The male goldfinch is bright yellow, while the female’s colors are dull.

Tomorrow, Nov. 10, is the first day to count birds for Feederwatch this year.  Project Feederwatch is a Citizen Science initiative that encourages people to set up bird feeders in their yards and count the birds that come to them.  These counts are useful to the the researchers at The Cornell Lab of Ornithology.  They are able to use the data sent to them by participants to track populations of birds as they increase or decrease and as they change their ranges. Some birds can live farther north than they did previously as the climate warms.  And some birds are having a hard time finding food for their young as the insects they need to feed them disappear. Project Feederwatch participants are providing very useful information as well has having the pleasure of watching birds.  It’s also a good way to increase your knowledge of the birds in your area since you are asked to identify what you report.  Having a good field guide or access to a good app on your smart phone will help with identification.

There is an annual fee for participation but to me it’s a small price to pay for so much enjoyment. And it is a way to feel a part of something much larger than our local community.  Here’s a link to the website: https://feederwatch.org