Backyard Bird Count: Project FeederWatch

To learn more about our feathered friends that visit the East End, the Group participates in Project FeederWatch, a citizen science project run by Cornell Lab of Ornithology. From November through April, we observe the bird feeders at Downs Farm Preserve in Cutchogue, taking note of the number of birds and the different species that visit each day.

This annual survey is a study of birds in North America found in backyards, nature centers, community centers, and more. The data collected helps determine long-term trends in bird distribution and abundance, the timing and extent of winter irruptions of winter finches and other species, expansions or contractions in the winter ranges of feeder birds, the kinds of foods and environmental factors that attract birds, and how disease is spread among birds that visit feeders.

Since the Group began participating in 2018, we’ve recorded more than 4,000 bird sightings! Notable sightings include the fox sparrow, eastern towhee, hermit thrush, pine warbler, yellow-bellied sapsucker, ruby crowned kinglet, yellow warbler, and yellow-rumped warbler.

Get involved! Learn more about Project FeederWatch and join the Group as a volunteer.

Photos: Jim Colligan, Jay Rand