2021 Great Backyard Bird Count Starts Soon

This year's Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) starts in less than a week. Join this fun, citizen scientist project for a minimum of 15 minutes at a time, whenever you have the time on February 12-15. The goal is to count the birds that you see and record your data for scientists to use in their studies.

To get ready, find your binoculars and grab a birding guide to help you identify any birds you are not familiar with. There are several good birding field guide books and apps you can install on your phone or tablet. A camera can also be helpful for identification.

I will be doing a livestream on Friday, February 12 at 10am to provide how to information and hopefully answer any questions viewers may have. I will post a link a few days before the livestream in the discussion tab on my City's GBBC event page.

While I have not seen them for a couple of weeks, I had some new visitors to my yard for a month or more recently. The photo in this post is of one of the pair. Can you identify this bird as it plays peekaboo in my bald cypress tree? (Click on the images to see a larger view.) If you can or have a guess, please write it in the comments.

After I see a correct ID, I will add a photo that shows more of the bird.

I hope you get a chance to join my GBBC livestream and/or participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count this year. Making time to observe nature, whether from in your home or outdoors, is good for your mood. So do something positive for yourself and the birds and join in the fun.

Update: While I had not seen the yellow-shafted northern flickers for a couple of weeks when I wrote this blog post, they did show up to be counted during the GBBC. I have added the second photo to this post so you get a better view of this bird as it pops out of hiding to say, "Here I am".

Yellow-rumped Warblers Have Returned

While yellow-rumped warblers have probably been in the area for a while this winter, I saw my first one this morning. At first I was wondering what little gray birds were flitting around, some of them were pretty nondescript. I grabbed my binoculars and it clicked that I should be looking for some patches of yellow. Some birds can be shy about showing their namesake patch on their rump. Depending on the subspecies of yellow-rumped warbler, time of year, age and sex of the bird their may also be yellow patches on their sides, top of head and throat. The bird pictured here is likely an immature or female myrtle yellow-rumped warbler.

Over the past few weeks I have noticed other migrants coming back to the area such as American goldfinch and dark-eyed junco. I also start to see more sparrows again this time of year such as the song sparrow I saw yesterday. This could be due to migration or trees and shrubs that have shed leaves to make the little brown birds (lots of similar looking sparrows) easier to spot long enough to try to tell them apart. Seeing all of the bird activity gets me pumped up for the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). My city of Dalworthington Gardens will be hosting a GBBC event on Saturday, February 15 from 10am - 1pm. We will gather in the annex before going out to see how many species of birds we can identify in Gardens Park. I'm looking forward to it.

Great Backyard Bird Count Event in Dalworthington Gardens

On Saturday, February 16, 2019 come take part in the 2nd annual DWG Great Backyard Bird Count event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. beginning in the Annex of City Hall. A short presentation about participating in the GBBC will start at 10 and then participants will divide into groups that will head in different directions around Gardens Park and Pappy Elkins Lake to become citizen scientists for an hour or so while collecting data on the birds we find.

Guided by knowledgeable birders, we will identify and record the many birds who live in or are visiting Gardens Park, make new friends and enjoy the time outdoors, rain or shine. No experience is needed. Bring binoculars and/or

your camera if you have them. Download the Merlin App or we can help you that morning (works with android or iOS devices). Last year, spotters identified 34 species in about 1 hour, including the two species photographed in Gardens Park and included in this post. Light refreshments will be served when we meet back up to discuss our discoveries. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Frozen Morning - Birds Flock to Open Water

The official thermometer at the airport read 11 degrees Fahrenheit for this morning's low. Closer to home, Arlington registered 6 degrees. These are not wind chill temps but actual air temperatures. At these temperatures many still bodies of water that birds would make there way to for a drink would have been frozen over like the pond portion of my water feature as seen in the photo of the mourning dove walking across the ice. The waterfall and stream flowed fast enough to stay open and became a mecca for birds looking for a drink. I saw some year round bird species as well as some of the visitors that

come through this time of year. The photos were all taken this morning and captured many of the species that stopped for some water. Click on the images to enlarge them. With the Great Backyard Bird Count just one month away, get to know these bird species because you are likely to find some or all of them if you join the DWG Backyard Bird Count event on February 17, 2018.

Male and female House finch and Cedar waxwing

Yellow-rumped warblers with ice in the background

Male Bluebird (Do you see his reflection in the waterfall?)

Goldfinch and Chipping sparrow

2015 Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC)

It's almost time again for the Great Backyard Bird Count. Since I started participating several years ago, I have added to my knowledge of the different birds that visit my yard and neighborhood.

Some bird species hang around all year and some are moving through the area this time of year. If you are on the lookout you will see species that you wouldn't expect based on bird watching during much of the rest of the year. You will find a list of all the birds I identified last year as well as a montage of some of the ones I saw in this previous blog post. Will you be able to identify more?

Whether the weather is good or bad, the data that you collect during the GBBC helps scientists answer many questions about the distribution of birds and potentially the ecosystems that surround us. Find out how to get involved on the Great Backyard Bird Count's website. Then when February 13-16 roles around, print out a list of birds you could see in your locale, grab your pencil, binoculars and bird ID book or app and get counting. (A great bird ID app is Merlin from Cornell Lab of Ornithology.)

Need more inspiration? These photos submitted to the GBBC last year from across the globe should provide some. Happy Birding!

Great Backyard Bird Count 2014

It's that time of year again to dust off your binoculars and print out your local bird checklist. The Great Backyard Bird Count is scheduled for February 14-17, 2014.

If you aren't familiar with the GBBC it "is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are." Why is this important? Analyzing the data can help scientists answer a variety of questions about migratory patterns, health of bird populations, climate changes, etc. They need our help as citizen scientists to gather this data as there are not enough scientists in all parts of the world to do so. Do your part and have some fun while you are at it. Grab your checklist and head out with your binoculars for some fun outdoors while you count birds. Data submission is easy. GBBC has online resources to help you identify the birds that you find. If you enjoy photographing birds, there is even a photo contest. See last year's winners for inspiration. Happy Counting!

Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) 2013

It's almost here, the 16th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) and it is new and improved! You don't have to be in North America to participate. The GBBC has gone global. Count birds from Friday, February 15 through Monday, February 18. A good pair of binoculars and a field guide are handy but not required for your participation. You will want to download a bird list tailored to your region so that you can tally the birds that you see while you are birdwatching and counting. Take this opportunity to get out and enjoy some fresh air and the natural world while providing important data to researchers.

The data that is collected from all participating citizen scientists (Yes this is what you are if you collect and submit at least one day's worth of data.) is analyzed to find out what effect weather patterns have on bird populations, whether migratory patterns are changing and much more. More details such as how to participate in the count and the photo contest as well as why it is important to count the birds can be found on the Great Backyard Bird Count website.

Great Backyard Bird Count 2012

In my “Science Rocks” blog post earlier this year I mentioned that you didn’t have to be a scientist to contribute to our wealth of scientific knowledge. I encouraged you to become part of a citizen scientist program that meshed with your interests. For all of you nature lovers out there, there is a great opportunity to participate in a valuable, four day, citizen scientist program from your very own backyard starting Friday, February 17, 2012. It is the Great Backyard Bird Count. (GBBC)

The GBBC runs from Friday, February 17 – Monday, February 20. You can count for whatever days you can participate and for as little as 15 minutes a day in order to gather useful data for scientific studies. Print out your regional tally sheet and you are all set to go. There is also a photo contest every year that you can participate in. Check out last year’s fabulous photo contest winners.

So gather up your binoculars and bird ID book (not required) and get some fresh air while making a contribution to science. Click here for other bird related citizen scientist programs.

Great Backyard Bird Count 2011

Do you enjoy getting outside and observing nature? Would you like to participate in a worthwhile project that is great fun for you and your family while helping further scientific knowledge? If so, I hope you will have the opportunity to take part in this year's Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). This is one of many citizen scientist programs that you can participate in by gathering data for research studies.

This year the GBBC will be February 18-21. For more details check out the GBBC website to learn more about how you can participate and to see some amazing photos taken during last year’s event. I took the photo in this post from inside my house during last year's GBBC, which coincided with a record February snow in the DFW area. (Click on the image for a larger view.) Even with the record snowfall, I was able to gather data as the birds flocked to my bird feeders looking for a meal because most of their other food sources were snowed under.

Mark your calendars now, and happy counting!

Great Backyard Bird Count 2010

I want to share a fun and important opportunity with you that I have participated in for the last few years and encourage you to get involved this year. It is the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). Why have I participated? Part of the allure is being able to contribute data as a citizen scientist to a worthwhile research project. Also, I enjoy either watching and counting the birds from my dining room or getting outside to a park or other good bird watching area.

I could go on, but there is so much more info by the organizers of this event, that I encourage you read their press release to learn more about how you can help and to see some amazing photos taken during last year’s event.

This worthwhile project can be great fun for you and your family, so I hope you will get a chance to participate. Happy counting!