology,” Green says. His vision was to make birdwatching more accessible to casual park visitors. “The [app] experience is fantastic, but only if you know about it and if you’re already a birdwatcher,” he says. “I wanted to make that experience more discoverable to general park goers.”
Once park visitors download the app to their devices via the QR code, the system works seamlessly behind the scenes, aggregating the information. The timing is designed so birdwatchers can see their own sightings appear on the screen by the time they finish their park visit, providing instant gratification for their contributions. This birding display, situated near the picnic pavilion at Morgan Falls Overlook Park, represents just one application of Sandy Springs’ expanding digital signage program. “I’m a Gen Xer, so I’m straddling that gap between pre- and postcell phone,” Green says. “Trying to bridge that gap is something I’m always looking to do.”
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