Fly Away with TLC This Valentine’s Day Weekend

Love is in the air – and so are the birds. This Valentine’s Day weekend, Triangle Land Conservancy (TLC) and local pottery artist Courtney Pernell invite you to fall in love with nature and local trails with a special outdoor scavenger hunt. From Saturday, February 14 through Sunday, February 15, visitors to TLC preserves can search the trails for handmade pottery “love birds.”

*Sneak peak of the Clay birds that can be found Feb. 14-15 at TLC Nature Preserves.*

Pernell (@pottercourt on Instagram) is the owner of Bayleaf Market and the creative heart behind this event. A TLC supporter, she appreciates everything TLC does to protect local lands and is excited to merge her passions for trails, nature, and pottery to share that love with the wider community.

TLC staff and volunteers will place the small, one-of-a-kind pottery birds along the trails at TLC’s seven public nature preserves. If you come across one, it becomes our gift to you! To help spread the love, we ask you to snap a photo of your pottery bird and share it on social media using #hikeTLC and #pottercourt.

This fun event coincides with the Great Backyard Bird Count (February 13 – 16), a global community science event that takes place each February and encourages people to observe and record bird sightings wherever they are. As you search for the clay creations, you may also spot the real birds that winter at TLC preserves or call these spaces home.

If you’re inspired by your hike and want to show your love for local conservation, consider supporting TLC through a donation. Contributions of any size help protect land, care for trails, and preserve vital habitats across the Triangle, ensuring special places like these remain available for people and wildlife to thrive in.

So, grab your hiking boots, keep your eyes open for birds of all kinds, and celebrate Valentine’s Day with love for birds, trails, and the protected lands that make it all possible.

Where to find “love birds”

Search branches, rocks, and more along the TLC trails listed below for clay “love birds.” Be sure to stay on trail and please limit your pottery finds to one per person, so as many people as possible have a chance to participate.