Thursday, February 16, 2012

The Great Backyard Bird Count

This year's Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is almost upon us and we'd like you to take part with us! This year's event runs from Friday February 17th thru Monday 20th and we shall be taking part on all four days at the Northwood Center and on the Friday and Saturday at our Goshen store. We will be running a list throughout the day, to record the maximum number of each species that we can see from the store - as per the rules for the count.

Where do you fit in? Well, we have a store run! We can't be at the window all of the time and chances are we might miss the 'big one'! Seeing as the count goes on throughout the day, you can stop by for fifteen minutes, or you can stay as long as you like. Either way, we'll have some fun and we will all be contributing to this huge event that takes place right across North America every year and provides a vital window into the distribution and population of birds across the continent.

So come on down and get your name on the sheet and see if you can't get yourself a new bird for they ear! Right now, Goshen's Rufous Hummingbird is still hanging out, while Northwood weighs in with a female Dickcissel - who knows what else you might spot, especially as we'll have scopes set up so you can scan Sluice Creek or Lake Lily too!

The Great Backyard Bird Count is led by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, with Canadian partner Bird Studies Canada and sponsorship from Wild Birds Unlimited.

Get Out and Get Counting! Birds are here at our store feeders, we just need your help to count them over the weekend [photo by Mike Crewe].

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