A constant theme through this winter’s columns has been “Where are the birds?” This weekend, readers will have an opportunity to find out.

The 13th annual Great Backyard Bird Count takes place from Feb. 12 through 15, 2010. This event, jointly sponsored by the National Audubon Society, Cornell Lab of Ornithology and, for the first time, Bird Studies Canada, creates a snapshot of birds throughout North America.

Participants are asked to count any birds they see for at least a 15-minute period on any of the four days, one list for each day and each site. Then submit the lists to the Great Backyard Bird Count website.

Anyone can participate, from novice birders to experts. The website has tips on identification to help beginners.

Observations can be made anywhere. Birds can be counted in and around your own backyard. Some participants prefer to take a bird hike in the nearest park. In many years, this might require snowshoes or cross-country skis, but not this year (so far) in our area.

Each checklist submitted by the thousands of participants helps scientist determine how birds are faring across the continent. Such a count would not be possible without this army of volunteer observers.

In 2009, a total of 94,165 checklists were submitted. These lists recorded a total of 620 species observed and 11,558,638 individual birds counted.

Thirty-one checklists were submitted from around Northumberland County.

The counts can help answer many questions such as:

* How will this winter’s snow and cold temperatures influence bird populations?

* Where are winter finches and other “irruptive” species that appear in large numbers during some years but not others?

* How will the timing of birds’ migrations compare with past years?

* How are bird diseases, such as West Nile virus, affecting birds in different regions?

* What kinds of differences in bird diversity are apparent in cities versus suburban, rural, and natural areas?

* Are any birds undergoing worrisome declines that point to the need for conservation attention?

Bird populations are always shifting and changing. For example, 2009 Great Backyard Bird Count data highlighted a huge southern invasion of pine siskins across much of the eastern United States. Participants counted 279,469 pine siskins on 18,528 checklists, as compared to the previous high of 38,977 birds on 4,069 checklists in 2005.

Failure of seed crops farther north caused the siskins to move south to find their favourite food.

As sightings are received on the website, they are posted on real-time maps and lists. Anyone can access these to see what species are being seen and where in North America they are being recorded. So, in this way, readers who have been wondering where the birds are can find out.

For more information about the Great Backyard Bird Count, visit the website at www.birdcount.orgor contact Bird Studies Canada at 1-888-448-2473 ext. 134 or gbbc@birdscanada.org . ekrf@eagle.ca