Project Bird Count!

Looking for a way to get a head start on accumulating volunteer hours?  Remember we need to have 40 hours under our belts by December 31 of this year.  It seems like a long way off but we can start getting hours in now.  It’s like what I tell my students… don’t wait until the night before to start studying (cramming really) for your test!!!  You won’t be able to get it all done and you’re not going to pass!  In our case, don’t wait until the last gasps of 2015 to get your volunteer work in!   So 40 hours over 12 months is only about 3.5 hours a month.  Not too bad.  There are two great citizen scientist projects coming up where you can easily put in a few hours and start making a dent into your 40… and then maybe skip the “cramming" at the end of the year.

So the projects are both bird-related but people of all birding abilities are welcome to participate and learn!  (And for all you non-birders out there, we have some non-birding volunteer opportunities lined up... I’m not trying to convert or force you to like birding!)

If You Have A Bird Feeder…..

Project FeederWatch runs from November to early April but you can join at any time.  Basically, you make a list only with the birds actually coming to your feeder.  Your observations should be for 2 consecutive days at least a week apart (but they can be more than a week apart).  And that’s it!  It’s a nice way to see how your “yard” birds change with the seasons.  You see the Fall migrants leaving… the Winter birds coming in… and finally the early Spring migrants flying north.  Like I said though… you don’t have to participate every week for 6 months.... basically, what ever fits your schedule best as long as your observations are two consecutive days and at least one week apart.  Every observation you make and submit is a data point that scientists can use to track birds, see migration trends, and use for their research.  So even if you only make and submit 3 observations, it is still data that someone will use! Also important to note… submit even if you do not have birds coming to your feeders.  A zero bird day is still data that might be important to see what’s not migrating this year or to see trends about species in decline.

A year round visitor, a Red-bellied Woodpecker, at our suet feeder.

This project does have a fee ($18.00) and you need to register with the Project FeederWatch website.  The good news is that they are running a special now!  If you are a first time participate your $18 will count for the rest of this season as well as next season.  It’s not a bad deal if you’re interested in learning about birds.  Your observations can be like a little weekly test (ok, I can’t be the only one that thinks tests are fun!) and you learn the different types of winged visitors you have in your yard!

An early Spring migrant, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, helping himself to sunflower seeds.

If You Don’t Have A Bird Feeder…..

This year the GreatBackyard Bird Count runs from February 13-16 and strives to collect real time data to see where birds are right now.  This project is worldwide!  In fact, last year the GBBC team had participants from 135 countries!  All you have to do is go outside….  it doesn't have to be your backyard but “Great Backyard Bird Count” flows off the tongue better than “Great Somewhere-In-Your-Neighborhood-Or-City Bird Count”… so go outside and make a list of the birds you see for a minimum of 15 minutes at least once during the four-day count.  And that’s it!  So go for a walk at Lick Creek Park (or any park or around your neighborhood) and make a list of the birds you see and the time you were out.  It’s a nice way to get some exercise AND help out a great citizen scientist project.  Super easy!

Inca Doves from the yard.

Why Should I Participate?

You might think the Northern Cardinal in your yard is one little bird, and why does a common local bird species matter?  As a citizen scientist, your data contributions no matter what they are (even your yard bird Cardinal!) are meaningful and help current and future scientists with their research.

From the Great Backyard Bird Count website:

“Scientists and bird enthusiasts can learn a lot by knowing where the birds are. Bird populations are dynamic; they are constantly in flux. No single scientist or team of scientists could hope to document and understand the complex distribution and movements of so many species in such a short time.

Scientists use information from the Great Backyard Bird Count, along with observations from other citizen-science projects, such as the ChristmasBird Count, Project FeederWatch, and eBird, to get the “big picture” about what is happening to bird populations. The longer these data are collected, the more meaningful they become in helping scientists investigate far-reaching questions, like these:

• How will the weather and climate change influence bird populations?

• Some birds, such as winter finches, appear in large numbers during some years but not others. Where are these species from year to year, and what can we learn from these patterns?

• How will the timing of birds’ migrations compare with past years?

• How are bird diseases, such as West Nile virus, affecting birds in different regions?

• What kinds of differences in bird diversity are apparent in cities versus suburban, rural, and natural areas?

So it’s a win-win situation!  Scientists need our assistance to collect data and we can easily help out, learn about birds, and earn volunteer hours!  Let’s be a part of something big and go count some birds!

A boldy colored Pine Warbler from the yard.  

Resources:

Project Feederwatch: http://feederwatch.org/

Great Backyard Bird Count: http://gbbc.birdcount.org/