Description

Ocean Isle Beach, NC – The 16^th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) takes place from February 15 to 18, 2013. Hosted by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, the GBBC collects valuable information about changes in patterns of bird distribution and numbers throughout the United States and Canada. This year, for the first time, the event goes global when the GBBC integrates with eBird, a worldwide bird data collection program.

Last year, over 104,000 GBBC checklists were submitted. Over 623 bird species were identified and 17.4 million birds were counted. Participants set new checklist records in 22 states and 6 Canadian provinces. The Northern Cardinal appeared on more checklists than any other species, followed by the Mourning Dove. Interestingly, the number of Blue Jays declined along the New England and mid-Atlantic coast. One of the biggest surprises was the number of Snowy Owls in the Great Plains – the largest number for this species ever recorded in the GBBC’s 15-year history.

The GBBC is educational, fun, and free. It’s a great family activity that requires as little as 15 minutes per day. You can go out looking for birds or you can limit your counts to the birds in your own backyard. You don’t have to be an expert birder to participate, but some simple guidelines about how to identify birds makes the experience more meaningful. On February 9 at 11:00, the Museum of Coastal Carolina presents a workshop called Get Ready for the Great Backyard Bird Count. At this workshop, Museum volunteers Kurt Hugelmeyer and Allison Smith describe the birds you are likely to see this time of year, tell you how to identify bird species, and show you how to complete and submit GBBC checklists. They will also show you how to correctly focus binoculars, how to use published bird guides, and where to go in this area to see interesting birds.