Attention Birdwatchers-Project FeederWatch is A Great Citizen Science Project
Week #1 Results-Off to a Good Start
My First Article For Tea With Mother Nature
I wish to thank Jane Frost (Jane Grows Garden Rooms) for allowing me to write for this publication. For those of you who are not familiar with my writing, I focus mainly on gardening, birdwatching, and outdoor adventure. I also write a series entitled “Embracing Retirement” which focuses on helping retirees to adjust to and enjoy their hard-earned retirement. I have been writing here on Medium since December 2020.
Birdwatching is a Great Hobby
I have been birdwatching for over 50 years! It all started as a young boy in the early 1970s growing up in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains of NY State. The mother of one of my friends was an avid birdwatcher and it sparked an interest in me. I convinced my Mom and Dad to set up a bird feeder in our yard that I made with lumber scraps from the garage and a galvanized pipe for a pole (my Dad was a plumber). The rest is history.
Birdwatching has Many Benefits
As I expressed above, birdwatching is just one of my passions. Watching birds has many benefits; it is fun, relaxing, and is a great family activity. It can help you take your mind off your worries and in the process lower your blood pressure. It is also a great family activity; what better way to spend quality time with your kids! Following is an example of one of the many articles I have written about this great hobby:
This is a great citizen science project which provides valuable data regarding bird populations and any changes that occur in numbers and locations. Project FeederWatch takes place each year starting in November and running through the end of April. It is easy and fun to participate in. Simply count for 2 consecutive days with at least 5 days in between. Count as little or as much as you want. This project is only for the United States and Canada. The following video will help you get started with Project FeederWatch:
The Great Backyard Bird Count
As far as worldwide bird counts, there are other similar projects including the Great Backyard Bird Count which runs for 4 days every February. The amount of people who participate is amazing.
Also available worldwide is eBird. This project runs nonstop and allows birdwatchers to enter their bird sightings from anywhere in the world on any day of the year. From the eBird website:
eBird is among the world’s largest biodiversity-related science projects, with more than 100 million bird sightings contributed annually by eBirders around the world and an average participation growth rate of approximately 20% year over year. A collaborative enterprise with hundreds of partner organizations, thousands of regional experts, and hundreds of thousands of users, eBird is managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
The following video will give you more information on how to get started with eBird:
My Results From Project FeederWatch Week #1:
These are the birds I observed over the 2 day-counting period (November 5th and 6th) . The numbers represent the maximum number of each species spotted at any given time:
- Blue Jay -6
- Mourning Dove-7
- Red-Winged Blackbird-3
- House Sparrow-14
- Northern Cardinal-2
- White-Throated Sparrow-1
- Dark-Eyed Junco-2
- House Finch-4
- Eastern Bluebird-2
- Black-Capped Chickadee-2
- White-Breasted Nuthatch-1
- European Starling-3
- American Goldfinch-2
I hope you enjoyed my article. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to set up a feeder or explore your favorite park/trail and join the wonderful world of birdwatching. You won’t be disappointed.
