Annual Bennett Birding Classic underway Saturday on P.E.I.

An Island birding tradition has expanded this year to include young people.

For 22 years, the annual Bennett Birding Classic has been put on by the Natural History Society of PEI and the Island Nature Trust.

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Teams began competing early Saturday morning to find as many species as possible in a 24-hour period.

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And this year, parents are invited to drop their children off to participate, or accompany them.

"I think it's important to get outside at any age. Of course, we'll be getting some tips on how to bird, and really it's just about getting outside and looking a little more closely at what's going on in nature around them," said Julie-Lynn Zahavich of the Island Nature Trust.

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