Today through Monday, www could be short for We Watch Warblers,not just World Wide Web, as computer-assisted bird watchers join theGreat Backyard Bird Count.
Reporting on the Internet - to www.birdsource.org - makes it easy.
In 1999, the second year of the North American count, 42,000people participated.
Those without computers can try their public library, or they canphone or mail their counts to Wild Birds Unlimited stores. TheChicago area has 14.
"A lot of elderly don't have access to computers but are stillinterested in birds and counting and want to participate," saidDenise Alloway, owner of the chain's Palos Park store.
The count, sponsored by the National Audubon Society and theCornell Lab of Ornithology, helps scientists understand the effectsof changing weather and landscape on birds' abundance, migrationpatterns and geographical distribution.
Participants should spend at least 15 minutes in their backyard,park or nature area.
To avoid counting the same bird twice, they should count onlythose in their field of view at the same time. Separate counts foreach day are needed.
First-time birders are welcome. It's a good idea to have a fieldguide and binoculars, and to keep the cat indoors.
Rich and Mary Biss will be counting the birds in their backyard,as they have every day since they moved to their Lake Villa home. Itbacks onto a wildlife preserve.
"Daily we've been seeing a mixed flock of tree sparrows, juncos,goldfinches and house finches," Mary Biss said Thursday. "Today, Isaw a Cooper's hawk."
Call Wild Birds Unlimited toll free at (800) 326-4928 to find outif the franchise nearest you enters customers' reports. For moreinformation, call (800) 843-BIRD.
No comments:
Post a Comment