The Lehigh Gap Nature Center is asking area residents to participate in the Lehigh Gap Area Feeder Watch today through Sunday, to take stock of the birds that are inhabiting the area.

People are asked to pick one day to fill out a log about the birds they see."We're asking people to spend some time looking out the window," director Dan Kunkle said.Birdwatchers should count the maximum amount of any species they see at one time. For example, if there are two chickadees at the feeder at 8 a.m. and four at 10 a.m., the watcher should record four chickadees.The annual count allows naturalists to see trends in population and migration."One year won't mean a thing," Kunkle said.Some years the ground is snow-covered so birds come to feeders because natural food is harder to find.However, several years of data will show if a species is increasing or declining.The citizen science project has shown the red-bellied woodpecker is more common in our area now.The house finch was declining because of a conjunctivitis outbreak. Several years of monitoring feeders show the numbers are increasing again.To participate, download a form at

www.lgnc.org. Click on the event on the calendar.