GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT
FEBRUARY 12-14
WHAT IS IT?
“The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is a free, fun, and easy event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of bird populations. Participants are asked to count birds for as little as 15 minutes (or as long as they wish) on one or more days of the four-day event and report their sightings online at birdcount.org. Anyone can take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count, from beginning bird watchers to experts, and you can participate from your backyard, or anywhere in the world.” (Audubon website)
HOW TO GET STARTED?
Go to the GBBC website, https://www.birdcount.org/participate/
Project Goal
“Each February, for four days, the world comes together for the love of birds. Over these four days we invite people to spend time in their favorite places watching and counting as many birds as they can find and reporting them to us. These observations help scientists better understand global bird populations before one of their annual migrations.
What’s New in 2021?
In 2020 we designed a new website to help make your 4-day count easy, clear, and inspiring! In an effort to spread the love of birdwatching even further… we use pictures of birds and people from around the world participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count. No matter what corner of the world you live-in or visit, we want to share in your joy of birdwatching.” (Great Backyard Bird Count website.)
Covid Precautions
Birding is a safe and enjoyable activity even during the pandemic. Strongly suggest safely distanced and wearing a mask if birding with others.
Great Backyard Bird Count results from 2020:
268,674 Estimated Participants
27,270,156 Total Birds Counted
6,942 Species of Birds Identified
194 Countries
The GBBC is sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Audubon, and Birds Canada
CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT
By Dave Erikson – Kachemak Bay Birders
The 121st Audubon Christmas Bird Count was held in Homer on Saturday, December 19, 2020. This year’s count was a little different due the COVID 19 pandemic which restricted ride sharing within the field teams, required mask-wearing and social distancing, and canceled pre- and post-count meetings. Even with these limitations, a total of 31 stalwart volunteers braved the weather to count birds throughout Homer’s 15-mile diameter count circle. Another 11 “feeder watcher” kept track of the birds that came into their feeders throughout the day. These dedicated birders were able to tally a total 13,818 individual birds of 79 different species, one less than the record of 80 species for last year. Eight additional species were also documented within the Homer count circle during count week (three days before and after the actual count day). Numbers of feeder watchers were up from previous years and helped achieve these high numbers.
Four new species were new to the count this year: the Siberian accentor, red-throated pipit, Swainson’s thrush, and the yellow-rumped warbler. The Siberian accentor, a first for Homer, is small perching bird similar in size to our common redpoll. This bird normally ranges from the Ural Mountains across Siberia but will occasionally wonders east into western Alaska. Hopefully, this colorful little bird will stay long enough for locals to get it on their list. The red-throated pipit is another rare visitor from Siberia that often travels with our American pipit. This was also the first record of this species in Homer and was sighted during count week in Mariner Park at the base of the Homer Spit. Swainson’s thrush is a local breeding bird in Homer, but typically migrates south to winter in Central and South America. This late occurrence of this bird is unusual. The yellow-rumped warbler is also a common breeder in the Homer area, but this late migrant was the first one seen on a Christmas Bird Count.
Anna’s hummingbirds were again documented on the count again this year with three individuals. The population of Anna’s has been expanding in the western U.S. and have become more common here in the fall and early winter Some individual birds are believed to successfully overwinter here with the help of some heated hummingbird feeders.
The most abundant bird species this year were the rock sandpiper (3,120), greater scaup (2,711), bohemian waxwing (1,870). Rock sandpipers are typically one of the most numerous winter residents in the Homer count circle. Greater scaup are one the common sea ducks in Kachemak and numbers on the Christmas Bird Count are generally high when there is a lack of ice along the northern shoreline, as was the case this year. Bohemian waxwing numbers are generally high this time of year due to the abundance of berries on ornamental trees such as the European mountain ash and European bird cherry (Mayday). These amazing birds were very uncommon in the Homer area prior to introduction of these trees. Seventeen species were represented by only one individual.
Over the last several years, there have been a downward trend in numbers of four species of sea ducks in the nearshore waters of the count area. These include the common eider, Steller’s eider, white-winged scoter, and surf scoter. Primary factors in this continuing negative trend are unknown.
