The weekend of February 18 marked the 15th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), an encompassing event that engages bird watches of all ages to participate as citizen scientists for the weekend. The data collected becomes invaluable since birds are dynamic creatures rendering it impossible for scientist to document the distribution of every species in such a short period of time.
Winter is a crucial period for collecting bird data with great migrations occurring and the Chattahoochee River is an important migratory route for many species. The data collected in the GBBC helps researchers at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology detect trends in bird populations, from illnesses like West Nile Virus impacting American Crow populations to migratory bird routes, like the Sandhill Crane.
This year the CRNRA partnered with Atlanta Audubon Society to host our own event. Some of you joined us at Johnsons Ferry North to participate and learn more. We even hope you were inspired to conduct your own count at home. The 2012 GBBC received 72,406 checklists from the United States and Canada, and counted 10,356,411 individual birds from 594 species as of this morning, February 21, 2012. Here in the park, 624 birds from 47 species were reported.
Although this year's GBBC has ended, birders of all experience levels are encouraged to continue monitoring year-round. To report your bird sightings, register at http://www.ebird.com to join a worldwide network of birders. A list of birds found within the park can be obtained at the Visitor Center in the Island Ford unit of the park.
For more information on the birds reported within the park and nationwide, visit http://gbbc.birdsource.org/gbbcApps/report.
Below is a GBBC submission from the event:
Observation Date: February 18, 2012- Start Time: 9:15 a.m.
- Total Birding Time: 3 hours
- Party Size: 15
- Skill: good
- Weather: good
- Habitat(s):
- deciduous woods
- coniferous woods
- freshwater
- Number of Species: 39
- All Reported: yes
Checklist:
- Canada Goose - 2
- Wood Duck - 4
- Mallard - 6
- Double-crested Cormorant - 15
- Great Blue Heron - 2
- Black Vulture - 1
- Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1
- Red-shouldered Hawk - 3
- Red-tailed Hawk - 2
- Mourning Dove - 4
- Barred Owl - 2
- Red-headed Woodpecker - 3
- Red-bellied Woodpecker - 4
- Downy Woodpecker - 5
- Hairy Woodpecker - 1
- Northern Flicker - 2
- Eastern Phoebe - 1
- Blue Jay - 6
- American Crow - 6
- Carolina Chickadee - 8
- Tufted Titmouse - 6
- White-breasted Nuthatch - 3
- Brown-headed Nuthatch - 1
- Carolina Wren - 6
- Golden-crowned Kinglet - 2
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 3
- Eastern Bluebird - 2
- American Robin - 30
- Northern Mockingbird - 1
- Brown Thrasher - 1
- Cedar Waxwing - 37
- Pine Warbler - 2
- Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) - 7
- Eastern Towhee - 3
- Song Sparrow - 3
- Northern Cardinal - 15
- Red-winged Blackbird - 6
- Common Grackle - 5
- House Finch - 2