Brad

I was lucky enough to be invited by the Jamaica Tourist Board to visit the island and see the amazing bird watching opportunities that Jamaica has to offer. Jamaica has 28 endemic bird species (species that live only in Jamaica) and it is possible to see them all in one trip with a knowledgeable local guide. I missed a couple of them, but the trip was meant to be an overview to get me to see a number of different birding locations in Jamaica rather than personally get me to see as many birds as possible.
I, along with five other journalists who focus on bird watching topics, was put up at two of Jamaica’s finest eco-friendly hotels/ lodges during my stay. Both offer great food and accomodations while maintaining environmentally sound business practices. I enjoyed both Hotel Mocking Bird Hill and Forres Park very much. We were able to find unique birds on the grounds of both places and both were within relatively easy driving distance of some of Jamaica’s top birding habitats (for the experienced local drivers that were provided to us).
Click this link to read more about the bird watching vacation in Jamaica or click here if you just want to see the pictures from the Jamaica trip.

This year the Great Backyard Bird Count is being held from February 12th, 2010 through February 15th, 2010. People all over the United States and Canada are being asked to help Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology conduct one of the biggest annual bird counts in the nation. To participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count, all you need to do is spend as little as fifteen minutes watching brids and marking down the species you see along with the highest number of birds of each species that you see at any given time while you are watching. There are convenient online submission forms and complete directions for the Great Backyard Bird Count here. You can spend your fifiteen minutes or more of birdwatching time anywhere within the United States or Canada, including your own backyard. This is a very easy way for the average person to make a real contribution to important scientific studies. Everyone who participates will also be entered into a prize drawing for the many prizes being offered by sponsors like Wild Birds Unlimited and the National Audubon Society. You’ll not only be helping bird researchers, but you could win a Wingscapes Bird Cam, bird feeders, bird identification books, or one of the many other bird-related prizes. Click the link above for more information and a handy list of links to everything you’ll need to participate in the 2010 Great Backyard Bird Count.

The Great Backyard Bird Count is a great way to show your Earth-friendly side by helping bird researchers to map bird populations across North America. It’s fun for the entire family and it’s easy to do, and it takes only as much time as you want to put into it.