eBird (ebird.org) is an "online database of bird observations providing scientists, researchers, and amateur naturalists with real-time data about bird distribution and abundance." It should be noted that amateur scientists, i.e., birders, actually contribute the bulk of those data.
Here at Hilton Pond North we are deeply committed to providing eBird with data about birds we band, observe, and/or hear on, over, and from the property. We also contribute sightings from elsewhere in Ashe County NC.
eBird & HILTON POND NORTH
All photos, maps, charts, and text © Hilton Pond North. Image © Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
(When we were based at York SC we had first county records for two species. Since we do not "chase" birds elsewhere and travel little, we are content these days to report just from Ashe, where we already have the first documented record for Northern Saw-whet Owl, above. We also have the first county record for Sandhill Cranes, seen flying overhead.)
Through mid-June 2025 we had filed more than 340 eBird checklists documenting 99 bird species for Ashe County and 89 species from Hilton Pond North. This is the fourth most checklists for the county and the 21st most species—not bad for inly 14 months at this location in North Carolina.
All photos, maps, charts, and text © Hilton Pond North
We encourage all bird enthusiasts confident of their identification skills—including "backyard birdwatchers"—to contribute day-to-day sightings to eBird on a regular basis. Don't think your observations don't matter, even for common birds like Blue Jays (above); ALL data are useful as scientists try to understand the status of birds in Ashe County and elsewhere.
eBird is an outreach of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology in Ithaca NY and incorporates sightings from two of other initiatives: Christmas Bird Count (run by National Audubon) and Great Backyard Bird Count (in conjunction with National Audubon and Birds Canada).
Registering to submit your data is easy. Just go to ebird.org and become an important part of this important project.
All photos, maps, charts, and text © Hilton Pond North
TERRA & HILTON POND NORTH
The Terra Station is a listening and radio monitoring device that streams nature sounds, identifies bird calls, and detects wildlife radio tags to support conservation.
HOW IT WORKS
Live Audio Streaming: Once installed and connected to Wi-Fi, the Terra Station continuously streams sound from your surroundings. You can listen live via the TerraListens app or Web site, immersing yourself in the natural soundscape of your backyard or other locations.
Bird Call Identification: Using advanced audio recognition technology, Terra identifies bird species by call and song. This feature is particularly effective in North America and Europe, with ongoing efforts to expand global accuracy. The app displays real-time identifications, allowing users to learn about birds in the vicinity.
Wildlife Radio Tag Detection: Terra Stations are equipped with radio sensors that can detect animals fitted with certain radio transmitters, including tagged birds and butterflies. This function tracks migration patterns and contributes valuable data to conservation networks like Motus.
Global Conservation Network: Each Terra Station contributes data to a worldwide network, aiding researchers in monitoring wildlife populations and their movements. By aggregating information from multiple Terra Stations, the network enhances understanding of biodiversity and supports conservation initiatives.
Email & Notifications: Eventually, alerts about interesting detections (like rare birds or tagged species) will be configured via your Terra account, and received on your devices mail system.
Here at Hilton Pond North a Terra Station is mounted atop our cabin on a pole that also supports our Ambient weather station. Via the TerraListens desktop app we frequently monitor bird sounds from the garden and surrounding woods as we work on indoor projects; often we are alerted to bird species we then go out and look for. Such multi-tasking allows us to get a more complete understanding of local birds and those moving through in spring and fall migration. We are especially excited about the Terra Station's ability to pick up signals from Motus-tagged birds and BluMorpho tags on Monarch butterflies and look forward to detecting our first flyby here in Ashe County NC.
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Motus tag on Prothonotary Warbler
All photos, videos, maps, charts, and text © Hilton Pond North; image courtesy Willistown PA Conservation Trust