Annual Audubon count is for the birds
Bird watchers in Butler County will have two chances to spy a pie-billed grebe or a hooded merganser in this year's Audubon Christmas Bird Count.
Scheduled nationwide from Dec. 14 through Jan. 5 each year, in established local, 15-mile-radius circles, the Christmas Bird Count is an early-winter bird census, during which volunteers count birds in a 24-hour period.
The Jennings Environmental Center, 2951 Prospect Road, Brady Township, will serve as an indoor observation station from 9 a.m. to noon during the Bartramian Audubon Chapter's annual count Dec. 17.
Anyone interested is welcome to attend this free, informal birding session any time during the morning. Pre-registration is not required.
“We're providing an observation site at Jennings so people can watch from inside,” said Becky Lubold, environmental education specialist at Jennings.
The Jennings' count is part of the Bartramian Chapter's area, a 15-mile-diameter circle centered at Moraine State Park, Lubold said.
“This is an informal session where people can learn observing and recording procedures,” Lubold said.
This is an ideal way to learn about National Audubon's original citizen science project, to assist in gathering important data about bird population and migration trends and to increase birding skills, she said.
The Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania will conduct its bird count between sunrise and sundown Jan. 7 in a 15-mile-diameter circle in southern Butler County centered on Callery, according to Chris Kubiak, director of education for the Audubon Society chapter.
An estimated 100 volunteers will observe, record and report on the numbers and species of birds present in the area in the world's longest-running wildlife census.
“We always try to have it the first Saturday in January,” said Kubiak. “We try to have some precedents so people remember when it is.”
“While the count goes from sunrise to sunset, volunteers can go as long as they want to,” said Kubiak. “If they don't have experience, we'll partner them with an experienced birder who knows how to ID birds and how to do the count.”Bird count veteran or novice, whether going out into the field or counting visitors to a backyard bird feeder through a window, the goal is the same, Kubiak said, to try to discern trends from the rise and decline of bird populations.Kubiak said past bird counts have revealed some changes in bird habitation.“This is the sixth year for the county,” said Kubiak. “And one of the interesting trends we've noticed is pretty big population of a bird of prey, the American kestrel in the county.“That's been in decline across the United States because of habitat loss. To have it doing pretty well here is something to be happy about,” said Kubiak.Kubiak said he expects the number of fruit-eating birds, such as robins and cedar wax wings, to be counted in large numbers next month because they have a lot of food sources and warmer winters are keeping the birds from migrating south.And because of the warmer winters, the county should be hosting large numbers of pie-billed grebes and hooded mergansers, both water fowl.“The warm winter last year kept lakes and ponds free of ice,” Kubiak said.However, he added, the warmer winters have decreased the populations of the state bird of Pennsylvania, the ruffled grouse.
Following are the dates and times for this year's Audubon Christmas Bird Count:9 a.m. to noon Dec. 17Jennings Environmental Education Center, 2951 Prospect Road, Brady TownshipArea: 15-mile-diameter circle centered at Moraine State ParkFor more information, call 724-794-6011 or e-mail jenningssp@pa.gov.Sunrise to sunset Jan. 7Audubon Society of Western PennsylvaniaArea: 15-mile-diameter circle centered on Callery.For more information, phone 412-963-6100
