Dear GBBC participant,

Thanks to you, 2009 was another record year for the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC)! Birders from across the United States and Canada submitted more than 93,629 checklists during the four-day event, a 9 percent increase in checklist submissions since last year. Participants counted a record 11,550,200 individual birds representing 619 species and submitted thousands of photos of common and rare birds.

New species show up each year during the GBBC. This year we were excited by reports of the Sinaloa Wren, spotted north of the Mexican border for the first time. Xantus’s Murrelet and Pink-footed Shearwater were two new oceanic species spotted from California this year. Black-billed Cuckoo, Blackpoll Warbler, and Baird’s Sandpiper also made their GBBC debuts in 2009. 

For a more detailed summary of this year’s results and to view the year’s 10 most-reported species, visit the GBBC web site at www.birdcount.org. You can explore maps and photos and browse lists of participants who won GBBC prizes.

GBBC Photo Contest

Judging for the GBBC photo contest will take place in the months ahead, and the winners will be announced in the fall. Although we always receive many more photos than we can display in our gallery, we are thrilled that so many of you shared your photos with us. Visit the photo gallery at http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/gallery/2009-photo-gallery to see the 400+ photos that are posted. These photos are a spectacular glimpse at birds across the continent during the weekend of the count. Thanks to all of you who gave us a peek through your camera lenses!

Staying Involved - Introducing My Yard eBird!

Audubon and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology are pleased to announce the launch of My Yard eBird, a new online tool that allows you to keep track of the birds around your home all year round. Visit http://ebird.org/content/myyard to find out more information. By reporting the birds you see each day, week, or whenever you’d like, you can help us track bird populations throughout the year. It's fun, free, and good for the birds!

Now that spring has officially arrived, consider getting involved in the NestWatch project from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Participants monitor nests and nest boxes to let scientists know when eggs are laid, when they hatch, and how many chicks fledge. It’s an important way to measure the impact of climate change and other factors on breeding birds. Visit www.NestWatch.org to check it out!

Happy Birding,

Janis Dickinson, Director of Citizen Science, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Rob Fergus, Senior Scientist, National Audubon Society