ABOUT
About Backyard Bird Tracker
Backyard Bird Tracker began with a simple idea: Birdwatching doesn't have to be complicated to be fun.
Some of the most memorable bird sightings don't happen on remote, difficult hiking trails or once-in-a-lifetime vacations. They happen in our own backyards, at the kitchen window, or while enjoying a quiet morning on the patio. Those everyday moments are worth noticing and worth remembering.
That's why I created Backyard Bird Tracker.
Why I Built All This
I like birds. I've always enjoyed watching them, but I've found that most birding tools were designed for a different purpose than what I wanted.
Many excellent apps help identify birds or contribute observations to scientific projects. Sure, they're valuable tools, but I wanted something simpler.
I wanted an easy way to remember the birds that visited my own yard. Something that could eventually answer questions like:
- When did the hummingbirds first arrive this spring?
- Have I seen a Rose-breasted Grosbeak this year?
- Which birds have been visiting most often lately?
I realized that keeping track of those small moments made birdwatching even more fun. The more I recorded, the more I noticed. The more I noticed, the more I wanted to record what I saw. And on and on....
That simple idea became Backyard Bird Tracker.
All that's true, as far as it goes, but there's really a step or two before that that really got me going with this.
One day I asked ChatGPT for ideas for apps that I could design. One of them was about tracking the birds I saw.
I immediately thought, “That's it! That's what I've been looking for.” And so I'll say it: The rest is history.
My Philosophy
Philosophy may be too philosophic a word to use here, but what I mean is this: Everything here at Backyard Bird Tracker is built around one simple idea—a journey, so to speak.
Start noticing.
The free Backyard Bird TrackerStarter Kit helps new (and not-so-new) birdwatchers begin paying more attention to the birds around them.
Learn and reflect.
The Articles share ideas, tips, and observations that help you enjoy backyard birdwatching a little more each day.
Remember.
The Backyard Bird Tracker app (also free) gives you an easy way to keep a personal journal of the birds you've seen, making it simple to look back at what you've seen in the past days, weeks, months, and (eventually) years.
It's not about building the biggest life list or competing with anyone else. It's about enjoying the birds that visit your own little corner of the world.
About Me
My name is Gary Sonnenberg, but you can call me Papasonn. I've spent much of my life enjoying the outdoors, taking photographs, and, especially the past several years, just watching the birds.
I have a handful of feeders—tube, peanut, box, hummer, suet—in my backyard. When it's too hot or too cold here in Wisconsin to sit outside and watch them, I can still see them on the other side of the French doors in my dining room.
Backyard Bird Tracker brings together my interests in birdwatching, technology, and helping people—in this case, by creating a simple tool that makes an everyday hobby more enjoyable.
I hope this project encourages people of all experience levels—from complete beginners to lifelong birdwatchers—to slow down, look outside, and appreciate the birds that share our neighborhoods.
Looking Ahead
Backyard Bird Tracker is continuing to grow with new articles, improvements to the app, and additional resources for backyard birdwatchers.
My goal isn't to build the biggest birding website on the internet—though how cool would that be! It's to build a place that helps people notice, record, and enjoy the birds that share their everyday lives.
If Backyard Bird Tracker helps you smile when an old feathered friend returns to your yard, then it's doing exactly what I hoped it would.
Questions or Comments?
I'd love to hear from you.
Whether you have a question about Backyard Bird Tracker, a suggestion for the app, or simply want to share something interesting you've noticed in your own backyard, feel free to get in touch.