Long-time readers of this blog know that I am a fan of citizen science, science conducted by volunteers on behalf of professional scientists studying real world problems. How can you not be intrigued by the idea of a layperson—particularly a kid—making a big scientific discovery in their backyard? (For an example, read this.)
Equally appealing to me is the ability of citizen science projects to connect people with nature. Fostering this connection can be hard in the electronic age, and I know that citizen science is a great way to do it. That’s why I am writing the book CITIZEN SCIENTISTS (Henry Holt, 2011), and that’s why I participate in (and blog about) citizen science. Care for an example? The bird count I hosted this weekend in my backyard.
My count was attended by mostly eight-to-ten-year-olds, and they were well-rested (we met at 8am!) and excited to be together (they seemed to think our gathering was a party more than a science project). While they were all generally interested in birds, they were equally interested in the basement playroom. And the goodies I had baked. And the new computer my sons got for Christmas. They listened politely to my overview of the project, and to the tips given to them by our local birding expert, Professor Richard Quimby. But they weren’t hooked until we stepped out into the snow and saw what was going on outside …
The birds were having a party of their own, right at my feeders. We saw some regulars, of course: black-capped chickadees and tufted titmice and blue jays, birds the kids were familiar with. But it wasn’t until we saw three types of woodpecker on a single suet-festooned tree that the kids sucked in their collective breaths.
“What is that one?” someone whispered.
“I think it’s a woodpecker,” someone whispered back.
As we watched the threesome feast—one downy woodpecker, one hairy woodpecker and one red-bellied woodpecker—the kids became fascinated with the idea that they might see something else they’d never seen before. And, oh, did the birds cooperate! For the first time EVER, a Carolina wren made its appearance on a suet feeder. What a day to visit!
The kids eventually wandered off to play in the snow fort the Burns children had built out front. But they wandered back every so often, singly and in small groups, to see who was at the feeders. It was pretty cool. One of the parents even got into it, telling me that she planned to stop on the way home for some seed to fill her long-empty feeders.
“Do you think this many birds live around my house?” she asked me.
Yep. I sure do.
(Ten points if you can name the three birds in the photos above!)