Hey Earth Rangers, it's me! Earth Ranger Emma! Welcome to the podcast! Earth Rangers!

Earth Ranger!

Ah! Earth Rangers HQ! Yup! I'm back in the saddle! My quest for the best is over!

And as you know, I'm officially still the host of this amazing podcast! Thanks to all of you guys!

So get ready for each trophy, fluffy, whimsical, and a number-licious episode!

Today, I'm counting birds!

Yup! You heard me right! I am counting birds! See, every season we do a little bird census.

You're in the conservation area that surrounds Earth Rangers HQ.

So, you know how government sometimes do a census?

Which is basically when we count all the people who live in our country and learn more about them?

Well, a bird census is kind of like that, but for birds.

And no, we don't count every single bird, not even close.

But by spending a set amount of hours on a nice day, once every season of every year,

we get a good data set that we can compare to get a better idea about the different kinds of birds that live in and migrate through our area.

By doing regular bird census, we can track the number of birds and see if their populations are changing over time.

This helps us understand if they're doing well, or if there's something we need to do to help them.

Also, it's not necessarily about spotting the rarest birds ever.

Although, I have to say, if I were to spot, um, an indigo bunting or a scarlet tenager today,

I will totally brag to all of my colleagues.

But, let's not get ahead of ourselves.

I got some, uh, clipboard, my binoculars, and my lunch box.

And I found the perfect spot to spend a few hours.

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