Count birds for Valentine’s Day: the Great Backyard Bird Count

Posted 8/21/12

I’m writing this near the end of January, and it’s cold out; 9 degrees in Shohola with a 15-mph wind and some higher gusts. There are some hardy souls that are out ice fishing, catching the last …

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Count birds for Valentine’s Day: the Great Backyard Bird Count

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I’m writing this near the end of January, and it’s cold out; 9 degrees in Shohola with a 15-mph wind and some higher gusts. There are some hardy souls that are out ice fishing, catching the last part of hunting season, or maybe eagle watching or some other form of birding. If this cold weather is making you feel more like a “snowbird” with a yearning to head south, there is an event just around the corner that won’t give you a case of the chills.

The 18th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is taking place in February from the 13th through the 16th. It is aptly named because many participants don’t even go outdoors to count; they look out a window at their backyard or a feeder and count. You can count for as little as 15 minutes in the backyard, or you can cover multiple sites for the three days of the count. You don’t need to be an expert birder; just list the species you can identify. For photographers, there is also a GBBC photo contest. Taking a photo of a bird that you can’t identify is a great way to identify it later as there is plenty of identification help on the GBBC site.

The GBBC is a great joint citizen science project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the National Audubon Society, and partner Bird Studies Canada. Helping track the population of bird species by participating in this count does not require advanced birding skills and would be a fun family activity. Show your love for birds and our environment this Valentine’s Day by participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count. Information and helpful tools for the GBBC can be found at gbbc.birdcount.org/.

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