Great Backyard Bird Count
Photo by Bud Marschner
Great Backyard Bird Count!
Join us February 13 - 16, 2026 to record the winter birds of the Audubon Riedel Nature Reserve off Chena Hot Springs Road and in the Fairbanks area! We want this to become an annual event that will help us monitor the winter bird population.
Launched in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) was the first online community science project to collect and share bird observations in near real time. Birds Canada joined in 2009, and in 2013 the count became global through eBird.
In as little as 15 minutes, notice, identify, and count the birds around you, then submit your sightings to support bird conservation worldwide. If you already use eBird or Merlin, your entries during the four days automatically count toward GBBC.
How to Participate
Location: Audubon Riedel Nature Reserve and the surrounding area.
When counting at the Reserve, it is advisable to use AWD vehicles to reach Coalition Lane, and snowshoes are necessary when walking the trails.
Keep track of approximate time spent between February 13 - 16
Were you on the Reserve or within a mile?
Identify and record all birds you see or hear
Try to avoid counting a bird more than once.
You may count at your feeder, please record that seperately from your field count.
Let us know what you saw
Submit using eBird AND fill out this data form and return it to us:
Leave form in the mail box at the upper end of Coalition Lane.
Email it to arcticaudubon@gmail.com
Mail to the Arctic Audubon Society at PO Box 82098, Fairbanks, AK 99708
For more information, contact Gail Mayo at 907-479-2954 (call or message) or 907-460-2955 (text).
Not in Fairbanks but still want to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count? Learn how to participate here.