February 8–21 , 2021
Mount Washington — Among the environmental organizations that engage public participation in gathering observations from local “citizen scientists,” the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society are outstanding. Winter is a wonderful time to enjoy birds and, if we are motivated, to contribute our humble findings to critical scientific research by reporting our observations online. From this Friday, Feb. 12, through Monday, Feb. 15, a worldwide effort, the 24th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) invites our participation for as little as 15 minutes on one day, or for the weekend.
In the Berkshires, Mass Audubon has a roster of bird identification programs both in the field and virtually. You can also find a wealth of opportunities at Sharon Audubon. For identification and reporting via computer and smartphone, connect to ebird and Merlin.
I contacted Zachary Adams, teacher-naturalist at Mass Audubon, to discuss winter bird watching. His charismatic pileated woodpecker heads this column. When I mentioned Cornell Lab director John Fitzpatrick’s view that the singing of birds stirs human spirituality, Zach wholeheartedly agreed he’s “last to pick up my binoculars” when birding, while fully engaged in listening to their vocalizations.
At my own bird-watching spot, a little suet and seed feeder, red-bellied woodpeckers dominate. I am appreciating their overwhelming visual beauty and their quiet, thankful trills.
Please search the Opportunities, Resources and Actions, below, for how to make life possible for birds, and increase our own well-being in this increasingly overbearing, human-centered world.
Here’s a list of seven actions from Cornell Lab:
- Make windows safer day and night
- Keep cats indoors
- Reduce lawns and plant natives
- Avoid pesticides
- Drink shade-grown coffee
- Protect our planet from plastic
- Watch birds and share what you see
In closing, new studies show biological diversity, including the presence of many bird species, increases life satisfaction for Europeans as much as higher income does.
Opportunities to Participate
What you can do to protect birds: https://climate2014.audubon.org/article/what-you-can-do-help-protect-birds
The Great Backyard Bird Count: https://www.birdcount.org/ and Ebird: https://ebird.org/home
Local guided bird walks and bird counts add up to environmental conservation worldwide.
Biological diversity evokes happiness.
Resources – Bird Identification Guides: internet and paper
https://www.audubon.org/bird-guide
Merlin bird ID app: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/merlin/id
Bird Song Hero ID app, by song, via Cornell Lab:
Books for Field Identification: Field guides to birds
Peterson, Stokes, Sibley, Kaufmann
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-bellied_Woodpecker/id#
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pileated_Woodpecker
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/red-bellied-woodpecker
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/pileated-woodpecker
Actions
Migratory Bird Act: support the reinstatement of protections
and news update: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/biden-delay-trump-rule-migratory-bird_n_601c4a7bc5b6179453d70464
https://www.birdlife.org/worldwide/news/why-we-need-birds-far-more-they-need-us
