The Great Front Yard Bird Count

Well, technically, this is the Great BACKyard Bird Count weekend, Friday through Monday, sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.  Basically, they try to convince as many people as possible, whether regular birders or not, to go forth and count birds, and then enter the data on their ebird site.

You're allowed to bird anywhere,  not just your yard.  However, the forecast for today and the entire three-day weekend is "rain in one form or another."  Not ideal conditions!  This morning as I ate breakfast it was just a sprinkle, and I managed to see 8 crows, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, and 20 Bushtits in my FRONT yard.    Yay!

And then I spied a band of lighter sky to the south.  Determined to get better birds for the count, I tossed Truman in Winnie the Wienermobile and dashed down to the Montlake Fill.  Judging by the clouds heading in, I figured I had about 30 minutes to get around the 1-mile loop trail. Well, turns out I was wrong -- I had only 20 minutes before the rain started.  And it took me 30 to get around, stopping to ID and count birds along the way.  Luckily, the rain during those last 10 minutes was a mere sprinkle -- the deluge started after we were safely inside the car.  Whew!  I think I just invented Speed Birding.

I managed to nab 23 species in those 30 minutes, so I feel it was time well spent.  Truman and I are now back home, looking out the front window as the rain pours down, hoping for a few brave birds to turn up.  No luck so far.

Since I was Speed Birding, I didn't take any photos, so I leave you all this week with three pics from yesterday, when I forced Truman to go for short walks in THREE parks in nearby Shoreline.  The poor guy.

Twin Ponds Park

Hamlin Park

Paramount Park

Happy Friday!