This photo of a Green Jay won an honorable mention in the 2017 GBBC Photo Contest. Robert Benson photo.
It Is That Time of Year Again: GBBC Time!
Yes, indeed, the Great Backyard Bird Count will be taking place this weekend. The four-day event starts on Friday, February 16th and runs through Monday, February 19, 2018. The GBBC invites volunteers from around the world to go out and count birds in their “backyards.”
The general idea is to look for birds in your own backyard, but it is not restricted to that single locale. Anywhere you can find birds will work: From backyards to “parks, nature centers, school grounds, on hiking trails, balconies and beaches.”
By identifying the different species of birds present in an area, and tallying up their numbers, we get a handle on how healthy the populations are. As climate changes, this index of the stability of different species is vital information. Each checklist submitted is a snapshot of bird distribution. These yearly checklists contribute to a 21-year database that is helping us understand, protect, and manage the 8,600 or so bird species that inhabit planet Earth.
Anyone can participate. It is as easy as 1, 2, 3. Step one: Register for the count. If you are an eBird user, or if you participated in a previous year, then you are already registered. You just use your existing login name and password. If you are new to the GBBC, then you need to create a free account at www.birdcount.org
Step two: Count birds for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the GBBC. You can count for longer than that if you wish! Count birds in as many places and on as many days as you like—one, two, three, or for all four days. Submit a separate checklist for each new day, for each new location, or for the same location if you counted at different times of the day. Estimate the number of individuals of each species that you saw during your count period.
Step three: Enter your results on the GBBC website by clicking on “Submit Observations” on the home page. Your checklists will count toward the GBBC.
This year one of our local State Parks is holding a festival to commemorate the 21st Anniversary of the Great Backyard Bird Count. Choke Canyon State Park (Calliham Unit) in conjunction with the Three Rivers Chamber of Commerce will hold its 2018 Bird Festival on Saturday, February 17th. The Festival is designed “to explore birding at Choke Canyon, highlight some terrific Texas birding and wildlife organizations, as well as hear from experts in the area.” Whether you are an accomplished birder, a novice, or just want to learn more about birds, you are invited to come to the Park on Saturday. Bring a picnic lunch or pick one up in Three Rivers and come out to learn a new hobby and meet others who share your passion for birds. There will be guided bird walks (starting at 8AM) and speakers, booths, and activities from 9AM to 2PM. There are special family activities (such as bird feeder making) at the gymnasium. The Festival is FREE but Park Entrance Fees apply. Check out the Choke Canyon Bird Festival website for more details.
Each year the GBBC provides two posters to advertise the event. This is the 21st Annual Great Backyard Bird Count and it will be held from February 16th through the 19th. Birdcount.org photo.
And don’t forget the GBBC photo contest! During the four-day event, take photos of the wild birds you see (and of the people watching them!) and submit your best shots to the photo contest. You will need to upload your images to the GBBC photo contest page, accessible through the home page at birdcount.org
Last year, my favorite photographer (Robert Benson) placed Fourth and Honorable Mention in the “overall category” of the photo contest. This was out of thousands of entries! I am very proud of him.
This year Wild Birds Unlimited and the Cornell Lab Publishing Group are offering prizes to the top winners in each category. You can view the prizes at birdcount.org/2018-prizes. Photographers must select a category for each photo they enter. There are six categories: Behavior (birds in action), Group (multiple birds), People (people watching birds), Habitat (where birds and their habitats are both prominent), Composition (a pleasing arrangement of all features in the photo), and Overall (top-notch in composition, lighting and clarity).
So get out there this weekend to count birds and take photos. Remember: The GBBC is Fun, Free, and it helps the birds! Plus, you may take home one of the 2018 Photo Contest Prizes!
03/16/2018 – Column by Karen L. P. Benson