A great way to help birds besides feeding and watering them is to count them. The Great Backyard Bird Count is held each year over four days in February. It is conducted by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the Audubon Society. All information gathered is reported by volunteer individuals, such as myself, and reported via the internet. The purpose? To see which species have increased and which have declined, which have kept to their current range, and which have migrated to new areas. Also, how the weather influences populations of birds, and what kinds of birds are in cities or suburban or rural or natural areas.

The Great Backyard Bird Count has grown every year with over 60,000 checklists submitted in the 2006 Count. Checklists are lists that you submit of all the birds you observe on a given day, time, and area. The total species observed in 2006 was 622, with a total of 7,594,742 birds counted!

It is a fun way to help with research that no one could afford to pay for, but the rewards of doing the count and helping with the research is beyond measure. At least take a look at The Great Backyard Bird Count website to see what was reported in your area!

The Great Backyard Bird Count My Bird Count List for 2002 February 15, 2002 Dark-eyed Junco - 1 American Goldfinch - 15 Carolina Chickadee - 2 Tufted Titmouse - 2 American Crow - 17 Northern Cardinal - 1 White-breasted Nuthatch - 1 Mourning Dove - 4 Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 February 16, 2002 Dark-eyed Junco - 3 American Goldfinch - 37 Tufted Titmouse - 4 Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 Mourning Dove - 5 Purple Finch - 1 Downy Woodpecker - 1 Carolina Chickadee - 1 Black Vulture - 1 White-breasted Nuthatch - 2 American Crow - 32 Eastern Bluebird - 3 Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1 American Robin - 1 February 17, 2002 Dark-eyed Junco - 5 American Goldfinch - 25 Tufted Titmouse - 3 Pine Siskin - 2 Carolina Chickadee - 2 Mourning Dove - 7 Purple Finch - 3 American Crow - 4 Downy Woodpecker - 1 White-breasted Nuthatch - 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 American Robin - 3 Northern Cardinal - 1 Cooper's Hawk - 1 Northern Flicker - 1 February 18, 2002 Dark-eyed Junco - 2 American Goldfinch - 13 Mourning Dove - 5 Tufted Titmouse - 4 American Crow - 25 European Starling - 4 Rock Dove (Pigeon) - 5 Northern Mockingbird - 1 Pine Siskin - 1 Carolina Chickadee - 3 Northern Cardinal - 2 Black Vulture - 1 Red-shouldered Hawk - 1 White-breasted Nuthatch - 1

The Great Backyard Bird Count My Bird Count List for 2003 February 14, 2003 Dark-eyed Junco - 9 American Goldfinch - 1 Carolina Chickadee - 2 Tufted Titmouse - 4 American Crow - 4 Northern Cardinal - 2 White-breasted Nuthatch - 2 Mourning Dove - 2 Downy Woodpecker - 2 Rock Dove - 16 Pine Siskin - 1 February 15, 2003 Dark-eyed Junco - 10 American Goldfinch - 2 Carolina Chickadee - 2 Tufted Titmouse - 4 American Crow - 5 Northern Cardinal - 2 White-breasted Nuthatch - 1 Mourning Dove - 1 Downy Woodpecker - 2 Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 Carolina Wren - 1 Eastern Bluebird - 2 Red-winged Blackbird - 1 Cooper's Hawk - 1 February 16, 2003 Dark-eyed Junco - 6 American Goldfinch - 2 Tufted Titmouse - 3 Pine Siskin - 1 Carolina Chickadee - 2 Mourning Dove - 1 American Crow - 22 Downy Woodpecker - 1 White-breasted Nuthatch - 2 Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 Northern Cardinal - 2 Carolina Wren - 1 Eastern Bluebird - 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet - 2 February 17, 2003 Dark-eyed Junco - 8 American Goldfinch - 1 Tufted Titmouse - 3 Pine Siskin - 1 Carolina Chickadee - 2 Mourning Dove - 1 American Crow - 20 Downy Woodpecker - 1 White-breasted Nuthatch - 1 Northern Cardinal - 2 Carolina Wren - 1 Black Vulture - 2 Mallard Duck - 12 Canada Goose - 12 American Robin - 12 Rock Dove - 48 Northern Mockingbird - 1 Cedar Waxwing - 22 European Starling - 28

The Great Backyard Bird Count My Bird Count List for 2004 February 13, 2004 Dark-eyed Junco - 7 American Goldfinch - 2 Carolina Chickadee - 5 Tufted Titmouse - 2 American Crow - 1 Northern Cardinal - 1 White-breasted Nuthatch - 1 Mourning Dove - 3 Downy Woodpecker - 2 Pine Siskin - 1 European Starling - 6 Eastern Bluebird - 4 Carolina Wren - 2 Mallard - 38 Black Vulture - 1 White Ducks - 13 February 14, 2004 Dark-eyed Junco - 14 American Goldfinch - 2 Carolina Chickadee - 2 Tufted Titmouse - 2 American Crow - 9 Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 White-breasted Nuthatch - 1 American Robin - 14 Downy Woodpecker - 2 European Starling - 8 Eastern Bluebird - 1 Carolina Wren - 2 February 15, 2004 Dark-eyed Junco - 9 American Goldfinch - 5 Carolina Chickadee - 2 Tufted Titmouse - 1 American Crow - 3 Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 White-breasted Nuthatch - 2 Downy Woodpecker - 1 White-throated Sparrow - 1 North Cardinal - 2 Carolina Wren - 1 Pileated Woodpecker - 1 Mourning Dove - 2 February 16, 2004 Carolina Chickadee - 6 Tufted Titmouse - 2 American Crow - 22 Downy Woodpecker - 2 Carolina Wren - 3 Pileated Woodpecker - 2 Mourning Dove - 3 Northern Mockingbird - 1 Rock Dove - 49 Black Vulture - 3

The Great Backyard Bird Count My Bird Count List for 2005 February 18, 2005 Black Vulture - 1 Mallard - 21 Red-tailed Hawk - 1 Mourning Dove - 3 Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 American Crow - 20 Carolina Chickadee - 3 Tufted Titmouse - 1 White-breasted Nuthatch - 2 American Robin - 11 Dark-eyed Junco - 7 Northern Cardinal - 2 Red-winged Blackbird - 8 American Goldfinch - 2 February 19, 2005 At Home Red-tailed Hawk - 1 Rock Dove - 20 Mourning Dove - 3 Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 Downy Woodpecker - 2 American Crow - 5 Carolina Chickadee - 2 Tufted Titmouse - 1 White-breasted Nuthatch - 1 American Robin - 1 Dark-eyed Junco - 5 Northern Cardinalk - 1 American Goldfinch - 1 February 19, 2005 At Biltmore Black Vulture - 4 Canada Goose - 135 American Black Duck - 1 Mallard - 12 Red-tailed Hawk - 2 Rock Dove - 9 Mourning Dove - 2 Belted Kingfisher - 1 American Crow - 70 Eastern Bluebird - 1 American Robin - 28 European Starling - 150 February 20, 2005 Mourning Dove - 3 Downy Woodpecker - 1 American Crow - 10 Carolina Chickadee - 2 Tufted Titmouse - 1 White-breasted Nuthatch - 1 Carolina Wren - 2 White-throated Sparrow - 1 Dark-eyed Junco - 7 Pine Siskin - 1 American Goldfinch - 1

The Great Backyard Bird Count My Bird Count List for 2006 February 17, 2006 At Home Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 American Crow - 22 Carolina Chickadee - 2 Tufted Titmouse - 2 White-breasted Nuthatch - 1 Dark-eyed Junco - 3 American Goldfinch - 3 Downy Woodpecker - 1 Canada Goose - 5 At Bent Creek American Robin - 15 February 18, 2006 At Home American Goldfinch - 3 Tufted Titmouse - 2 White-throated Sparrow - 3 Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 Dark-eyed Junco - 6 Carolina Wren - 2 Mourning Dove- 4 Northern Cardinal - 1 Downy Woodpecker - 1 In Asheville American Crow - 7 Turkey Vulture - 1 February 19, 2006 Rock Dove - 27 Mourning Dove - 2 Carolina Wren - 2 Downy Woodpecker - 1 American Crow - 8 Carolina Chickadee - 2 Tufted Titmouse - 2 White-breasted Nuthatch - 1 White-throated Sparrow - 1 Dark-eyed Junco - 6 American Goldfinch - 5 February 20, 2006 Mourning Dove - 3 Downy Woodpecker - 1 American Crow - 35 Carolina Chickadee - 3 Tufted Titmouse - 1 White-breasted Nuthatch - 1 Carolina Wren - 1 White-throated Sparrow - 3 Dark-eyed Junco - 8 Purple Finch - 1 American Goldfinch - 2 Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1

The Great Backyard Bird Count My Bird Count List for 2007 February 16, 2007 At Home Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 American Crow - 7 Carolina Chickadee - 2 Tufted Titmouse - 4 White-breasted Nuthatch - 3 Dark-eyed Junco - 16 American Goldfinch - 2 Downy Woodpecker - 2 Canada Goose - 21 Northern Cardinal - 3 Turkey Vulture - 1 Rock Dove - 4 Eastern Towhee - 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 1 Blue Jay - 1 Carolina Wren - 1 Mallard - 5 Mourning Dove - 1 Ring-necked Duck - 4 Northern Mockingbird - 1 Bluebird - 1 White-throated Sparrow - 2 In Asheville American Robin - 5 Red-shouldered Hawk - 1 American Crow - 2 Tufted Titmouse - 2 February 17, 2007 At Home Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 American Crow - 8 Carolina Chickadee - 2 Tufted Titmouse - 2 White-breasted Nuthatch - 1 Dark-eyed Junco - 11 American Goldfinch - 1 Downy Woodpecker - 1 Canada Goose - 11 Northern Cardinal - 3 Turkey Vulture - 1 Eastern Towhee - 1 Blue Jay - 2 Mourning Dove - 2 Bluebird - 2 White-throated Sparrow - 6 American Kestrel - 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1 In Asheville House Finch - 1 Black Vulture - 11 American Crow - 3 Rock Doves - 25 Field Sparrow - 1 Seagull - 2 February 18, 2007 Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 Carolina Chickadee - 1 Tufted Titmouse - 2 White-breasted Nuthatch - 2 Dark-eyed Junco - 11 American Goldfinch - 1 Downy Woodpecker - 2 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 1 Northern Cardinal - 3 Turkey Vulture - 1 Eastern Towhee - 1 Blue Jay - 1 Mourning Dove - 6 American Robin - 1 White-throated Sparrow - 4 American Kestrel - 1 European Starling - 20 Red-tailed Hawk - 1 February 19, 2007 At Home Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 American Crow - 27 Carolina Chickadee - 1 Tufted Titmouse - 3 White-breasted Nuthatch - 1 Dark-eyed Junco - 10 Pileated Woodpecker - 1 Downy Woodpecker - 2 American Robin - 5 Northern Cardinal - 6 Turkey Vulture - 1 Blue Jay - 1 Mourning Dove - 5 White-throated Sparrow - 2 In Asheville Rock Doves - 25

The Great Backyard Bird Count My Bird Count List for 2008 February 15, 2008 At Home Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 American Crow - 61 Carolina Chickadee - 2 White-breasted Nuthatch - 1 Dark-eyed Junco - 5 Downy Woodpecker - 1 Mourning Dove - 4 In Asheville American Crow - 5 Rock Dove - 7 Belted Kingfisher - 2 Canada Goose - 2 February 16, 2008 At Home American Goldfinch - 3 Tufted Titmouse - 1 White-throated Sparrow - 5 Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 Dark-eyed Junco - 9 Carolina Chickadee - 3 Mourning Dove- 5 Northern Cardinal - 1 Downy Woodpecker - 1 American Crow - 14 White-breasted Nuthatch - 2 Song Sparrow - 2 In Asheville American Crow - 2 Belted Kingfisher - 1 Rock Dove - 1 At Owen Park Mourning Dove - 4 Canada Goose - 31 Mallard - 2 Great Blue Heron - 1 Redhead Duck - 1 Pileated Woodpecker - 1 Belted Kingfisher -1 February 17, 2008 At Home Mourning Dove - 7 Song Sparrow - 1 Downy Woodpecker - 1 American Crow - 2 Carolina Chickadee - 1 Tufted Titmouse - 1 White-breasted Nuthatch - 2 White-throated Sparrow - 2 Dark-eyed Junco - 5 American Goldfinch - 7 Northern Cardinal - 1 In Asheville Great Blue Heron - 1 Red-tailed Hawk - 1 At Owen Park Canada Goose - 4 Mallard - 3 Ring-necked Duck - 4 American Crow - 6 Mourning Dove -2 February 18, 2008 At Home Mourning Dove - 4 Downy Woodpecker - 2 American Crow - 30 Tufted Titmouse - 3 White-breasted Nuthatch - 3 Carolina Wren - 1 Dark-eyed Junco - 5 American Goldfinch - 7 Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 In Asheville Eastern Bluebird - 1 Turkey Vulture - 1 American Crow - 4 At Owen Park Canada Goose - 41 Ring-necked Duck - 2 Mallard - 2 At Beaver Lake Carolina Chickadee - 1 Northern Cardinal - 3 American Coot - 20 Red-winged Blackbird - 3 Ring-necked Duck - 3 American Crow - 2 Great Blue Heron - 1 Mallard - 4

Links The Birds Nest Birds of Winter Birds of Spring Birds of Summer Birds of Fall Home Site Map Email at: dh @ naturehaven.com (Take out the spaces and this email address will work!)