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 Evening Grosbeak by FeederWatcher Monique Vincent in Kanata, Ontario.
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Project FeederWatch eNews
March 1, 2023
Experiencing Nature Nearby Associated with Well-Being
Tina Phillips, assistant director of the Center for Engagement in Science and Nature at the Cornell Lab, and her collaborators, surveyed more than 3,200 adults in the U.S., half from the general public and half Cornell Lab members, in October 2020, 6 months into the COVID pandemic. Their findings, published in the journal People and Nature, suggest that during the pandemic enjoying nature close to home, such as gardening, taking a walk, watching nature through a window, and birdwatching, was associated with the greatest sense of well-being, compared to longer, more intense nature excursions, or nature experienced second-hand through various media.
Latest FeederWatch Story Winner
FeederWatch participants are invited to share their stories through the Your Data section of the FeederWatch website, either after submitting a count or after viewing a previously submitted count this season. The third story prompt this season was, "There are many ways to improve habitat for wildlife. What do you do to make your backyard a haven for your avian friends?" Congratulations to winners Pat Brown and Jennifer Gaus-Myers who shared stories about the bird-friendly habitat features they've added to their count sites. Read their stories on our blog.
Remove Feeders if You Might Have Bears
If there are bears in your area, please remove feeders before bears emerge from hibernation. Putting any food outside can teach bears to associate homes with food, which is dangerous for bears and people. If you aren't sure whether there are bears in your area or when bears are emerging from hibernation in your area, contact your local or state department of natural resources or environmental protection.
If you have to remove feeders during the FeederWatch season, you can continue to count birds for FeederWatch by counting birds attracted to water features or plantings that you maintain within your count site. On the Site Description Form just be sure that you indicate the number and types of feeders that you had up for the majority of your counts and the months that you provided food for birds. You can edit the form in the mobile app by tapping the site description icon or from the Your Data home page by clicking on the Create, Edit, or Describe Your Count Sites button.
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