Data Entry Contest: Why Do You Like FeederWatch?

For the tenth season in a row, Project FeederWatch and our sponsor Wild Birds Unlimited are rewarding registered FeederWatchers with the chance to win prizes. Celestron has joined the fun by offering one pair of binoculars to each data entry contest winner as well. We randomly selected two winners per prompt. Our fifth and final Data Entry Contest prompt of the 39th season of FeederWatch was:

Tell us why you like to FeederWatch. If this is your first time FeederWatching, what motivated you to participate?

Congratulations to our winners, Sally Krueger and Raya Tanner!

Sally shared,

I like to FeederWatch because watching birds and wildlife at my feeders is entertaining, educational, fun, and purposeful. I had been keeping track of the different species of birds that visit my yard for over a decade when I discovered Feederwatch a few years ago. I was delighted that I could contribute data for ornithological research while doing something I already enjoyed. All of a sudden, my casual observations felt purposeful! I love learning new things, so studying first time arrivals until I could make a positive identification (Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Cooper’s Hawk) forced me to hone my observational skills. I am surprised at how much more detail I notice about bird behavior, too. For instance, how woodpeckers plant their tail firmly against the tree and use it as an additional appendage as they maneuver their way down the tree trunk to the suet feeder. I’m also learning to identify my backyard birds by their calls and songs. Feederwatch is a way to bring nature into my life on even the coldest, snowiest days of the winter. Participating in FeederWatch has definitely enriched my daily life while enhancing my birding skills.  I look forward to Feederwatching for many more years to come.

We are so happy that FeederWatch brings joy to so many people throughout the U.S. and Canada during the winter months. Sally’s story illustrates some of the benefits of participating in FeederWatch: entertainment, education, connecting with nature, and contributing to science. The practice of consistently watching and recording birds over time allows FeederWatchers to truly get to know the birds in their neighborhood and to develop a keen eye to detect subtle changes in bird communities that might otherwise go unnoticed. Thank you for sharing your story, Sally!

Raya shared,

I was inspired to participate in Project FeederWatch because of the birds who love to visit my backyard birdbath. Watching and safely photographing the birds bathe and mingle always brightens my day with love, laughter, and joy. Birds are infinitely interesting and have unique personalities and behaviors that encourage me to wonder. Birds remind me to be present, to appreciate the natural world around me, and to not take my environment for granted. Project FeederWatch gave me the opportunity to do something impactful for the backyard birds in return: share their story. I love contributing data to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, so that researchers can understand birds better and improve conservation efforts. Project FeederWatch has also inspired me to be more curious and mindful of bird safety. I researched how to maintain and clean a birdbath, so that I can ensure mine is in a healthy state for birds. Additionally, I set up a birdbath heater to keep the water from freezing during the winter months. I hope to encourage others to participate in the next FeederWatch season and discover how they can personally support birds!

Using plants, birdbaths, and/or feeders to safely attract birds to your space is a great way to get a closer look at birds, and even get some nice photos. Check out the Participant Photo gallery to explore the many beautiful photos of birds and mammals that have been visiting folks’ count sites this past season. We are so lucky to have so many talented photographers in the FeederWatch community! We are glad to hear that Raya has been proactive with maintaining a clean birdbath. If we attract birds to our spaces, maintaining a safe environment for them is absolutely crucial. Thank you for sharing your story, Raya!

Thanks to everyone who participated and shared their stories this season—we loved reading your submissions! Read the stories from past winners on our blog. Email feederwatch@cornell.edu with questions.