Vibe Spring2025 - Flipbook - Page 49
Using the eBird “Explore” function, users can discover the best places for birding nearby, referred to as
“Hotspots,” as well as reports, locations, and statistics of specific species in your area, like this map for
Red-bellied Woodpecker.
Advances in technology have significantly
improved interest and access to community science projects. Cornell Lab of
Ornithology’s eBird website and app allows volunteers worldwide to submit data
about the birds they see at any time and
in any location. Millions of observations
are recorded monthly and entered into a
central database that is used by scientists,
land managers, and bird watchers alike.
Identification Technology
While technology has been helpful in
expanding the reporting of sightings, it
is actively revolutionizing how beginner-to-advanced birders identify birds.
Most notably, Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Merlin app offers an intuitive Bird ID
Wizard that utilizes a series of questions,
including size, color, location, habitat,
behavior, etc., to generate potential identifications. Additionally, Merlin has an
incredible Sound ID program that, when
activated, listens to birds near you, and
provides real-time suggestions for what
species it may be.
Spring 2025
The newest technological revelation
in birding is the smart feeder. While not
yet as widespread and tested, products
such as Bird Buddy and Birdfy have been
predicted by ornithologists to further
expand interest in birds, community science participation, and related conservation efforts.
Birds to Watch in 2025
Whether you like to watch birds at your
feeder, in your yard, or as you adventure
in the White Mountains, there’s plenty
to enjoy and be excited by. For example,
a common backyard and feeder bird like
the Blue Jay is never tiresome to watch,
with its supreme intelligence, social
nature, the ability to mimic other bird
songs, and feathers that only appear blue
because they ironically scatter all wavelengths of light—except blue!
While not historically common in the
Mt. Washington Valley, there are several
species that have expanded their range
north due to warming temperatures, such
as the Red-bellied Woodpecker and Caro-
Western Maine
& New Hampshire
Lakes & Mountains
Carol Chaffee, REALTOR®
www.carolchaffee.com
(207) 240-1641
(888) 439-8743 #882
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