LOGAN – Audubon chapters everywhere are asking for volunteers to join the annual Christmas Bird Count this Saturday, Dec. 14. The Bridgerland Audubon has been participating for 69 years in this bird count. It is the longest running community science project in Cache Valley.
A Christmas Bird Count Map drawn by Bryan Dixon for Bridgerland Audubon shows the areas the want bird counters.
This activity is for veteran birders or beginners alike and it only requires spending a few minutes or a full day on this annual census of birds.
Those just starting can be valuable spotters in the mobile sectors and can quickly learn to observe the subtle differences between similar species seen from the comfort of home, where no bird feeder is required, and valuable contributions can be made with just a few minutes of counting birds.
The Division of Wildlife Resources uses the data collected to see trends in the bird populations in the state.
“These annual counts are incredibly important, and this year is a big milestone with the 125th formal count taking place,” DWR Regional Conservation Outreach Manager Tonya Kieffer-Selby said. “Recent studies have shown that over 3 billion birds have been lost in North America in the last 50 years, which is why collecting this data is so important. We use the data to assess the overall health of bird populations and to implement any conservation actions that may be needed for species survival.”
Bridgerland Audubon typically documents about 100 species of birds in Cache Valley a year.
The Cache Valley watch circle is divided into eleven sectors, including a 4 a.m. owling sector, and includes all homes within a 7.5-mile radius from the center of the circle located at Main Street & Hyde Park Lane (Hwy 91 & 3600 N). The same 15-mile diameter watch circle is surveyed each December – that’s about 177 square miles, and they can use all the help they can get, especially from folks watching from home.
If someone can’t identify all of the birds they see, they just report the ones they recognize. It helps to post photos to the Bridgerland Audubon Facebook group, where they can see posts about birds in Cache Valley.
The Home Sector provides extra data on about 32 species, the most common are available on a one-page photo-illustrated checklist on the Bridgerland Audubon website where people can also find links to the free Merlin App that identifies birds by their songs.
The Visitors Bureau has a nice selection of Utah Bird field guides which are great for beginners.
Bird identification is all about learning to notice the little differences in size, coloration patterns, shape of the beak, the crown of the head, and the tip of the tail. For example, a House Finch and a Cassin’s Finch may look the same at first glance, but the House Finch has streaks on the side of the body, a rounded tail tip, and the red over the eyes is more like a headband than a top hat.
The organization can use anyone to help them find owls, falcons, and odd ducks, even feathered ones.
To register online contact Eric Bingham, Bridgerland Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count Compiler at (435) 258-9863 or Hilary Shughart via cbc@bridgerlandaudubon.org to help with this yeas count.