|
Casual birders count this weekend for ninth GBBC
By Sam Harvey
Staff Reporter
This isn’t just President’s Day weekend — it’s also the weekend for the Ninth Annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). And people don’t need to worry if they’re not expert birders — GBBC sponsors National Audubon Society and Cornell Lab of Ornithology will welcome participants of any age or skill level, and it’s free.
Birdwatchers can even count from the couch, if they want. And they can take part for one day, or all four, Friday, Feb. 17, through Monday, Feb. 20.
Audubon and Cornell are asking for just 15 minutes, minimum, on any or all of those days. That’s hardly rigorous, but according to associated the Web site (www.birdsource.org/gbbc), the bird counts are apparently helping to document certain trends in bird migration and habitat expansion.
That includes the continued expansion of red-bellied woodpeckers, northeast to Nova Scotia, or the common redpolls’ departure from their normal “irruption” (bursting in) pattern by coming south in large numbers for the second consecutive year – as far south as Delaware.
Sussex Countians in Georgetown spotted a pair of common redpolls during last year’s GBBC (the only common redpolls reported in the whole state). Breathless anticipation — will more of the little finches appear this year?
But there were 110 species reported in all, and local watchers spied quite a few rare birds. And there’s another incentive for participation this year — Audubon and Cornell have added an element of friendly competition.
There’s a photography contest, and certificates of recognition for communities with high levels of participation.
The Web site offers more information about the competition, as well as some tips for successful bird counting. Most important, be careful not to count the same bird over and over again. Take periodic counts, but report only the highest number of birds that you see in view at one time.
Participants can submit their checklists, and explore results from past bird counts, at www.birdsource.org/gbbc. Again, the Ninth Annual GBBC runs Friday, Feb. 17 through Monday, Feb. 20.
|
