Great News Global Great Backyard Bird Count Shatters Records

February 21, 2013--From Antarctica to Afghanistan, bird watchers from 103 countries made history in the first global Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), February 15–18, 2013. In the largest worldwide bird count ever, bird watchers set new records, counting more than 25.5 million birds on 120,000+ checklists in four days—and recording 3,144 species, nearly one-third of the world’s total bird species. The data will continue to flow in until March 1.

Building on the success of the GBBC in the United States and Canada for the past 15 years, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Audubon, and Bird Studies Canada opened the count to the rest of the world for the first time this year, powered by eBird, a system that enables people to report birds globally in real-time and explore the results online. Bird watchers are invited to keep counting every day of the year at www.eBird.org.

Common Redpoll by Missy Mandel, Ontario, 2013 GBBC

Cornell Lab director Dr. John Fitzpatrick says:
“This is a milestone for citizen science in so many respects—number of species, diversity of countries involved, total participants, and number of individual birds recorded. We hope this is just the start of something far larger, engaging the whole world in creating a detailed annual snapshot of how all our planet’s birds are faring as the years go by.”

Audubon Chief Scientist Gary Langham:
“People who care about birds can change the world,” said Audubon chief scientist Gary Langham. “That’s why this year’s record-setting global participation is so exciting. Technology has made it possible for people everywhere to unite around a shared love of birds and a commitment to protecting them.”

Other Key Preliminary Findings: 
Top 5 Most Reported Species (reported on highest number of checklists): Northern Cardinal; Dark-eyed Junco; Mourning Dove; Downy Woodpecker; House Finch
Top 5 Most Common Birds (most individuals reported): Snow Goose; Canada Goose; Red-winged Blackbird; European Starling; American Coot
Finch Invasion: A massive number of northern finch species moved into the U.S. including the Common Redpoll, reported in a record 36 states. Scientists believe these periodic movements are related to natural fluctuations in crops of conifer cones and other seeds in Canada.
Hurricane Sandy: The weather system that caused Sandy's landfall also blew some European birds to North America and evidence of this is still showing up in GBBC results. The colorful, crested Northern Lapwing was reported in Georgia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts during the GBBC.
GBBC First: A Red-flanked Bluetail has wintered at Queens Park, Vancouver, and was also reported for the GBBC’s first record ever. This British Columbia bird has been drawing bird watchers from all over the U.S. and Canada hoping to see this rarity. This little thrush is one of the only birds in the world with a striking blue tail and is native to Asia; the other GBBC report of this species this year was from Japan.
For more information, visit www.birdsource.org.

The Great Backyard Bird Count is made possible in part thanks to founding sponsor Wild Birds Unlimited.

Contacts:

Pat Leonard, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 607-254-2137, pel27@cornell.edu

David J. Ringer, Director, Media Relations, National Audubon Society, Office 212-979-3062 / Mobile 601-642-7058, dringer@audubon.org

Dick Cannings, Bird Studies Canada,  250-493-3393 (Pacific Coast time), dcannings@birdscanada.org

Article From Great Backyard Bird Count Website

[Wren Song] 90 Article The Travelling Wildflife Gardener

What a week! I think I had a very successful talk at the Longwood Gardens Today’s Horticulture Symposium on Friday. I got a lot of positive feedback from both the conference organizers as well as many audience members.

I also got to meet for the first time in person my team member Suzanne Dingwell. I’ve known her for years “online” but it was so exciting to get to spend some time with her during this conference.

And I shared a wonderful lunch with one of my biggest fans, Damon Morris and other members of the Mount Cuba Center staff. All in all a wonderful day!

I’m getting ready for my grand birding adventure in Trinidad and Tobago, such an exciting way to spend my 20th anniversary, but this week I also got invited to participate in a FAM tour to Guatemala, another wonderful birding adventure in such a beautiful place! (A FAM tour is when the tourist bureau or other organizations bring you to their country to familiarize you with the many wonderful things to see so that you’ll help to promote them).

This particular tour will be led by some of the best birders in Guatemala where I’ll get to see many of “our” birds in their winter habitats, as well as get to know many of the gorgeous birds who reside in Guatemala year round. I am so excited! Two tropical birding vacations in less than a month. Yippee!!!

And many, many thanks to the nature angels who have donated so many wonderful books and other supplies to the classroom I’ve adopted to teach them about birds, nature, and other wildlife. You have truly blessed my life as well as enriched the lives of the students in my class (an inner city 4th through 6th grade special assistance classroom who have very few resources for learning. Thank You!!!

By Carole Sevilla Brown
From the Ecosystem Gardening Website

Wildlife Diversity News A Publication of the Iowa DNR Wildlife Diversity Program Perfect Day in the Field

Edited by Erica Eaves
Wildlife Diversity News

A Publication of the Iowa DNR Wildlife Diversity Program
Perfect Day in the Field

It was a gorgeous day to be outside, especially for August. Yesterday it was 100 degrees in the shade, and the day had been spent near the southern border of Iowa searching for evidence of nesting birds for the Breeding Bird Atlas. Today was being spent in the field, too, only the location had changed to northern Iowa in Floyd County. It rained last night, and the temperature was 30 degrees cooler this morning. It seemed a good day to visit the woods, so the search was on for birds in oak woodlands along a scenic stretch of the Cedar River – at Idlewild Wildlife Area. The birds seemed to be celebrating the rain and coolness. Family groups were busily feeding, and many birds were singing. While walking a trail along the Cedar River, the characteristic tea-kettle, tea-kettle, tea-kettle song of a Carolina Wren was heard emanating from a nearby shrubby area on the bank of the river. As the singing bird was approached, food–begging calls of a young wren were heard, and a family group of Carolina Wrens was quickly spotted. One adult wren held a squished green caterpillar in its bill, and a persistent youngster badgered the adult until it finally gave in and delivered the food package to the youngster’s gaping mouth.

While enjoying the antics of the wren family, another family group was observed foraging for insects about 25 feet beyond the wrens. A pair of Black-and-white Warblers and their 3 stub-tailed youngsters were busily picking bugs from the stems and leaves of some dogwood shrubs. Above the feeding birds stood a massive White Oak tree with large horizontal branches. The family group of warblers soon were seen gleaning insects on the trunk and lower branches of this wonderful old oak tree. A family of rather loquacious Black-capped Chickadees also inhabited the oak tree, and they made it a point to scold the human intruder who was observing them. Upon closer scrutiny of the contents of the oak tree branches, it was discovered that the tree was alive with bird activity. Families of Downy Woodpeckers, White-breasted Nuthatches and Eastern Wood Pewees were all busily bugging. A ticked-off Red-eyed Vireo, a male Baltimore Oriole and a small gang of Blue Jays joined the chickadees voicing their displeasure with the human’s presence. Other birds in the oak tree voicing irritation included a pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers, a male Hairy Woodpecker, and a male Northern Cardinal. A male American Redstart also joined the group, but he seemed more intent on capturing a meal than wasting energy scolding.

The early morning light, filtering through the branches of the oak tree, was nearly perfect for observing details of the various bird behaviors. The whole scene seemed a bit surreal, and the glistening leaves, still damp from the earlier rain-shower, formed an interesting back-drop for the flitting birds - with flecks of red, blue, orange and yellow dotting the various shades of green offered by the tree’s canopy. The colorful animated show, along with a cacophony of bird songs and sounds, was rather like attending a bird circus. This was indeed a memorable outing and the kind of day that an admirer of birds lives for.

After five glorious years in the field gathering data for Iowa’s Breeding Bird Atlas, this was the last day spent in the field by this particular observer. Not being one to believe in coincidence, this observer feels very fortunate to be blessed by such an extraordinary and perfect day - spent happily amongst the feathered-beings with whom we share our earth-home.
-Bruce Ehresman
Wildlife Diversity Avian Ecologist
Iowa Department of Natural Resources

News Release: Great Backyard Bird Count Goes Global Feb. 15-18

Bird watchers worldwide invited to participate online

February 5, 2013—For the first time, anyone anywhere in the world with Internet access can participate in the 16th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) February 15-18. Participants simply watch birds at any location for at least 15 minutes, tally the numbers of each species they see, and report their tallies online at www.BirdCount.org. The GBBC is a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Audubon, with Canadian partner Bird Studies Canada.

This year, anyone visiting the GBBC website will be able to see bird observations pouring in from around the world and contribute their own tallies. Global participation will be made possible thanks to eBird, a real-time online checklist program that the Cornell Lab and Audubon are integrating into the GBBC for the first time this year. The GBBC is open to anyone of any skill level and welcomes bird observations from any location, including backyards, national parks, gardens, wetlands, and urban landscapes. The four-day count typically receives sightings from tens of thousands of people reporting more than 600 bird species in the United States and Canada alone.

"We're eager to see how many of the world's 10,240 bird species will be reported during the count this year," said Cornell Lab director John Fitzpatrick. "We're looking forward to this historic snapshot of birds that that will be reported from around the world. We need as many people as possible to help build the wealth of data that scientists need to track the health of bird populations through time."

Participants will be able to view what others are seeing on interactive maps and contribute their tallies for ongoing bird research and conservation efforts. For the first time, participants will also be able to upload their counts from the field using the eBird BirdLog app for Apple or Android smartphones. To celebrate the new global reach of the count, developers of the eBird BirdLog app are offering regional versions of the app for just  99 cents through February 18. Learn more


Just how big is this year's irruption of northern finches and other species such as the Red-breasted Nuthatch? GBBC reports will help define the answer. Photo by Christine Haines, 2012 GBBC. "This count is so much fun because anyone can take part, whether you are an expert, novice, or feeder watcher," said Gary Langham, Audubon’s Chief Scientist. "Invite new birders to join and share the experience. Once you get involved, you can continue with eBird year round."

"The popularity of the Great Backyard Bird Count grows each year," said Dick Cannings, Senior Projects Officer at Bird Studies Canada, "and with the new features, participation will be even more exciting."

Participating is easy. To learn more about how to join the count, get bird ID tips, plus downloadable instructions, web buttons, and flyers, visit www.BirdCount.org. The count also includes a photo contest and a prize drawing for participants who enter at least one bird checklist online. Portions of the GBBC site are also now available in Spanish at www.ContandoAves.org.

The Great Backyard Bird Count is made possible in part by sponsor Wild Birds Unlimited.

Audubon Society - 110th Annual Christmas Bird Count

DEB PETERSON
Bulletin Staff Writer

Billed as the "world's longest-running uninterrupted bird census" by the
National Audubon Society, the 110th annual Christmas Bird Count starts in
Baxter County at midnight tonight, conducted by "citizen scientists."

For 24 hours Friday, midnight to midnight, bird lovers plan to walk through
local bird habitats recording the number of species they see. Every year,
the data compiled by tens of thousands of observers throughout the Americas
contributes to a greater understanding of which birds are where, and when,
says Phil Hyatt of Mountain Home. That information, he says, leads to
better conservation.

roadrunner was moving north," Hyatt said. "We also documented the eurasian
collared dove in two CBCs. They simply were not known in Arkansas when I
was a boy. Neither were house finches."

Hyatt, 57, became interested in birding in 1966 during a bird walk in
Florida led by a naturalist. He helped manage the state's bird records for
Audubon Arkansas in the early 1970s and currently volunteers at Buffalo
National River with the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory. His job in the
Christmas Bird Count is to compile the data gathered in Baxter County, in
addition to observing and counting.

But you don't have to be an expert like Hyatt to take part.

Who can participate?

"We have about 12 people in Baxter County who regularly count," Hyatt said,
"but the more observers we have, the better the data."

He hopes more volunteers will get involved, either in the field or watching
their own backyard bird feeders.

Anyone who lives within the designated area can participate, Hyatt says.

"All CBC count areas are designated as circles 15 miles in diameter," Hyatt
said. "The center point is usually chosen to locate the count area in
desired and variable habitat. In our case, the Midway Post Office serves as
the center point. This allows us to include most of Mountain Home inside
the bypass, most of Cotter, all of Gassville and Lakeview, most of Bull
Shoals, the Pigeon Creek area, but not Cranfield, much of northern Baxter
County."

Hyatt says anybody interested in participating, whether by joining a group
in the field or watching their own backyard feeder, should call him at
736-1952 for instructions before the count begins.

Diane Mikrut, president of the Audubon Society of North Central Arkansas,
says she's excited about her first Christmas Bird Count.

"I love nature and I love birds," she said. "I'm looking forward to being
out there with people who can coach me on how to identify birds."

Mikrut plans to meet a group at 7:15 a.m. near Lake Norfork.

"We try to match inexperienced with experienced observers," Hyatt said.

Some groups, he says, will have two to four people. Others may have as many
as 15 or 20.

While there is no fee for feeder watching in the Christmas Bird Count,
field observers are charged $5, for which they receive a copy of the
summary journal published at the end of the international count.

What's involved in participating?

Observers in the field, whether on land or water, count the numbers of all
birds they see by species, according to Hyatt, and he compiles their
results as though seen by one person.

"Phil sets up regions in the park," said Park Interpreter Julie Lovett of
the Bull Shoals-White River State Park. "It looks like a big wagon wheel."

Her group is meeting at 9 a.m. at the trout dock in the park, just past the
pavilion.

"We'll count at the river and then go up to the wildflower garden," she
said.
Feeder watchers count birds in a different way, since the same bird is
likely to return to a feeder several times during a day, Hyatt says.

"We ask people watching feeders to count the highest number of birds of one
particular species at any given time," he said, "and keep track of the
number of hours they watch."

Hyatt says that rare species sighted during the count week also should be
reported to him.

"If we see an eagle or osprey in the count circle three days before or
after the count day," he said, "we can record it as seen during count week
but not on count day. This allows the gung-ho observers to find rare
species and still report them."

Once Hyatt receives all the local data, he compiles it and sends it to the
state Audubon organization with the number of people involved, the hours
spent observing and the weather conditions.

Weather matters.

A look at Hyatt's historical data for Baxter County shows that only three
turkey vultures were spotted in 1998. In 1999, 248 were counted.

"Turkey Vultures don't like cold, rainy weather," Hyatt said. "If the count
day happens to be rainy, you may not see any. If it is warm and sunny, you
may see 248. So we record weather conditions."

Hyatt says that while weather matters, the degree of expertise in observers
does not.

"The variations in the count are so wild that the data isn't perfect," he
said, "but you get so much data that volume compensates for the lack of
scientific accuracy."

Why does it matter?

The National Audubon Society lavishes praise on citizen scientists who take
part in the CBC. Its Web site states, "Each of the citizen scientists who
annually braves snow, wind, or rain, to take part in the Christmas Bird
Count makes an enormous contribution to conservation.

"Audubon and other organizations use data collected in this longest-running
wildlife census to assess the health of bird populations, and to help guide
conservation action."

Hyatt and Mikrut agree.

"We don't see the population change over night," Hyatt said, "so we don't
realize the change in the environment and habitat until it's too late."

He cites Baxter County's prairie history as an example. Birds that once
populated local prairies and farm fields no longer find their preferred
habitat here, where forests have taken over much of the land.

The Audubon site states that bird counts help "identify environmental
issues with implications for people as well. For example, local trends in
bird populations can indicate habitat fragmentation or signal an immediate
environmental threat, such as groundwater contamination or poisoning from
improper use of pesticides."

"Birds are one of the very first indicators of what's happening on our
planet," Mikrut said.

Hyatt says scientists are using CBC data to watch the effects of climate
change on birds. Statistics at www.audubon.org show that "177 species show
a significant shift north and this northward shift was correlated with an
increase in mean January temperatures in the contiguous 48 states of almost
5 degrees during that time."

But according to Hyatt, the best thing about the CBC is that it's fun.

"We do this for fun more than science," he said. "The science is very
useful and important, but it is also a fun day. The amount of adventure is
up to the participant — riding, walking, boating. We need more boaters who
are willing to look for loons and grebes and know what they are looking at!"

To participate in the Christmas Bird Count, call Hyatt at 736-1952. For
more information, visit www.audubon.org.

The Audubon Society of North Central Arkansas meets on second Mondays at 1
p.m. at Redeemer Lutheran Church. Guests are welcome. On Jan. 11, Lucinda
Reynolds will speak on "Birds, Bugs and Native Plants: Part of a Perfect
Balance (Creating a Backyard Habitat)."

"If the CBC sparks an interest in people," Mikrut said, "that would be
wonderful."

dpeterson@baxterbulletin.com

Celebrate Earth Day April 22nd

This is the 37th anniversary of Earth Day a world wide event that reminds people to conserve resources and preserve natural habitats. People around the world will celebrate Earth Day in many ways with festivals and community projects. All sorts of environmental ventures will be undertaken. If you are wondering what you can do, why not create a habitat for birds and other wildlife in your own back yard. The average back yard might see 15 or so different bird species. However with a little planning you can easily double that number or even triple it. To attract the greatest number of bird species, a habitat must provide at least one of each of these elements: food, water, shelter and a place to raise their young. Now is the perfect time to start to attract birds because many of the birds are returning from their fall and winter homes. They will be looking for food, water and shelter.
Offering food can be as simple as hanging a bird feeder in a tree or as ambitious as planting native wildflowers and shrubs. Providing a fresh supply of water with a birdbath will also increase the variety of bird visitors. Birds use water for more than just drinking; they also use it for bathing and preening their feathers. Clean feathers are important for birds’ health and optimum flying ability.
Landscaping for the ideal wildlife habitat should include plants ranging in size and density from small evergreen shrubs to tall, full-grown trees. The same plants that provide food and shelter can also provide safe areas for many species of wildlife to build nests and raise their families.
Visit your local library for books on birds in your area and their habits. Bird watching is something the entire family can enjoy and start the youngsters on the road to thinking about protecting their natural world.
For books on The Natural World visit Natural World Books for Native Plants and Seeds visit Ion Exchange

Couch Potato Syndrome and Our Kids

Couch Potato Syndrome and Our Kids
A recent study warns that couch kids ( kids that play video games for hours a day) are missing out on nature. Virtual play is replacing the real thing. With all the video games and the introduction of new game consoles such as the newer Wii the kids can set for hours and hours watching "virtual nature"
We are even starting to see other medical problems aside from the rising obesity and diabetes in children. Kids get strained wrists, neck pain and headaches from playing these games hour upon hour.

The popularity of these video games has created a new study that looks at all kinds of outdoor activites and has found an alarming decline in visits to national parks and all sorts of other outdoor activities like camping and fishing. Outdoor recreation has fallen by as much as 25% in the last 20 years. This new research has been a great cause of alarm among the conservationists since it has been proven that exposure to nature promotes environmentally reponsible behavior. Our pediatricians recomend that children need at least 1 hour of play outdoors. Maybe some of us grown ups should follow this advise as well.

If you would like to get back to nature a great place is The Natural Gait They are adding nature walks, frisbee golf and there are many oppurtunities to view wildlife, go hiking, fishing, bird watching, stargazing, night moth watch and much more.

Resources: Eric Bergan Chronicle,SciGuy blog

One Sure Fire Way To Relax!

The Enjoyment of Bird Watching
Such a simple thing to do and you don't have to travel at all to do it. Bird watching can be done right out your kitchen window. We love birdwatching at Ion Exchange Inc. and from The Natural Gait. There are so many varieties of birds to watch it is difficult to get any work done! Summer is full of Hummingbirds buzzing all around the office walkway busy drinking nectar from the feeders and the nearby wildflowers. With the onslaught of winter you can see the very cheery snow birds, cardinals and a dozen other brightly colored species.
I found this article on the enjoyment of bird watching that I wanted to share with you for the Holiday Season. Happy Holidays to all!
By: Thomas Kane
It is a popular hobby across the world. There are thousands of groups dedicated to watching birds at nature preserves, parks and recreational centers and even large groups that have annual conventions. You may be an individual dedicated to bird watching and enjoy going to parks on the weekends to observe birds. It is a fun and interesting hobby for anyone. Bird watching is relaxing. It is a very simple form of pleasure. Birds are symbols of love, hope and happiness. They remind us of simpler times before, TV, radios, videos and malls. Birds gently remind us to slow down and appreciate the simpler aspects of life. There are so many beautiful birds to observe, your efforts to see them all may be difficult. Some people keep track of the variety of species that they see and keep a journal. It is a never ending pursuit, as you could travel the world and still not see them all. Some people combine bird watching with other activities such as camping, hiking, kayaking and white water rafting. It is a great activity that will bring you back to nature. Birds are beautiful creatures. So many of them are brightly colored and fun to watch and observe. They seem to glide effortlessly through the air as they soar and swoop down for food and rest. And, their melodic voices are a treasure to listen to. You may hear a squawk or a shrill from some birds. But, some birds some chirpy and sweet as they sing you to work in the morning. Some people record their sounds and play them for relaxation. If you are looking for a fun, educational and safe activity for your children bird watching is a great, fun activity for everyone. Birds are sweet and harmless. It is a great educational activity for your children to do and they may learn something! Bird watching also calls attention to species and naturists keep track of what species may be declining. Conservationists keep track of behavioral patterns and migration information so they are able to track birds and maintain up to date records. Conservation starts at home. It is recommended that children learn about birds so that they are aware of the importance of conservation and protecting our environment. It will increase children's awareness of the natural beauty of parks, wildlife, oceans, lakes, mountains and trails. Children learn through doing and what better way to learn about blue birds than to actually observe one in their natural habitat. Bird watching is also a very inexpensive activity that involves little to no money. You may want to invest in a pair of binoculars but, other than that, the activity is not costly.