Information provided by Project FeederWatch participants provides valuable information about winter bird populations, such as nuthatches and redpolls (photos by Paul Konrad).

The biggest event of the winter – Project FeederWatch – begins this Saturday, November 13th with thousands of eager birders reporting during this 35th season! If you haven’t renewed or if you are a first timer, you can sign up now to report the birds coming to your feeders or bird-friendly habitat; it’s easy and it’s fun to participate, regardless of your age or where you live in the United States or Canada. It’s easy too; simply monitor your feeder, birdbath, or birdscape to identify and count the birds during your selected times on certain count days each month through April 30.

Project FeederWatch is a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Birds Canada that engages birders and provides biologists with continent-wide information about winter populations and movements of birds month to month, and over decades. To get all the details about how to participate in Project FeederWatch, see Detailed Instructions - FeederWatch And there is a wealth of information available on the website for all birders to use to improve and expand your backyard birding activities this winter.