_edited.png)
Bird Identification and The Great Backyard Bird Count 2019
Just a reminder to anyone who is interested, the Great Backyard Bird Count will be held this weekend; February 15-18, 2019. This is a great citizen science program that allows huge amounts of data to be collected via ebird from all over the world.
Anyone can contribute! All you need is an ebird account and some basic ability to ID your backyard birds. Then you can contribute as many bird checklists as you want (with a minimum of at least one 15 min checklist). Super easy and a fun way to spend a chilly February weekend; from the warmth of your home looking out at your bird feeders.
For more information on the GBBC, click on the Red-Breasted Nuthatch poster pictured to the left.
Need help identifying birds? Download the FREE Audubon Birds app on your smartphone. Great for listening to bird sounds and the photos are excellent as well.
Some of my favorite field guides include:
Field Guides with Photographs:
(Click colored links to find out more about each field guide and to purchase. Note the awesome Red-Breasted Nuthatch bookmark! Available to purchase on my website starting March 2019!)
"Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America"
*Any of the field guides by Stan Tekiela for your region. (Organized by color which is annoying, but excellent photographs and lots of great info about each species).
Field Guides with Illustrations:
*Any of the Peterson Field Guides
* Any of the Sibley Field Guides
* Not pictured, but the Kaufman Field Guides are great as well!
These are just a few that I have. There are many more great field guides to be discovered!
For more advanced birders, i HIGHLY recommend the updated version of the
Kaufman Field Guide to Advanced Birding, This guide is a more in-depth study of bird identification that goes into different techniques that can be applied when in the field. It also explains typical behavior patterns to look for within certain species, as well as specific field marks, body shapes, etc. One of my favorites I always resort back to when faced with a tricky ID.
I hope this quick blog has inspired some people to try out ebird and record birds this weekend for the Great Backyard Bird Count. It really is interesting once you begin observing everyday birds in your backyard. (And it's free entertainment when your cooped up inside!)
~Blythe BirdWatchers
