The Great Backyard Bird Count, Feb. 15-18th

[cleargreenwater]

I know some people go birding so someone might find this neat. This weekend running Friday-Monday is the Great Backyard Bird Count! And this year for the first time, lists can be submitted through http://ebird.org for people internationally who would like to join in.

It is pretty much just what it sounds like: one weekend a year, to get as many people as possible to count birds for at least 15 minutes and submit a bird count list.

All you have to do is watch for birds--could be anywhere, at your feeders in the yard even, you don't even have to leave the house--for at least a 15 minute clip, and submit a list of what kind of birds you saw and how many of each.

[Azerane]

Someone knows me :lol: This would have been much more interesting if I was still at mums place, the bird bath was well established, variety of plants and being hot this weekend, the bath would draw in a lot. Unfortunately, there's not quite so much variety in our garden here. I have used e-bird in the past, and in fact I've been meaning to update it with all my aus bird lists for which I mostly use a site called eremaea.com The problem with keeping up with that, is that there's also another site that's largely used by a lot of people in south australia but that I find tedious to use. So Eremaea is always my first stop, and the other two I tend to upload lists to in bunches.

Thanks for the info though, I think it's fantastic that it's developed to such a scale as this and has integrated with eBird :)

[cleargreenwater]

In all fairness, I also thought maybe Amanda or some of the teachers would be interested in mentioning it to their kids, too :lol: Not that there's any illusion of enthusiasm, but I think a few other people work with younger children that might be an easier sell XD

I don't really get anything too exciting around here since it's very urban-suburban, and naturally the more interesting things NEVER choose this weekend to turn up, but I set my feeders about 4 years ago & have been doing it for 3 now. I'm terrible with logging anything else I see any other time of the year, though :hehe:

[HasiraKali]

I'll mention it to them. :) I have several kids that are into that stuff. One today was telling me how she was watching the moon last night. Kind of weird haha.

[Azerane]

In all fairness, I also thought maybe Amanda or some of the teachers would be interested in mentioning it to their kids, too :lol: Not that there's any illusion of enthusiasm, but I think a few other people work with younger children that might be an easier sell XD

I don't really get anything too exciting around here since it's very urban-suburban, and naturally the more interesting things NEVER choose this weekend to turn up, but I set my feeders about 4 years ago & have been doing it for 3 now. I'm terrible with logging anything else I see any other time of the year, though :hehe:

It's fine :p I didn't think you were thinking solely of me... how conceited I would be :lol:

I've always been interested in having a feeder. The trouble is if you put seed out here, you would attract more invasives than natives. And while nectar feeders could be fun, you really shouldn't overdo it because you can end up with hoards of noisy lorikeets and honeyeaters.

[cleargreenwater]

It's fine :p I didn't think you were thinking solely of me... how conceited I would be :lol:

I've always been interested in having a feeder. The trouble is if you put seed out here, you would attract more invasives than natives. And while nectar feeders could be fun, you really shouldn't overdo it because you can end up with hoards of noisy lorikeets and honeyeaters.

Maybe like 80% then :lol:

And yeah, it....it gets expensive sometimes, between introduced species like starlings and house sparrows and the freakin' SQUIRRELS, fat fluffybutt pigs. But we also have a red-tailed hawk living in the vacinity/neighborhood, so I reconcile it to myself that the invasives are feeding the hawks. And they do, it was on the front patio one afternoon ripping into a sparrow, so. Justice! (The feral cat problem my neighborhood has, however, is completely unwelcome.)

...Omg, but lorikeets are such pretty birds to be pested by! :D

[Kasei]

Oh cool! Wish I had checked this sooner, definitely would've plugged it to my kiddos! It's been a really busy week, I put on an Art Fair for our school and let's just say that the hours I've been keeping at school have not been normal...alas, I have only seen a couple of birds in my own backyard and nothing terribly exciting other than a couple of fearless house finches this morning that were not bothered when I walked out to feed my dog--usually the birds all scatter as soon as I crack open the door, but not these two. It was nice to be unimposing. :D

[Azerane]

Well that is one fortunate thing here, is that we don't have raiding squirrels, although it would just as likely attract mice I should think.

It turns out that the stinking hot weather we had drew in the red wattlebirds to my bath this weekend. I hadn't seen them use it yet so it was nice to know that they're aware of its presence and like to use it. :)