counting birds: be a better birder, with cornell’s rebecca rodomsky-bish

WATCHING BIRDS lifts my spirits, as it has for decades, and who couldn’t use their spirits lifted right about now? But there’s another much bigger potential benefit, which is that sharing my sightings helps scientists understand what’s going on with bird populations in a changing world.

One of my favorite citizen-science efforts, a global project called The Great Backyard Bird Count, is coming up Feb. 16-19, and its project manager is here today with tips on using the latest technology like the Merlin app, along with our old-school observational powers to improve our bird ID skills.

Becca Rodomsky-Bish manages the annual Great Backyard Bird Count, a collaboration founded in 1998 between Cornell Lab of Ornithology, where she works, the National Audubon Society and Birds Canada. Becca is also a passionate habitat-style gardener herself. (Photo above of pine siskins by Julie Blondeau/Macaulay Library.)

Read along as you listen to the Feb. 12, 2024 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) or Spotify (and browse my archive of podcasts here).

counting birds, with becca rodomsky-bish

Margaret Roach: Hi, Becca. How are you?

Becca Rodomsky-Bish: Hi. I am great, Margaret. I am a big fan of all of your work around gardening, so it’s an honor to be here.

Margaret: Well, we’ve collaborated on things before. You’ve always taught me—you and your colleagues over the years have taught me so much, and I’ve put in a plug for the Lab of Ornithology. I’ve been a member for a million years because I’m a million years old, and I’ve just learned so much from your resources there and from participating, which we’re going to encourage everybody to take