BACKYARD BIRDERS IN A PANDEMIC

 

Fortunately for us,  birds do not know there is a pandemic going on, so are in their usual habitats. The COVID-19 pandemic with all its trials,  like social distancing, work-at-home directives, and  so many dos and don’ts, has made life complicated, and many say enough is enough.

But for many it has been a time to stop and smell the roses, or in other cases see the birds. They’ve had to find different ways to amuse themselves that don’t require being in enclosed public spaces or around other humans.

One friend in Brooklyn, gets up with the birds every morning at dawn- break, and goes across the street to a huge park to scan the skies, trees and ground for birds.

One of our Oblates in San Diego gets in a kayak, also at the crack of dawn,  watching the birds from her socially distanced vessel.

Another local friend of 25 years, called last week excited about birds she had seen off her deck.  She has never been a birder, but said “ I think I have caught the bug - birding bug that is!  You get so excited when you see birds, I said to my husband, what is this all about?”

A young couple on a neighboring island have taken up this “sport”, as it has been something they could safely do together, does not cost anything, except for the binoculars and a book or two. Now they excitedly bird watch every weekend  and even though they both grew up in the islands, they find new places to explore.

For me, it is watching birds in the warmth of the monastery, watching through the large windows.  Also, I have connected with a man on the island, who has been a naturalist all his life.  We now we do bird counts together and look forward to the Great Backyard Bird count in mid February  (12-15th).

For those who have tried getting outdoors more than usual and stopped to smell the roses or see the birds, it has brought a peace and serenity connecting with nature, and we have not had to travel far. In this time of stress and uncertainty,  birds rescued us from anxiety even if for short periods in the day.

(Photos of young birders on Shaw Island)

The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is a community science project in ornithology. It is conducted annually in mid February. The event is supported by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. During this four-day event birdwatchers all around the world are invited to count and report details of birds in the area in which they live. Data is submitted online via a web interface, and compiled for use in scientific research. The GBBC was the first community science project to collect bird sightings online and display results in near real-time.

Since 2013, the event has been observed by international bird watchers, and anyone can now participate in the event. Additional wildlife and conservation institutes around the world have also supported and participated.

Data collected during the event is subjected to verification by experts, in order to overcome potential shortcomings in the abilities of amateur participants. Data resulting from the event has raised awareness about changes in population and habitats of common birds.

In 2020 Great Backyard Bird Count resulted in:

              268,674 Estimated Participants

             27,270,156 Total Birds Counted

               6,942 Species of Birds Identified

              194 Countries

For more information go to: https://www.birdcount.org/

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