Grab the bird book. Clean the binoculars. It’s bird-counting time again.
The 15th annual Great Backyard Bird Count, sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, begins Feb. 17, and runs through Feb. 20.
By participating, you will become a “citizen scientist” helping to determine how our birds are doing. All bird-watchers -- young or old, beginner or veteran, casual or intense -- are asked to spend at least 15 minutes during the four days tallying the individual birds and species that they see or hear. Nearly 5,000 Georgians participated last year, and even more are expected to do so this year.
The counting can be done from backyards, schoolyards, church grounds, neighborhood parks, high-rise balconies or anywhere else that one can see or hear birds. Then report the findings at www.birdcount.org. Other details about the count -- including bird-identification tips -- also can be found at www.birdsource.org/gbbc.
Bird experts say that this year’s count may provide insight into, among other things, how warmer temperatures and lack of snow in parts of North America are affecting distribution of birds across the continent.
“Already, with more than a decade of data in hand, the [backyard bird count] has documented changes in late-winter bird distributions," said John Fitzpatrick, director of the Cornell Lab.
Last year, Georgia ranked eighth nationwide in the number of count reports (3,538) submitted and sixth in the number of species (196) tallied. Atlanta and Marietta ranked eighth and ninth, respectively, among cities in the number of reports submitted. Altogether, Georgia watchers logged 301,640 birds.
The five most frequently reported species statewide were the Northern cardinal, Carolina chickadee, tufted titmouse, mourning dove and Carolina wren. The species with the most numerous individuals was the sandhill crane.
For all of North America, some 11.4 million birds and 596 species were reported via more than 92,000 individual reports. The species most frequently reported? The Northern cardinal. The most numerous bird counted, however, was the European starling, which was entirely absent from North America before the late 19th century.
Want to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count with some experts? Beginning at 9 a.m. Feb. 18, Atlanta Audubon Society naturalists will be at the pavilion in the north Johnson Ferry Unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area to provide tips on doing your bird count. They also will lead three morning bird walks there. For more information: www.atlantaaudubon.org. Call 678-538-1200 to make reservations.
In the sky: The moon will be last quarter Tuesday, rising about midnight and setting around midday, said David Dundee, an astronomer at the Tellus Science Museum. Venus, shining brightly, is in the west just after dark. Mars rises out of the east a few hours before midnight. Jupiter is high in the west at dusk. Saturn rises out of the east a few hours after midnight and will appear near the moon Sunday night.
If you go
Johnson Ferry Unit north, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
Atlanta Audubon Society naturalists will be on hand Feb. 18 at the pavilion in the north Johnson Ferry Unit to provide tips on participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count. Beginning at 9 a.m., they will conduct brief tutorials on how to identify bird species by sight and sound and provide other bird-watching tips. Guided walks will begin at the pavilion at 9:15 a.m., 10:15 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Counts of birds seen or heard during the walks will be submitted for inclusion in the national tally. Craft tables will be open to kids, weather permitting. Binoculars are available for borrowing, but you might want to bring a notebook and a camera.
More information: www.atlantaaudubon.org.
Directions to Johnson Ferry Unit: Take Exit 24 off I-285, Riverside Drive. Go north for 2.3 miles to Johnson Ferry Road. Turn left, cross the river and take an immediate right into the unit.
$3 parking fee. Restrooms and drinking water available at pavilion. www.nps.gov/chat/planyourvisit/johnsonferrynorth.htm.
Reservations required: 678-538-1200
