eBird is getting better and better!

Long-time followers of this blog may remember some of my animated maps of bird migration using maps from eBird.  Well, the good folks at eBird have taken it to an all new level with some reallys sweet heat maps showing bird migration.  It is rewarding to see maps like this and know that my sightings have contributed to an increased understanding of where birds are and how they move around the world.



Check out eBirds new Occurrence Maps here.  They plan on releasing new animated maps as they create them.  I thought the Swainson's Hawk map was interesting, especially that population in California's central valley.  It looks like a large population hits that area first, but probably stick around.  I don't see a real dispursement patter from that point for the rest of of the west.  It leads me to wonder if they have different wintering areas too?  Now that eBird is going global, in the future we may get a better understanding and answers to such questions.

I'm an eBirder. Are you?