Great Backyard Bird Count Goes Global February 15-18

How would you like an excuse to escape your daily routine, and step outside for 15 minutes to help our feathered friends?

Red-Breasted Nuthatch (one of my favorites)



The 16th annual Great Backyard Bird Count is set to begin in 2 days. This is the 1st year the count is open to citizens world-wide.
The GBBC is a joint-project of Cornell University, Audobon & Bird Studies Canada.

Here is how it works:

Participants simply watch birds at any location for at least 15 minutes, tally the numbers of each species they see, and report their tallies online at www.BirdCount.org.

This event helps scientists create a snapshot of the health of bird populations.

It's open to anyone, with any level of bird-watching experience. You will be able to see what others from around the globe are seeing, through interactive mapping. They even have apps available for iPhone and Android phones.

For those interested in participating, follow this link. Registration begins at 7:00 a.m. EST on 15 February 2013. It's free.

The website also has lots of educational materials, birding checklists, etc.

This should be fun--be a citizen scientist for 15 minutes.

This looks fun. I've been a part of "The Great Sunflower Project" for the past few years. It's very similar. When you join, they send you some sunflower seeds to plant, then you observe bee activity and log it online.
www.greatsunflower.org... ...for anyone interested in that as well.

S&F

reply to post by Olivine

The *LOVE* the Cornell website on birds!!

This year my husband and I decided to put out bird food (black oil sunflower seed) and oh my!!! We really attracted a variety! We even have a small invasion of American Goldfinches (in their winter coats).

Looking out my window right now I see:
American Goldfinches
Purple Finches
Nut Hatches
Doves
Cardinals
Titmice

I'll have to sign up for the Bird Count!

Thanks for the thread!

reply to post by Cherryontop


Thanks for posting the link--that does sound fun.

I just thought many folks that frequent ATS might enjoy a short, 15-minute diversion from worrying about calamity: the 2012 DA 14 near miss, Nuclear tests from North Korea, catastrophic earthquakes, global meltdown, etc.
Plus, I love birds, well except for the darn downy woodpeckers that attack my cedar siding, lol.

I'm going to gather a bunch of the neighbor kids to help. They'll enjoy it.

The RSPB here in the UK run this a couple of times a year I think. In fact, I think they just had one a few weeks ago. I'm no dedicated birdwatcher, just have a deep appreciation and interest in wildlife and the natural world, but like to keep an eye on the local bird populations and species around my local walking areas. Happy to report that all species are still around in good numbers - not surprised though given the amount of food I carry with me to feed them, not to mention the other regulars who also feed them as well.

Always great to put the food out and step back to see what comes down to feed, and the resulting photo opportunities of course!

This sounds like something I would be interested in, thanks for posting it.

reply to post by Olivine


I agree. I used to live up north, and I missed the birds in the winter. Then one day I put a bowl of bird food on the rail of my porch and lo and behold, there were tons of birds that came to visit. It was a real eye opener as to how many birds stick out those brutal winters. I photographed them one day for an hour and I had 8 species, including the woodpecker as well as many hungry squirrels that I'm sure were grateful for the free nosh.

Now, in the south, I have birds all year and many species that only winter here. They are amazing. I'm def joining this.

I admit...I get geeked for this!

My family was treated last week to a ginormous mixed flock that was gnoshing on crab apples and holly berries, it included wax wings which we don't see very often.

reply to post by OneisOne


Great to hear you have such a variety of visitors!
We've had a goodly amount of birds this winter, too. Not much going on at the moment, but last week there was the strangest gathering of cardinals, 5 pair of bluebirds, chickadees, and titmice--over 40 birds in total. They were all in the garden eating and talking to each other for over 30 minutes--like it was brunch.


ETA: I'm really thrilled so many folks are as amped for this as I am. I'm definitely a nature nerd!

reply to post by Cherryontop


I have not counted birds before & that sounds cool.. but...

we did go on a Plants vs Zombies craze around here.. & i mean all of us playing on every device possible

and that inspired me to protect the backyard



and they grew into some monster hybrids & wild sunflowers..


thanks for the info..

I think I just might join in both projects.

Cheers OP, this might also help people creep back outdoors after winter


I just moved to east Texas, we get huge, swirling flocks in the fields by the house, will have to see what they are.

reply to post by reeferman


There ya go! Grow sunflowers, observe the bees, then pluck the sunflower seeds out to feed the birds, observe the birds.
P.S. Try marigolds to ward off the zombies. Chocolate will thwart nothing!

reply to post by Olivine


That is great Thank you, Sounds fun. As does the bee project.

reply to post by Olivine


The backyard bird count is always fun and every year it is different. It is fun to go on a bird walk with a group for the count, because with more people, you can see more and different kinds of birds.

One of my local favorites:




Blackburnian Warbler

It is fun to be a "scientist" even if it is just for a little while. Thank you for the thread; it is great to see something cheerful.

if i use my own backyard it will be nothing but sparows, if i do this in the park near my house it will be quite a bit more

Hello All.

The bird counting has begun! The GBBC has already received 290 checklists in the 1st 1-1/2 hours.

You can register when you are ready to submit your first checklist, by selecting the "Submit your bird checklist" button located at the top of the page of the link above.

Remember, 15 minutes is only the minimum. You can submit a checklist from a full day's worth of watching. Or multiple checklists from different days and locations. (Remember, this count runs through Sunday the 18th)

I've dug out my Eastern birds of North American field guide, and will be heading outside shortly.

Have a great time.

reply to post by Olivine

I did my first count and was going to log it, but it looks like their server is down.

I'll keep trying though!

Oh! And we had an Eastern Towhee show up today!! We see it once every few days, but I was glad it visited today during my count.

Originally posted by Olivine
(Remember, this count runs through Sunday the 18th)

Umm, sometimes I can be dense. The 18th is Monday.

I tried there were to many waxwings going all ove the place to accuratly count plus some sort of bird was flying around spooking everythin into fleeing

reply to post by OneisOne


Did you ever get your count submitted? An eastern towhee, very cool. I only get them in the summer, and not very often.
I just got my first count uploaded. Nothing out of the ordinary, lots of canada geese, crows, 2 mourning doves, lots of dark-eyed juncos, carolina wrens and cardinals, but one of our resident pileated woodpeckers did show up.

@ Pacific Blue, your warbler is lovely.