Bird populations have been declining in Connecticut for some time. This is one reason why we are working to suppress the mugwort infestation on the midden cap and replant with wildflowers and grasses to create a pollinator- and bird-friendly environment.

The next time you visit the Midden, join hundreds of thousands of citizen scientists around the world by logging your bird sitings. Help us document the bird species present and track changes—in species and sightings—over time.

Cornell Ornithology Lab has two user-friendly apps to help people learn more about birds AND contribute information to bird population data.

• eBird – This app collects bird sightings from birdwatchers all over the world. (Watch the Intro Video at the top of this post for more details.) Many bird sightings create an “eBird hotspot.” The Midden is an e-Bird hotspot! Birdwatchers in our community may chuckle to know that our hotspot was originally called the “Old Middletown Dump Trail”. If you explore the map in eBird to find our midden location, you’ll see the hotspot is currently named “Midden Outlook Park”.
  Want to learn more? Complete the free eBird Essentials course.

• Merlin Bird ID — If you want to log bird sitings on eBird but you need help with bird identification, use this app first to identify birds you see and hear. The app records birds’ songs and displays what birds you’re likely hearing. It also has a photo ID option. When you click, “This is my bird”, you have the choice to save it in Merlin or in eBird. Not sure which to choose? Use the link in the app to launch this FAQ document.

The public comments about the Merlin app are spot on! Here are a few…

A must-have app for Bird lovers!

 

So glad this was created. It has helped me learn my birds and tap into my surroundings. And appreciate them more.

 

I’ve never cared about birds but being able to sound ID and log the birds around me is for some reason one of my favorite things to do.

Many of us have been using the Merlin app at the Midden. One day, in the course of 1.5 hours, the app “heard” 23 distinct birds! If you visit and use the app, share your experience with us!

Both apps can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play.