[Maine-birds] GYBOB weekend - PLEASE JOIN US!

Are you stuck indoors, but want to get out birding?  Need a good reason to get away from your computer? Or the couch?

 

Then here is the answer!

 

GYBOB weekend

 

Huh?  Okay, it stands for "Get Your Butt Out Birding!"  And it is happening THIS WEEKEND (Oct 29-30) for EVERYBODY IN MAINE.

How to Participate

1.     GO BIRDING on Oct 29 and/or Oct 30
You don't need to be a bird expert, or go out all day long. Even a half hour checklist from your backyard will help add data to the GYBOB weekend.  Go it alone, or with a friend, or even form a team!

2.     SUBMIT YOUR LIST(S) TO EBIRD
If you don't have an eBird account, you can create one at ebird.org, or go birding with a friend who has an account.

3.     SHARE your list(s) with GYBOB
After submitting your eBird list, view/edit your list in eBird and click on the Share with others in your party link.  In the TO box, enter GYBOB, then click on SHARE CHECKLIST.  That's all you need to do for each of your checklists.

What Happens to the Data

Many things!  Doug Hitchcox and I are brainstorming what we can do with all the data.  For instance, we can get total number of species reported, we can compare County lists - like what County has the most species, or what County has the most interesting species.  We can view what individual or team has the most species. We can see if anyone finds a RARITY (a bird not normally found in Maine this time of year, or any time of year).  After all, fall is the rarity season!

Speaking of rarities, DON'T FORGET TO CARRY YOUR CAMERA (if you have one) and get photos of your birds, especially any unfamiliar or rare type ones!  Add these photos to your eBird checklist.

How To Access the Data

Doug and I will post the results on the bird listserv, AND on the Maine eBird website http://ebird.org/content/me/.   Please try to enter your checklists in a timely fashion (by Tuesday, Nov 1) so we don't miss using your data in the final reports.  And add your photos to your checklists.  We might even display some of those photos on the website!

Questions?

            Email me at bmarvil@maine.rr.com, or contact Doug at dhitchcox@maineaudubon.org.

 

Hope you can join us!  Don't forget to GYBOB!

 

 

Becky Marvil

Yarmouth