Ryan Stauffer, environmental educator at Succop Nature Park, left, and Chris Kubiak, development associate for the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, practice their bird-spotting skills in advance of the Jan. 6 South Butler Christmas Bird Count across the county.

PENN TWP — One person happy about last week's snowfall was Chris Kubiak.

The development associate for the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania says snow and cold weather draw wild birds to feeders and make them easier to see.

He and Ryan Stauffer, environmental educator at Succop Nature Park, hope the snowy conditions last until Jan. 6 for the South Butler Christmas Bird Count, an annual tally of avians in the county that will mark its 118th year next month.

Stauffer said, “I'll be running a Kids' Christmas Bird County at Succop from 10 a.m. to noon Jan. 6 to encourage kids with an interest in birds.

“I'll keep track of the birds we see and how many and turn the information over to Chris,” said Stauffer.

Kubiak will be running the much larger bird count using volunteers throughout the county in a circular area centered around Mars and running west to Zelienople, south to Cranberry Township, east to the Route 228 corridor and north to Penn and Connoquenessing townships.

Kubiak said, “We invite the public to meet us at the house (in the park) at 8 a.m. Jan. 6. We will break up into different teams and go out across the count circle.”

“We'll be going on the back roads and into point counts where we move along preselected routes where we put the car on the side of the road and survey an area,” said Kubiak.

He said novice bird counters will be paired with experienced birders to conduct the count.