This weekend, February 14-17 (Friday-Monday), has been designated the 23rd Annual Great Backyard Bird Count by eBird. Hoping to achieve the broadest assessment of bird populations across the globe, members are encouraged to file a report from their own backyard, thereby minimizing the duplication that often occurs at birding hotspots and expanding the coverage area.
Of course, I decided to participate and elected to limit my count to one hour. On this cold, cloudy afternoon, only 13 species graced the property during that window, all of which are common winter residents in central Missouri. Though I would like to have included a rare visitor or reported exceptionally high numbers, neither were in the cards; indeed, most of the species arrived within a single feeding group that spent less than 15 minutes in the yard.
Nevertheless, I was more than glad to join the global effort, however trivial my contribution. The cumulative data will be vital to assessing the health of avian populations and documenting the impact of habitat loss and climate change.
Of course, I decided to participate and elected to limit my count to one hour. On this cold, cloudy afternoon, only 13 species graced the property during that window, all of which are common winter residents in central Missouri. Though I would like to have included a rare visitor or reported exceptionally high numbers, neither were in the cards; indeed, most of the species arrived within a single feeding group that spent less than 15 minutes in the yard.
Nevertheless, I was more than glad to join the global effort, however trivial my contribution. The cumulative data will be vital to assessing the health of avian populations and documenting the impact of habitat loss and climate change.
