Great Backyard Bird Count coming up next weekend:Feb. 12-15!

This is fun. There are sheets you can print out from the website to help you count. You don't have to count everyday, just one day if that's all you can do, for just 15 minutes.

After you submit your count, you'll see it come up on the website (it's anonymous--your name and location are kept private). You'll also be able to see other counts from people in your general area/city and see what they're seeing. It's pretty cool.

http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/whycount.html

surfcity,
I was reading this and I almost cried. I've been wanting to take part in the bird count for a long time. Thanks for the link.
We return home on the 14th, and I was afraid I'd miss it again this year! After reading your post, I know that I can participate this year.
I may not know all of the birds on the place, but I found a bird book and it'll help!
You are too cool!
WIB!
SW

You know, I've been going through the bird guide over the last several years, and paper clipping the pages showing all the various birds I've seen in the past. I recently found the bird book in a pile while cleaning. I don't remember all those sitings. I'll make a list of ones sited in the past and see if I can find them again. I'll also talk to BengalPhoto and see if he'd be willing to come out and help. He's a much better photographer than I am. It'll give him more experience. : - )
I'm even going to commit myself to working on my life list, now that I've figured that one out.
This is something I've been wanting to do for a long time. : - )
WIB!
SW

That's great!

Here's an online bird guide that might help. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/browse

I hope you post your results and say how it goes and what you see.

I'm participating! Counting pelicans and pigeons, taking photos too. Am not trying to count the sea gulls yet, will count those in the photos. My memory isn't that good. Sad that I haven't seen any sand pipers, and anxious to go home and count birds. We have a lot more variety at home.
Thanks for all the info surfcity. It helps since I left my bird watching guide at home! Drat!
WIB!~
SW

Cool!

I didn't get to count yesterday, but today I saw:

2 mallards (parked in our pool)
3 white-crowned sparrows
1 English sparrow
1 black-throated gray warbler (woohoo!)
20 lesser goldfinches
2 American goldfinches
1 Anna's hummingbird
4 house finches
1 American crow

Not terribly exciting (for a suburban setting), but the warblers are always cool to see. Means I've got bugs in my yard for them to eat!

That beats the heck out of the four birds down here, and I haven't even seen one of them (the sandpiper). Still hoping. Can't wait to get home to count the birds. Silly me.
Even kwan saw more birds in Utah that I can see here. Sigh . . .
There are still two more days not counting the rest of this one. : - )
Get out there and start counting birds. BTW, the camera is really handy for both helping to identify and to count how many birds are in a flock.
Happy Bird Counting!
WIB!
SW

Saw 2 sandpipers today. Among other's will take me a while to compile a list.
I didn't take this photo, because one of my GF's here in CA wants to have a photo of me.
I wanted to feed the birds, 'cause it was something Dad and I used to do together every time we went to visit him.
So I made DH take the photo, and the series is gorgeous. I'm going to have to post the whole sequence on the Birdwatching forum.
This is a CA Brown Pelican. They don't usually come in for feeding but he must have been hungry. It was with in about 10 feet when some woman blundered by oblivious to the miracle in front of her.
I mean everyone was watching that pelican. Needless to say she scared it off.
I did see a total of four flying in formation together today too, but DH's photos came out really good.
See ya in the bird watching forum.
WIB!
SW

Here is a link in the Bird Watching Forum so you can see the whole sequence if you wish.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1075807/
WIB!
SW

Great pics, SW! Beautiful location!

I'll often see a group of pelicans flying together near the beach here in HB when I'm driving down PCH, and it always reminds me of the closing scene in Jurassic Park. LOL!

I wasn't able to devote as much time to counting this year as last year and as a result I didn't see as much, but it's still fun.

DH took the pics of the pelican. I can't take the credit, although I'm beginning to think the camera deserves the credit. DH's photos usually are blurry. He did real good this time. : - )
I got stuck handling chores the boys should have done so I didn't get to spend as much time looking for birds as I wanted either.
I did see a woodpecker building her nest. It was so cute. The male would fly up with his beak full of grasses and stems and deposit them in the nest hole. Then she'd go in and kick half of the stuff out. DH didn't believe me, until I showed him today. His eyes are so good he could see that there was a bird in there. Can she be laying eggs already? Will look it up.
Thanks for posting this thread, surfcity. Even DH had fun helping on the bird count.
WIB!
SW