BellaOnline Forums Hobbies and Crafts Birding Great American Bird Count

It's coming up on February 12. Is anybody participating? It's not just for birds at backyard feeders.

I generally count the birds in my backyard. I think I have a gazillion birds but I only see them in ones and twos. They are very polite and take turns at the feeder. For the count I will try to have more seed and suet out in hopes of a larger variety. Today I have had the titmice (mouses), juncos, robins, thrush, chickadees, some sparrows, and possibly a female grosbeak. My red shouldered hawk was in a tree just above the feeder today too - they are all looking for their dinner - with the snow, it's really hard on them finding much.

I enjoy doing the Great Backyard bird count, as I do the Christmas bird count and the May count too. In all of these counts you send your lists in to the Cornell Ornithlogy Lab/Audubon Society and they go into the data base that was begun over 100 years ago with the first Christmas Bird Count in New England. I always get a good feeling, knowing that I am not only having fun looking a birds, but I'm adding to the body of scientific knowledge that helps ornithologists keep track of bird populations over time.

This will be my first time. I'm glad they will let us go to a nature center, as I have nothing in my backyard. The weather is so awful this winter, I doubt I'll see anything except a couple of Canada Geese, but I will do my best. Maybe the birds will surprise me.

They sometimes know that a census is being taken and show up. I've seen some pretty bad weather and the count is good.

Similarly, I'll look at the feeder from the kitchen and there is not a bird in sight and then as if they know they have an audience, they begin to arrive.

Cornell Ornithlogy Lab/Audubon Society has some great articles. At one time I did weekly counts but haven't lately.