It has come to my attention that some people (who have contacted me) think you have to be an expert to help with the North American Migration Count. Nothing could be farther from the truth. This is not the Breeding Bird Survey, folks, where you're supposed to tally -- accurately -- every bird you hear and see. This count was begun to get more people out in the field, enjoying birds.
If you feel like you're just starting to learn the species around your house, spend the day noticing which birds you do recognize and write those down for a feeder count. Never mind if you can't figure out what those little brown jobs are. Neither can a lot of other people. If you start looking out the window at 9 a.m., then do other stuff but occasionally check your feeders, write down when you stop looking, say 5 p.m., then guesstimate how much total time you spent looking out the window: like 45 minutes, maybe.
Or if you'd like to get out in the field and learn more, ask your county coordinator if there's someone you can team up with to tally the birds for her. A friend of mine who read about the survey in the paper is coming with me on Sunday to tally birds for Tillamook and Polk counties.
I do my own farm on Saturday for Yamhill County... between chores. On Sunday, I cover a tiny area of Tillamook and Polk counties that are close to home. I have printed off two checklists of birds that Carol Karlen made some years ago of birds of Yamhill County for the NAMC. Then I highlighted the ones we might see in our tiny sectors of Tillamook and Polk counties, respectively. My friend will not have to wade through entire lists of birds in Oregon, most of which she's never heard of. But I'll bet she learns some birds on Sunday. And most of all, has fun in the outdoors.
You, of the 1,000 plus readers of this list, who never post and don't consider yourselves "birders"... join the fun this weekend!
Linda Fink, SW Yamhill county -- http://lindafink.blogspot.com/ http://lindafink-birdnotes.blogspot.com/ http://fffwildflowers.blogspot.com/ http://finkfamilyfarmtrees.blogspot.com/ OBOL archives: www.freelists.org/archive/obol Manage your account or unsubscribe: //www.freelists.org/list/obol Contact moderators: obol-moderators@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
