First-time birders welcome during Christmas Bird Count

No Comments
Photo for first-timers welcome during Christmas Bird Count is of two mourning doves perched on the branch of a plum tree in winter. They have snow on their wings and one has its feathers puffed up to stay warm. Photo by Mark Videan.

Mourning doves perched in a plum tree in Manistee Township. Photo: Mark Videan, 

By Pat Stinson

This year marks the 126th annual Christmas Bird Count, a bird census conducted by citizens of the U.S., Canada and Central and South America. The event is coordinated by The National Audubon Society and takes place Dec. 14-Jan. 5.

Citizens’ observations will be placed into a database researchers use to “spot trends” in bird populations, according to the society.

Saint Ambrose Cellars advertisement. Offering Mead, Beer and Music. The cellars logo of a Queen Bee drawing is at the top. Beneath it is a photo of the grounds of the cellars taken from a drone on a blue sky day. Serving Mead, Beer, Wine and food and offering live music and disc golf. Open 7 days a week. Located in farmland outside Beulah, Michigan. Address is 841 South Pioneer Road. Phone number is 231-383-4262. Check out our event lineup and music schedule by pointing your smartphone at the Q.R. code in the ad. Click on this ad to be taken to the website.
Advertisement for Honor Onekama Building Supply. Family owned since 1963. Knowledge. Service, Integrity. Here to help you with your hardware and building projects. Call 231-889-3456. Located at 4847 Main Street, Onekama. Click on this ad to be taken to the website.
Advertisement for M.T. Plate Diner in Arcadia, Michigan, located at 3489 Lake Street. Food, Friends, Family. Convenient corner location in the heart of recreation close to Arcadia Overlook, Lake Michigan Beach Access and the Arcadia Marsh Preserve. Telephone number is 2.3.1.8.8.9.7.0.6.3. Click on this ad to be taken to the website.

Those interested in participating may watch birds in their yards, if they live within one of the designated survey areas, or they may choose to join a local group of birdwatchers who head into the field. The survey areas are circular, and each bird-watching group picks one day during the census period to look for birds within its circle.

Bird-watching experience is not required to participate in the count. Michigan Audubon indicated that some newcomers act as spotters for experienced birders, leading them to where they heard or saw birds. Others volunteer to drive, so the birders can keep watch as they travel within the survey area. Still others might tally the group’s observations.

The Manistee Christmas Bird Count will take place all day on Friday, Dec. 19, in Manistee County, according to coordinator Dr. Brian Allen. He said the circular counting area radiates 7.5 miles from a center point at Fisk Road and U.S. Highway 31 and includes: Manistee, Stronach, Onekama, Norwalk, Chief Lake and slightly south of Bear Lake to west of Brethren. An informational meeting will take place at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 19, at the Oak Grove Hospitality Center, 309 W. Parkdale Ave., Manistee. Those interested in helping by watching feeders or birding in the field can contact Dr. Allen at 231-510-9380.

The Ludington Christmas Bird Count will be held on Saturday, Dec. 20. Anyone interested in helping as field observers or feeder watchers (and who live within Ludington’s bird-counting circle), should e-mail David Dister at david.dister@gmail.com or call him at 231-845-7574.

Other counting areas can be found in Benzie, Lake and Wexford counties. To view a map and find a group, go to: https://audubon.org.

Read more stories about birds and birding HERE.

Related Posts

Write A Comment