Many of us enjoy keeping track of the bird species we see in our yards. It's both satisfying and enlightening to keep a list from year to year to see how the mix of species changes with the seasons, and to note the arrival and departure dates of migrant visitors. For example, here in southeastern Ohio, home of Watching Backyard Birds, we know that cardinals and chickadees can start singing in late January. Dark-eyed juncos often make their first appearance about October 10, and leave about the 25th of April. Ruby-throated hummingbirds return in the spring about April 15—a tax-day bonus! Keeping your list can be as simple and low-tech as writing down the birds you see in a journal or on a printed checklist. Or, you can keep your list online using software, websites, and apps. No matter how you keep the list, it’s a fun way to keep track of the comings and goings of your backyard birds.

About Bill Thompson, III