Counting Birds with the Pros
I spent this morning counting birds for Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count. This annual event occurs throughout the Americas and its purpose is to assess the status of bird populations.
This was a new experience for me, as I haven’t done much bird watching. Four men and I drove around a specified territory and we counted all the birds we saw. We went through cemeteries, trails, wooded areas, busy streets, and residential neighborhoods. We got out and walked at times. I appreciated the opportunity to learn from long-time birders.
What I discovered:
- I can be much more observant than usual if I try.
- I can now identify the dark-eyed junco.
- There are several nearby trails that I didn’t know existed.
- When birders drive a car they don’t keep their eyes on the road!
It was a very snowy day, so the birding supposedly wasn’t very good, but I was impressed with our numbers. We saw (or heard) 17 different species and a total of 369 birds.
Tags: Birds, Birdwatching, Master Naturalist, Volunteering
