Count on our brave winter birds
During a recent snowfall that shrouded the garden in a blanket of pure white, Mark’s wife, Mary, exclaimed, “The cardinals illuminate the yard!” During the long, dark days of winter, every Canadian looks for illumination.
One bright light to look for are the native birds with their hardy, courageous natures that stay with us over winter. And when has there been a better time to slow down and observe avian activity than during the pandemic?
Now is the time to birdwatch with a purpose: The Great Backyard Bird Count is on, running Feb. 12-15, and it’s your chance to get in on the action — from a backyard, a park, on a walk through a forest or anywhere that birds can be seen and counted.
The bird count was the first online citizen-science project to collect data on wild birds when it launched in 1998 as a joint program of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society. Canadian partner Birds Canada joined the program in 2009.
Steven Price, president of Birds Canada, said the annual four-day event last year attracted 40,000 volunteers in Canada and more than 250,000 participants around the world. Together, they counted over 27 million birds — almost 7,000 species.
“The information is used is used to help scientists around the world understand the range of birds, threats like climate change and habitat loss, and it helps Birds Canada demonstrate where conservation action is working to conserve nature,” said Price.
Participation is simple. Log onto the Birds Canada website at birdscanada.org and click on the Great-Backyard-Bird-Count link. Sign up and you are in. Now all you have to do is count birds and, if possible, name them and record the results on the website.
Between us, we have 16 bird feeders. We offer our feathered friends a mixture of quality, corn-free seed, pure black oil sunflower seeds, nyjer seed for the little songlets, suet for chickadees and woodpeckers, and bird-quality peanuts for even more woodpeckers (always salt free).
Our favourite birds this time of year and how best to attract them:
Blue Jays. No need to wait for the season opener since the jays are lurking in your nearest cedar hedge waiting for peanuts. In the shell or out, bird peanuts are like candy to Blue Jays. Black oil sunflower seeds also work well. Members of the crow family, they are smart, noisy and bossy. Most other birds step aside when they’re around.
Chickadees. Cute, friendly (you can train them to take seed from your open hand) and chirpy. Chickadees get their name from their “chick-a-deedee-dee” song. Black oil sunflower seeds are best.
Nuthatches. One of the few birds that travel down a tree trunk headfirst, they’re like fearless kids on a playset. Nyjer seed and black oil sunflower seeds for these little ones.
Downy and hairy woodpeckers. Downy, the smaller of the two, and hairy’s look alike but have different stature. Suet is a sure draw, as are raw, salt-free peanuts out of the shell. Look for the distinct red flash on the back of the head of the males and the black and white markings on feathers.
Red bellied woodpecker. Known best for their brilliantly coloured red head. Their red belly is hard to see, but it is there. Feed the same as downy and hairy woodpeckers.
Cardinal. At this time of year the male’s vibrant red feathers make a sharp contrast against the snow. They are a true winter wonder worth watching. Feed same as blue jays, with black oil sunflower seeds and bird peanuts.
Challenge your friends and family to get in on the Great Backyard Bird Count this year and let our feathered friends help light up your winter.