eBird adds Hotspot About & Groups Features YouTube video by Doug Hitchcox

Here’s one for the eBird nerds. Warning, I say “hotspot” 68 times in this video.

eBird adds Hotspot About & Groups Features
youtu.be/EKOkjNeHP3g

Thanks for watching!

[These] Birds Aren't Real YouTube video by Doug Hitchcox

I’ve got a new video up about AI generated birds! I do rant a bit, but it’s alarming how much this slop is becoming a problem, certainly worse than I realized before researching this.

[These] Birds Aren't Real
youtu.be/wdK-bI61Mhs

🙌🙌🙌

Picked up two(!!) ticks for my Gilsland Farm list this morning; challenging after 12+ years of leading weekly walks there. Long-tailed Duck (#237) was my most overdue, then Horned Grebe (#238) was right after. The incoming tide and spring ‘urge’ must’ve helped push them up.

Working on recording more species in Maine this year, and happy to get these local Bohemian Waxwings before they head north. 164/200 (getting to 200 species is my goal)

lol apparently he’s trolling. Which is fantastic.

I always thought putting company names in usernames was a little cringey, but I respect the hustle. Putting “Your Ad Here” is… something else.

Can’t not eBird it…

Two years since starting my channel making “niche birding video”. I thought I’d share some metrics but mostly want to thank you all for watching, commenting, and/or subscribing!

eBird Updates You Might Have Missed YouTube video by Doug Hitchcox

eBird Updates You Might Have Missed
youtu.be/UJLPzhmh8Ss

Many thanks to everyone on here helping me reach these milestones!

More “niche birding videos” coming soon! Get subscribed at: youtube.com/@dhitchcox

This is going to be a really fun review.

I’m leading a Jamaica tour next month, and will shoot a lot of content there, but stay tuned for a *deep* dive.

I went out to record a displaying flock of Barrow’s Goldeneyes off Harpswell, Maine today. Tough conditions with cars and distance but got one of the few recordings of this species in the east, and first for Maine (in the Macaulay Library): ebird.org/checklist/S2...

Birder's Take on All the Mammals of the World YouTube video by Doug Hitchcox

I’ve got a new video up: “[A] Birder's Take on All the Mammals of the World.” I hope this helps you decide if you should add it to your bookshelf!

tldr: Lynx doesn’t miss.

youtu.be/Ien8-7oq7sA

Just got my #eBirdRecounted2025 and for sharing 73% of lists submitted in 2025, I birded like a Guira Cuckoo 😆

All the Mammals of the World has been out for a couple of years, but as I’m finally adding it to my library, would anyone be interested in a review video?

My “Birding Basics” online courses for @maineaudubon.bsky.social start tomorrow night! Each Tuesday, 6:30-8PM. These are free and recorded.

Sign up at: maineaudubon.org/events/birdi...

The Ivory-billed Woodpecker will return in Avengers: Doomsday (2026)

I added three birds to my Maine list in 2025. Not bad, especially in a year with no state firsts.

A 1-day Snowy Plover was a tough dip, but missing Bridled Tern by 15 minutes was brutal (appeared just after our boat left). BRBO and ANMU were reported but not chaseable.

What will 2026 bring?

Birding had a Moment in 2025 YouTube video by Doug Hitchcox

Birding had a Moment in 2025
youtu.be/d-fFWTNwv4M

Hit a couple fun milestones for my YouTube channel this week!

In the last 20 years, Maine has added 55 new birds to the state list. Despite the 2.75 bird/year average, 2020 and [apparently] 2025 had no new species. Here’s hoping 2026 keeps that average up, or that I get to update this post in the next two weeks 🤞😆

Day 2 of the Christmas Bird Count has me seawatching from the Nubble Lighthouse. 14°F with a 19mph NW wind 🥶

I usually try putting it in the eBird checklist notes so that I can keep each checklist accurate but can also get the correct number to the compiler at the end of the day. I don’t know of a better solution that doesn’t decrease the value of the lists but hope others with insights will share!

Sorry, I think I was a step ahead. Submit at the town/county level so you can use them in a Trip List or Kent’s site. Then, once you have those totals reported to the CBC compiler, I don’t see a ton of value in those lists anymore, so then I’d consider ditching them. Unless I kept the trip report

Thanks! I’d do either something at a town level, or I’d probably just delete the list afterwards.

🙏 gracias

The Christmas Bird Counts start tomorrow so I made a quick video with tips for eBirding yours CBCs!

5 Tips for eBirding during Christmas Bird Counts
youtu.be/CB_JRCuKdqI

What Jamaica Wants After Deadly Hurricane? ‘Visit Us,’ Island Says.

www.nytimes.com/2025/12/01/w...