Any birders out there? Whether you're just starting out, or you've been birding for 100 years I would encourage you to use it, as it's a simple and easy way to record birds and allows anybody to use your data, should you so select. I've been recording birds since 1972 with it. It's a fantastic way to organize. It is run by Cornell and National Audubon.

Jack

It’s great, along with the Merlin app.

Look at the "top 100" in Idaho for 2024, Rob. We're learning a lot about birds. I agree, "Merlin" is good also.

Jack

I've been using the BirdNET app, and Merlin when necessary, for about 4 years now. I've got 93 different Michigan species identified, plus a few that the apps can't figure out even though they're obvious to me. I keep upgrading my recordings when the opportunity arises and alot are "museum grade" in my humble opinion. To me it's another cool fthing to collect when in the woods.

-NC

I've been using the Merlin app and get regular emails from Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

On a related note; there was a bald eagle feasting on a dead deer in a cut cornfield on the way home from work just now. It's a rare enough event around here that some folks pull over to take a better look and snap some pics.

I’ve been using Ebird for a little over 10 years to document sightings, it’s really exploded in popularity over the last 4-5 years with almost 750,000 birders using it to submit checklists in the US.
Lots of different data that can be pulled from it on bird sightings from the local level all the way up to worldwide.

I really like it when traveling as I can pull up other peoples checklists and sightings in an area to help me familiarize myself with the local birds and local “hotspots” to go birding.

I have an interesting relationship with eBird and birders

Birding groups sometimes get special access to NWR's or WMA's and I have joined their groups to scout for ducks. Lots of these foot traffic only refuges get opened up to vehicles for bird counting, so it makes scouting much easier. I keep a pair of khakis and a Crocodile dundee hat in my truck for such occasions.

eBird is a great resource to determine which area "rare" species of waterfowl frequent

For awhile I saw birders as a shrewd crowd, but then when I zoomed out I realized I spend more time looking at birds than they do, and I am probably the weird one. I am thankful for the information they provide, and we get along well for the most part

Just downloaded eBird. Thanks for the tip Gulo.

I might have to check it out. Is it a free app?

Yea

the time listening to the old tapes of the bird calls....that was 50 years ago
Merlin has gone warp speed in the last 4 years
got to use one on the daughters phone on a east coast visit.....sure enjoyed it.....but it does use up phone battery time fast

pushing past 70 and having good hearing sure does help pick out those...pssss...twits calls

I remember a Grade 6 Science project of a student; Can you identify 10 bird songs and 10 politician voices and 10 movie star voices. 75% could iD the bird calls but only 50% politicians and 66% movie stars from 100 people.