The Birders Report

House Finch Male For Bird Photography Weekly

by Larry Jordan on February 9, 2009

House Finch Male photo by Larry Jordan

I wanted to post this photo I just took the other day of the House Finch since everyone counting birds this week for the Great Backyard Bird Count (see last post) should be seeing these delightful little guys around. The male House Finch’s coloring has been described to look as if a glass of red wine was thrown in his face and the wine ran down his breast, whereas the Purple Finch looks like a sparrow dipped in Raspberry juice. The specific color of the male House Finch is determined by pigments in the food he eats.

House Finches come readily to sunflower seed feeders and I expect to count many during this weeks Great Backyard Bird Count.

Now go see all the other great shots at Bird Photography Weekly.

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Great Backyard Bird Count 2009 Is Almost Here!

by Larry Jordan on February 8, 2009

Count for Fun, Count for the Future

New York, NY and Ithaca, NY—Bird and nature fans throughout North America are invited to join tens of thousands of everyday bird watchers for the 12th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), February 13-16, 2009.

A joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, this free event is an opportunity for families, students, and people of all ages to discover the wonders of nature in backyards, schoolyards, and local parks, and, at the same time, make an important contribution to conservation. Participants count birds and report their sightings online at www.birdcount.org.

“The Great Backyard Bird Count benefits both birds and people. It’s a great example of citizen science: Anyone who can identify even a few species can contribute to the body of knowledge that is used to inform conservation efforts to protect birds and biodiversity,” said Audubon Education VP, Judy Braus. “Families, teachers, children and all those who take part in GBBC get a chance to improve their observation skills, enjoy nature, and have a great time counting for fun, counting for the future.”

Anyone can take part, from novice bird watchers to experts, by counting birds for as little as 15 minutes (or as long as they wish) on one or more days of the event and reporting their sightings online at www.birdcount.org. Participants can also explore what birds others are finding in their backyards—whether in their own neighborhood or thousands of miles away. Additional online resources include tips to help identify birds, a photo gallery, and special materials for educators.

The data these “citizen scientists” collect helps researchers understand bird population trends, information that is critical for effective conservation. Their efforts enable everyone to see what would otherwise be impossible: a comprehensive picture of where birds are in late winter and how their numbers and distribution compare with previous years. In 2008, participants submitted more than 85,000 checklists.

“The GBBC has become a vital link in the arsenal of continent-wide bird-monitoring projects,” said Cornell Lab of Ornithology director, John Fitzpatrick. “With more than a decade of data now in hand, the GBBC has documented the fine-grained details of late-winter bird distributions better than any project in history, including some truly striking changes just over the past decade.”

Each year, in addition to entering their tallies, participants submit thousands of digital images for the GBBC photo contest. Many are featured in the popular online gallery. Participants in the 2009 count are also invited to upload their bird videos to YouTube; some will also be featured on the GBBC web site. Visit www.birdcount.org to learn more.

Businesses, schools, nature clubs, Scout troops, and other community organizations interested in the GBBC can contact the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at (800) 843-2473 (outside the U.S., call (607) 254-2473), or Audubon at citizenscience@audubon.org or (202) 861-2242, Ext 3050.

The Great Backyard Bird Count is made possible, in part, by support from Wild Birds Unlimited.

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Redding City Lights On The Sacramento River For Skywatch Friday

by Larry Jordan on February 5, 2009

Redding City Lights Taken From Oak Run by Larry Jordan

I came home from work one day last week, on a cool, clear evening, in time to witness the end of this beautiful sunset with the new, crescent moon, big as life, hanging over the city. I was inspired. I had to take this photograph. To see even more spectacular sky photos, head on over to Skywatch Friday.

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Red-shouldered Hawk For Bird Photography Weekly

by Larry Jordan on February 2, 2009

Red-shouldered Hawk Preening photo by Larry Jordan

I spotted this Red-shouldered Hawk on a recent trip to the Sacramento Natinal Wildlife Refuge. I got several decent captures of this bird, but I like this one the best.

This is one of my all time favorite raptors for several reasons. Its colorful beauty is probably the main reason. Take a look at this bird pulling up to land on a post (it’s not the greatest shot but you can see this hawks beautiful markings).

The heavy black and white bands on the wings and tail, as well as the rufous shoulders and, more importantly, the translucent cresent-shaped windows at the base of the primaries distinguish this raptor from all other North American birds of prey.

One of the other reasons I love this bird is that I was able to watch a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks mate and raise their young. You can read about that great experience here and you can see more great Bird Photography Weekly photos here.

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