Write a commentThis Sunday, December 20th is the Christmas Bird Count in Oswego County. What is the Christmas Bird Count?
It's a “bird census”, a citizen science all volunteer program with the National Audubon Society which started in 1900. Every year for the past 121 years in the United States, Canada and beyond thousands of volunteers have gone out over a 24 hour period and counted birds. During this community science event volunteer birders who have signed up with the National Audubon Society or local birding chapter such as Onondaga Audubon in our area, venture outdoors to designated map areas and count what species and numbers of birds that they see or hear over the course of one day. Their information collected is emailed to a compiler assigned to your map area you are counting at the end of the day.
The counts occur all over the U.S, Canada and the Western Hemisphere between Monday December 14 through January 5th, with Oswego County being conducted on Dec. 20th this year. The data collected by creates a historic data base available to ornithologists and conservation biologists so they know where the birds are moving and how climate change or loss of habitat has altered their space which is important for future conservation needs.
Each count takes place in an established 15-mile wide diameter circle, and is organized by a count compiler. Count volunteers follow specified routes through their assigned areas of a designated 15 mile diameter map in Oswego County, counting every bird they see or hear all day by species of birds and how many in their map areas.
This year there will be a change as normally anyone could do this and be paired with an experienced birder or individual, as the more eyes the better for spotting birds. Due to Covid-19 you have to do it alone to adhere to Covid rules. Your count results have to be emailed to your assigned compiler for your count area. They also do ask you to keep track of not only the birds you see but also your effort, such as the miles driven, your miles walked on trails, and the amount of time you where out counting.
I have volunteered and participated in this count now for 5 years through Onondaga Audubon Society. No matter the weather on the day, which you must take into account when dressing for the outdoors, I will be out just before sunrise in my assigned area looking for birds with the hope of finding and photographing what I can. Hoping for a Snowy Owl or any owl for that matter as they are my favorite! So if you see a car pull over to the side of the road or walking along the road and see someone with binoculars and camera looking at your house, yard or bird feeders don't worry it's not a stalker it just might be me counting the birds !
If you would like to learn more about birds, participate or just see the many Christmas Bird Count circles map you can check out their website at: https://audubon.org/conservation/science/christmas-bird-count to find the map of the all the Christmas Bird Count circles being conducted from Dec 14 until Jan 5. Additionally, go to the map link, click on it, then zoom into one of the circles it will give you the info on that count, date, compiler contact, etc. https://audubon.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=ac275eeb01434cedb1c5dcd0fd3fc7b4
About Mary C Woods: Ms. Woods is our volunteer bird expert at iHeartOswego.com and a member of the board of directors for Rice Creek Field Station.
