Great Backyard Bird Count this weekend.

[Missourian]

It's the annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), to be held Friday through Monday.

A joint effort of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the Audubon Society (partnering with Bird Studies of Canada), the yearly Great Backyard Bird Count offers up a great opportunity for people coast-to-coast to serve as citizen scientists.

From novice bird watchers to experts, everyone is invited to participate in the free event by dedicating as little as 15 minutes (or as long as they wish) on one or more of the four days to count birds, record their sightings (on a standardized checklist) and then report them to GBBC officials.

<SNIP>

People with Internet access can find out how to get started in the Great Backyard Bird Count, obtain checklists, view bird identification photo guides and can even report their results online by visiting the National Audubon site -- Great Backyard Bird Count Homepage -- or the GBBC Web site at Welcome to GBBC &mdash; Great Backyard Bird Count.

READ MORE:

Count birds during this weekend's Great Backyard Bird Count | News-Leader.com | Springfield News-Leader

 

[Big Black Dog]

Don't count those pink flamingos you see in people's yards. I don't think they are real. If they are real, they don't move around very much...

 

[Missourian]

I think you can safely skip those...and the plastic snake scarin' owls.

 

[kwc57]

The last big snow that blew thru Oklahoma a couple of weeks ago produced 14 Cardinals at our feeder.......all at the same time. We're lucky to get 2 any other time.

 

[NYcarbineer]

My avatar was in my front yard. Does that count?

 

[Missourian]

My avatar was in my front yard. Does that count?

Sure does.

I had to break out my Field Guide to North American Birds to identify it.

It's a Pileated Woodpecker.

The field guide says:

"Despite it's large size, this elegant woodpecker is adept at keeping out of sight. Obtaining a close view of one usually requires careful stalking."

 

[Missourian]

The last big snow that blew thru Oklahoma a couple of weeks ago produced 14 Cardinals at our feeder.......all at the same time. We're lucky to get 2 any other time.

Very unusual...Cardinals are ordinarily aggressive and fiercely territorial.

Quite a treat to see so many congregated together.

 

[kwc57]

The last big snow that blew thru Oklahoma a couple of weeks ago produced 14 Cardinals at our feeder.......all at the same time. We're lucky to get 2 any other time.

Very unusual...Cardinals are ordinarily aggressive and fiercely territorial.

Quite a treat to see so many congregated together.

Well, it was VERY difficult to get them counted because they were all jockeying for position! But it was one of those things that when you see it, you know it is probably a once in a lifetime thing. The week before that I walked past a window and something caught my eye. A blue heron was standing in the middle of the back yard. That was the only one I've ever seen in my yard.

 

[Oddball]

 

[NYcarbineer]

My avatar was in my front yard. Does that count?

Sure does.

I had to break out my Field Guide to North American Birds to identify it.

It's a Pileated Woodpecker.

The field guide says:

"Despite it's large size, this elegant woodpecker is adept at keeping out of sight. Obtaining a close view of one usually requires careful stalking."

We looked it up too I thought that's what it was. they are extremely wary. I shot him out the window. They're the model for Woody Woodpecker.

 

[kwc57]

Courtesy of Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me

Radar Operator: Colonel, you better have a look at this radar.
Colonel: What is it, son?
Radar Operator: I don't know, sir, but it looks like a giant...
Jet Pilot: Dick. Dick, take a look out of starboard.
Co-Pilot: Oh my God, it looks like a huge...
Bird-Watching Woman: Pecker.
Bird-Watching Man: [raising binoculars] Ooh, Where?
Bird-Watching Woman: Over there. What sort of bird is that? Wait, it's not a woodpecker, it looks like someone's...
Army Sergeant: Privates. We have reports of an unidentified flying object. It has a long, smooth shaft, complete with...
Baseball Umpire: Two balls.
[looking up from game]
Baseball Umpire: What is that. It looks just like an enormous...
Chinese Teacher: Wang. pay attention.
Wang: I was distracted by that giant flying...
Musician: Willie.
Willie: Yeah?
Musician: What's that?
Willie: [squints] Well, that looks like a huge...
Colonel: Johnson.
Radar Operator: Yes, sir?
Colonel: Get on the horn to British Intelligence and let them know about this.

Sorry for the thread hijack.

 

[uscitizen]

I don't feed the birds here. MIght be kinda cruel considering the cats.

 

[JWBooth]

Anybody got a recipe for Robins?

 

[uscitizen]

Anybody got a recipe for Robins?

How many blackbirds were baked in the pie?

 

[JWBooth]

Anybody got a recipe for Robins?

How many blackbirds were baked in the pie?

Four and twenty

 

[kwc57]

Anybody got a recipe for Robins?

My brother married into a cajun family and they ate robins. Of course they had beer with breakfast too.

 

[JWBooth]

Anybody got a recipe for Robins?

My brother married into a cajun family and they ate robins. Of course they had beer with breakfast too.

and Communion, and Baptisms, and confession, and kindergarten graduation.

(cue Ry Cooder and the Southern Comfort theme....)

 

[Ringel05]

We don't have any birds in our neighborhood.