Bird by bird. That’s how the longest-running citizen science project in the world shines a light on our understanding of bird populations. It’s an international effort starting December 14th with local events planned December 17-26.
Want to get involved? Sign up to watch your feeders and join a team of counters to offer ornithologists a vital snapshot of our native bird populations during the winter months. You might stay at home and count birds from the warmth of your kitchen. Or you might join a count circle with a diameter of 15 miles. At least ten volunteers, including a leader to coordinate the process, count in each circle. They break up into small groups and trace pre-planned routes, counting every bird they see.
Others keep watch out the window at their bird feeders instead of venturing into the cold. Not a bad way to spend December.
Birds spark fascination, joy, and music. They’ve inspired composers from Vivaldi to Mozart. Here’s a feeder of feathered friends.
These players are poultry in motion as they play Jean-Philippe Rameau’s La Poule (“The Hen.”)
These players (Nicole Li, erhu and Corey Hamm, piano) offer a dreamy interpretation of Birds In Warped Time II by Somei Satoh.
(Read about a beautiful art project inspired by this piece here.)
Vivaldi’s “Goldfinch concerto” (Il Gardellino, Op. 10 n. 3 - Concerto for flute, strings & b.c. in D major, RV 428) is inspired by the somewhat drab European goldfinch, not the flashy American one.
Finally, this IS what you think it is -- chickens making music of their own.
Happy Birding!
Brenda
