Your chance to take part in the eleventh Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) comes up this weekend, February 15-18, 2008.  Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to have fun and help the Cornell Lab of Ornithology find out where the birds are this winter. Read on for new and exciting features of this year’s event.

What is the GBBC?

The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes. It’s free, fun and easy, ­and it helps the birds.

How do I participate?

1. Plan to count birds for at least 15 minutes during February 15–18, 2008. Count birds at as many places and on as many days as you like -- ­just keep a separate list of counts for each day and/or location.

2. Count the greatest number of individuals of each species that you see together at any one time, and write it down. 

3. Enter your results through our web page.

That's it!  We'll look forward to receiving your counts.

Your counting counts

In 2007, GBBC participants made history, breaking records for the number of birds reported and number of checklists submitted. Participants sent in more than 80,000 checklists tallying over 11 million birds of 613 species.

Last year, as a result of your counts, we discovered that many bird species had already started their spring migrations in February­-- earlier than in decades past. Your counts help us build a long-term record of where people are finding birds and how many birds there are.

Although your bird counts need to take place from February 15-18, you can submit data as late as March 1, 2008. If you have any questions, please contact us at citizenscience@audubon.org or cornellbirds@cornell.edu.

What’s new this year?

Check out the GBBC website ( www.birdcount.org ) for improved features, including:

• Ability to submit YouTube bird videos. The best videos will be posted on the GBBC website.
• Expanded sparrow identification page
• New bird call identification game for kids
• New FAQ section and narrated GBBC overview

Spread the Word

We hope you'll spread the word this year by encouraging your friends to participate. You can forward this email to them or direct them to visit the website at www.birdcount.org. Remember: the GBBC is fun, free and helps birds!

Win something cool

When you send in your checklist this year, you will automatically be entered in a prize drawing to win items like binoculars, bird feeders, and a variety of great books! Check out www.birdsource.org/gbbc/press/news-stories/prize-list-for-2008 for a listing of prizes.

Submit Photos to our Online Gallery and photo contest

During the count, take digital photos of birds (and bird watchers!) and submit them to the GBBC website. All photos submitted will be entered in the photo contest, and some will be posted in an online gallery. Images will be accepted through March 1.

Remember, count for fun, count for the future! We can’t wait to see what you discover this year.

Article submitted by Phil and Janet Winter, owners of www.WildBirdGoodies.com.