The 2015 Backyard Big Year will be a machine assisted Big Year. I’ll be using remote cameras and microphones to monitor bird movements and to improve my chances of detecting hard to find species.
Gearing up for the recording season by replacing the plastic seal and cloth cover for my OldBird 21c microphone.
My most valuable bionic birding gear will be my OldBird 21c microphone to detect nocturnal bird migrants calling as they pass over my yard. If it flies over my yard, and makes a sound, I will have a chance at detecting it if I can record it and ID the call.
Usually the OldBird 21c sits on a chair in my backyard, and I turn it on at dusk during migration. For the Backyard Big Year, I’ll be recording at night all year. I’ll also record at times during the day to detect and get recordings of birds singing or moving through the yard. I run a cable from the microphone into my house so I can listen live to the mic as it records. If I’m asleep or away from home, my little bionic birding buddy can still be on the job. It will take a massive amount of time and effort to review these recordings. That will be a big part of the Backyard Big Year, but I’m excited to see what the recordings turn up–and to learn more about nocturnal migration here in New Jersey.
I’m also planning on putting up some critter cams at water features, in case any shy migrants try to sneak through the yard unobserved. I don’t have a system set up yet, so I’m up for comments and suggestions on best equipment and ways to do that kind of monitoring.
