The Secret World of Birds: Project FeederWatch

BY MARINA DELUCA, GROUP FOR THE EAST END ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATE

Black-capped chickadees at Downs Farm Preserve in Cutchogue, photo by Rob DeLuca

As with many years past, Group for the East End is participating in Project FeederWatch; a citizen science program run by Cornell Lab of Ornithology. You can do it in your own backyard, too! You can find more information here.

When I first arrived to set up feeders at Downs Farm Preserve in Cutchogue, I did not see a single bird in sight. The woods that surrounded the bird feeders was silent, lifeless, and still. I was worried that I wasn’t going to spot a single bird and was going to be spending my days looking at a desolate forest. Once the feeders had been set up and filled with seeds, I picked an inconspicuous perch with my binoculars and notepad in hand and I waited.

15 minutes went by and slowly the silence started to lift into a chorus of birds, small chirps, calls, and songs began to fill my observation area. But despite the symphony, there was not a single bird in sight – the trees were still and there was not an ounce of movement except a subtle breeze. 10 more minutes passed and the first bird appeared, a single black capped chickadee flitted in – took a seed and disappeared. Shortly after two chickadees appeared, they each took a seed and perched in a nearby tree, followed by a tufted titmouse, and suddenly the whole forest was catapulted into life.

White throated sparrow, photo by Rob DeLuca

There were birds everywhere! Cardinals, sparrows, finches, woodpeckers, the leaves, shrubs and trees were alive with movement. Birds were hopping on the ground, sitting at the feeders, flying back and forth between the trees. I couldn’t believe my eyes! I started scribbling down the types of birds in my notebook, trying to record every individual I spotted. In my race to write down everything I was observing, my notebook slipped out of my hands and crashed to the ground. I lunged forward to grab it and looked back to the feeders, but they were once again lifeless, the forest was still, and the air was silent. This entire world of wildlife disappeared in mere seconds; it was incredible.

Red-bellied woodpecker, photo by Rob DeLuca

When we look out into the woods, a patch of shrubs, or just some trees on the edge of our properties, you will probably see a similar scene to the one I did when I arrived at Downs Farm Preserve; lifeless and empty. But I bet if you sat there for a while and embraced the stillness you might find an entire universe can exist in something as small as a single tree.  It is so important to remember that this universe of birds (and other wildlife) exists – even when we can’t see it.

Song sparrow, photo by Rob DeLuca