Snow blankets our backyards, the Lake Erie wind sweeps across fields and villages, and many folks choose the comfort of indoors once the holidays pass. Not everyone goes ice fishing, hunting season is over, and while winter hiking and gym workouts are good options, they aren’t for everyone.

Still, cabin fever can set in, and the question becomes familiar: What to do?

One answer may be perched right outside your window.

From November through April, residents across Western New York can take part in Project FeederWatch, a continent-wide bird monitoring program that turns everyday winter moments into a fun, educational, and meaningful activity. Whether you live along the Lake Erie shoreline, in a village neighborhood, or out in the countryside, this project brings adventure, curiosity, and nature awareness right to your doorstep.

The downy woodpecker families are common across most of North America. These birds love the suet leftovers from a family dinner, or from your local farm supply store, if you place the food in a hanging wire mesh holder. Photo by James Monteleone

Project FeederWatch is a citizen-science program coordinated by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Birds Canada. Participants observe and count birds that visit feeders, birdbaths, shrubs, or open spaces at a single location of their choosing. Those observations are submitted online and combined with tens of thousands of others across North America to help scientists track winter bird populations, movements, and long-term trends.

You don’t need to be a birding expert. In fact, many participants are beginners who simply enjoy watching birds while sipping morning coffee or relaxing in the afternoon. Families, retirees, students, and nature lovers of all ages are welcome. Participation is simple. After registering, you select a count site such as your backyard, porch, schoolyard, community center grounds, or even a rural farm lane. On two consecutive days each week (or whenever you choose), you record the highest number of each bird species seen at one time during your observation period.

You’re not required to count every week, and there’s no pressure. Even a handful of counts during the winter season adds valuable data. Don’t have a feeder? No problem. Birds visiting trees, brush, or natural cover at your site still count. Observations are submitted through the Project FeederWatch website or mobile app, making participation easy even during snowy weather.

The project is perfect for us here in Chautauqua County. We enjoy diverse habitats: the Lake Erie shoreline, forests, wetlands, farmland, and suburban neighborhoods. All of these make it an excellent place to observe winter birds.

Familiar visitors like chickadees, cardinals, blue jays, juncos, and woodpeckers are common, while snowy owls, red-breasted nuthatches, or winter finches occasionally add excitement. Project FeederWatch gives residents a new way to appreciate the wildlife that stays with us through winter, even when much of the landscape appears quiet.

Good things are never free, but not expensive either. There is an $18 participation fee, which supports the program’s research and data systems. In return, participants receive access to bird identification tools, online resources, data summaries, and seasonal reports that show how their sightings fit into the bigger picture. Many participants say the program sharpens their observation skills and deepens their appreciation for nature close to home.

Bottom line? It’s a simple way to beat back those winter blues. Project FeederWatch offers something rare in winter: a reason to look forward to the day. A flash of red from a cardinal against fresh snow, the chatter of chickadees in the cold, or a surprise visitor during a lake-effect storm can turn an ordinary day into something memorable. This winter, instead of asking what there is to do, local residents might try looking outside and counting what they see. With Project FeederWatch, every backyard becomes part of a larger scientific story, and winter becomes a season of discovery. Visit https://feederwatch.org/ and get started.

Gotta love the outdoors.