The 11th annual Great Backyard Bird Count will begin Friday, Feb. 15 and go on through Feb. 18, when tens of thousands of amateur birders will help experts collect data for science and fun.
Sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, the Great Backyard Bird Count Website has some new features this year, including the ability to submit YouTube bird videos. Just as they have done with photos in the past, some of best videos will be posted on the Website.
There’s also a new blog this year run by Audubon’s Senior Scientist, Rob Fergus, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Science Editor, Laura Erickson.
“Each year, your discoveries enlighten and inspire us,” says Janis Dickinson, Director of Citizen Science, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “And last year, you sent in more than 80,000 checklists, a record-breaking number. Together we can set a new record in 2008. We hope you’ll reach out to your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers by forwarding this email to them or personally inviting them to “Count for Fun, Count for the Future.”
Check lists can be submitted online, and this year, those who take advantage of it will automatically be entered in a prize drawing to win items like binoculars, bird feeders, and a variety of great books. Prizes are listed here.
All photos submitted will be entered in the photo contest, and some will be posted in an online gallery. Images and counts will be accepted through March 1.
In 2007, participants made history, breaking records for the number of birds reported and number of checklists submitted. Participants sent in more than 80,000 checklists tallying over 11 million birds of 613 species.
Last year, it was discovered that many bird species had already started their spring migrations in February - earlier than in decades past.
To enter your bird count checklists, go to www.birdcount.org and click on the big “Enter your Checklists” button at the top of the page.
Last year, we got some great data and some great photos during this annual event.
Backyard Bird Count 2007
We will be participating and covering the event again this year, so check back this weekend for some great new bird photos.
