“Fall is my favorite season in Los Angeles, watching the birds change color and fall from the trees.” David Letterman

My grandparents used to travel around for hours just looking for a bird species they had not seen before. I always remember seeing a birding book in their car at any time. Now there have always been internet resources for birders but this one seems to have some very cool features. What a Bird has a unique way of identifying the species seen. You go through a series of prompts identifying basics like where and when down to whether or not the bird was hawk-like or not. It seems to work pretty well. Also there are games like the bird sleuth. There is a tutorial on identifying bird songs and bunch of other resources like forums for discussing every aspect. If you are a bird enthusiasts then it is time to give this one a try.

"What a bunch of dodos..." Big Bird from the movie Follow That Bird

OK, you bunch of Birders you've got some work to do. Today is the start of the Great Backyard Bird Count. Essentially you go out into the wilds of your backyard or local park and count the number of birds and species that you see. Once you do that, it is time to head back to the warmth of your computer and enter in the data. This data is valuable for scientists studying climate change and many other variables that are changing birds' behavior. I like the idea that it does not require you to be an expert to participate. I think they say it best on their website “We are encouraging people to go outside and count birds for the first time this year,” said Paul Green, Audubon’s director of Citizen Science. “By submitting their counts online, birdwatchers can quickly see how the dots they put on the map form new patterns that tell new stories about the birds that share the world in which we live, including our own backyards and parks.” Give it a try!

Note: Do it this weekend. The count stops on the 19th. It only takes 15 minutes.