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Disclaimer: I didn’t record this episode deep in the forest or on a deserted stretch of beach. I spent the weekend in my backyard, taking part in the 2023 Great Backyard Bird Count. Temperatures ranged from the mid-20s (F) into the high-40s over the weekend. The wind was BRUTAL, with gusts hitting 30 miles per hour. This is not a clean recording, but it accurately reflects the conditions in which I found myself during this event.

As a birding enthusiast and a self-proclaimed citizen scientist, I am taking part in the 2023 Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), a global event that encourages people to observe and count the birds in their backyard, local park, or any other location for at least 15 minutes on one or more days during the event. The event for 2023 began on Friday (2/17) and ends tomorrow (2/20). Despite insane wind and less-than-ideal birding conditions, I identified 14 different bird species during the event, including some of my favorite songbirds and a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers.

Participating in the GBBC was not only fun and rewarding, but it also had important scientific value. By counting birds and reporting my sightings online, I contributed to one of the largest bird surveys in the world and helped scientists track changes in bird populations and their distribution over time. Even though my observations were from a small area, it’s still valuable data that can help identify hotspots of bird diversity and monitor the spread of invasive species.

The following are the bird species I identified during the event:

• Mourning Dove
• Bald Eagle
• Downy Woodpecker
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Blue Jay
• American Crow
• Black-capped Chickadee
• Tufted Titmouse
• White-breasted Nuthatch
• Cedar Waxwing
• Northern Cardinal
• House Sparrow
• American Goldfinch
• Common Raven

I hope you will consider joining me next February for the next bird count. Let me know how many birds you are able to identify in this recording! 

Recording Details:

• Date and Time: 2/19/2023 | 07:15AM
• Location: My Backyard on Spider Lake | Traverse City, Michigan
• Landscape/Feature: Backyard with Cedar, Pine, Maple and Oak trees on Spider Lake
• Conditions: 20F to 45F, Extreme Wind, Sunny
• Recording Device: Zoom F6 Field Recorder
• Microphone(s): Sonorous Objects SO.1 Microphones
• Digital Audio Workstation: Adobe Audition

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