Great Backyard Bird Count

[Leslie Kinrys]

Save the Dates: GBBC is Coming!

Now that all the holidays are past, it's time to think about the GBBC. It takes place Friday, February 12 through Monday, February 15, 2010. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada are calling on everyone to “Count for Fun, Count for the Future!” During last year’s count, participants turned in more than 93,600 checklists online, creating the continent's largest instantaneous snapshot of bird populations ever recorded. Spread the word, since the success of the count depends on people tallying birds from as many locations as possible across the continent. You can watch your feeders or take a walk around the neighbourhood.

[JTF]

We had a Snowy Owl take a slow fly right over our house this afternoon in Kingston, a first from the yard for a snowy.

[MEGHAN]

We had a Snowy Owl take a slow fly right over our house this afternoon in Kingston, a first from the yard for a snowy.

Oh come on now Paul!!!  :lol:
Amherst Island minutes away and now you have them flying over your house...
Does anyone else think this is fair??!!  :wink:
 :lol:  :lol:

[Bird Brain]

GBBC is Coming!

Can't wait!  Absolutely loved participating all 4 days last year - will be counting at various parks the 4 days this year too!

The bare minimum requirement is only 15 minutes out of one day.

http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/

Jo-Anne  

[Moira]

My thoughts are exactly with Meghan  Too much Paul!

[Leslie]

I've never done a backyard bird count before.
What is a "backyard?"
If I can count my neighbours' yards as mine for the purpose of the count, do I have to actually see the birds or is it okay if I just hear them?  (There are some crows cawing out there right now that I can't see; sometimes my neighbours have blue jays.)
Does anybody keep a year-round "backyard" check list?  What do you do with it?

[Bird Brain]

I've never done a backyard bird count before.
What is a "backyard?"
If I can count my neighbours' yards as mine for the purpose of the count, do I have to actually see the birds or is it okay if I just hear them?  (There are some crows cawing out there right now that I can't see; sometimes my neighbours have blue jays.)

    *  Can I count birds I only detect by sound?

Yes, if you are confident in your ability to identify the species by sound. But it gets trickier if many birds of one or more species are singing or calling. Add these birds to your tally only if you are very sure of what you have heard.
 
    * Can I include birds that fly overhead in my tally?

Yes, but only if they are close enough for you to make a positive identification. It might be easy enough for a single bird at close range. But if a flock of gulls flies overhead, it may be pretty tough to distinguish which species they are—especially if it’s a mixed flock. So only mark down a flying bird if you have an unmistakable ID.

Please read through the following site:  http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/

Jo-Anne  

[Leslie]

Thanks, Jo-Anne.

[Bird Brain]

Thanks, Jo-Anne.

No problemo.  :lol:

[ravynne40]

I'm with Meghan and Moira on this one Paul....just wrong! LOL
I say we plant ourselves in Paul's backyard for an afternoon! (just kidding!)

Irene