Yup, it’s still cold out there. In fact, it was so cold (and windy) that at Winslow Park this morning, my tearing eyes caused my face to literally freeze to my spotting scope! Luckily, no skin was lost in the process.

Seven drake, and one hen Barrow’s Goldeneyes – and increase of two since last week – made it worth it. And, the flock of about 25 Dunlin continues there as well. Other than an hour or so birding the lower Harraseeket this morning, birding was again relegated to feeder-watching.

What a difference a year makes! On this date last year, I had two male Red-winged Blackbirds, vanguards of the early spring. The most recent Southcoastal Maine Rare Bird Alert (SCMRBA) was dominated by waterfowl that are normally absent from Maine in winter. However, this year the lack of ice – until recently – allowed larger numbers of ducks (especially those that prefer freshwater) to linger, and are only now being forced to move around and concentrate in locations that remain open.

Meanwhile, the first SCMRBA for February of ’06 was headlined by some very out-of-season visitors, such as a Forster’s Tern and 1-2 Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows - not to mention a continuing Western Tanager. Two years ago, the SCMRBA noted more Thick-billed Murres than normal, but otherwise seemed to represent a more “normal” set of birds for early February in Maine. On our website, we archive past Rare Bird Alerts for just this reason – the ability to compare bird sightings from year to year. I believe this is very helpful for learning about, and understanding, the differences that occur from one year to the next. It’s also a great tool for planning upcoming birding trips!

While the SCMRBA archives are not meant to be a study of population dynamics, Cornell’s Great Backyard Bird Count most definitely is. This year’s GBBC is on Saturday, February 16-19. To help folks prepare for that, we’re hosting a free workshop this Saturday (February 10) at 3:00pm (here at the store). We’ll cover the basics of the GBBC, including how to collect and submit data, why we collect the data, and finally tips on identifying our winter feeder visitors. (Please call the store, 846-8002, if you plan on joining us, as seating is limited).

The Great Backyard Bird Count, Project Feederwatch, Christmas Bird Counts, and Breeding Bird Surveys are some of the “Citizen Science” projects that help us to monitor changes in bird populations and distribution. One such change – and a disturbing one at that – is the precipitous decline of the Rusty Blackbird. And, we don’t know why it’s happening - but we're trying to find out.