The Great Backyard Bird Count is coming up soon, Friday, February 12, through Monday, February 15, in fact.
We’ll be taking part and going for great local photos, as usual. Check out some of our shots from years past in the Birds of Alabama Archive.
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| Glynn Wilson |
| A white-throated sparrow in the backyard birdbath… |
It’s your chance to count for fun and count for the future. By submitting your list of the birds you see at BirdCount.org, you will help scientists learn more about how birds are faring in your neighborhood.
The more people who participate, the better the information scientists will have about how bird populations may be changing over time due to habitat loss, climate change, disease, or other factors, according to the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Here are some ways you can encourage family, friends and others in your community to take part and submit lists of their own.
Alert the Media: Send this link to your local newspapers, TV and radio stations. Ask them to put a notice in their calendar sections to remind everyone about the dates.
Tweet about the count! In the weeks leading up to the Great Backyard Bird Count, and during the event, we want everybody to get tweeting on Twitter about what you’re doing to get ready, and what kinds of birds you’re seeing. Just add this “hashtag” to your message: #gbbc (make sure the letters are lower-case; a “hashtag” is simply text you leave at the end of your message). When you add that tag, tweets about GBBC will show up in a special widget on the GBBC home page so we can all share. If you don’t have a Twitter account, share it on Facebook.
Grab a Button: You can grab one or more web buttons from the GBBC website to use your own Website or blog, linking others to the GBBC site.
Word-of-mouth, (or word-of-web) is what helps GBBC keep growing, so spread the word!
Join a Count Community: GBBC events are taking place around the continent. Discover what’s going on in your area on the GBBC website’s Local Events page. If you’re hosting an event, email Pat Leonard at pel27@cornell.edu so your event can be posted on the GBBC website.
Win Great Prizes
Everyone who submits a bird checklist during the GBBC is automatically entered in our drawing for bird-related items donated by Wild Birds Unlimited, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Audubon, Woodlink, Droll Yankees, and DK Publishing.
© 2010 – 2016, Glynn Wilson. All rights reserved.
