Christmas Bird Counts
The Audubon Society conducts an annual Christmas Bird Count during the Holiday Season. This year’s count season runs from Friday, December 14th, 2012, through Saturday, January 5, 2013. This is the 113th season of such counts.
The Central Sierra Chapter sponsors and supports two different Christmas Bird Counts, one in Tuolumne County to be held on Saturday, December 15th and one in Calaveras County to be held on Saturday, December 29, 2012.
Each count is conducted within a 15-mile diameter circle. The circle is divided into smaller sectors covered by teams of observers, usually made up of 2 to 10 birders. Both experienced and novice birders are included in each team. This provides excellent mentoring while gathering meaningful scientific data on a national and even international scale. At the end of each count day a potluck supper is held somewhere near the count circle area. It’s a great time for socializing and recapping the day’s efforts.
There is also another local bird count, the Groveland Christmas Bird Count, held on December 14, the first day of the CBC season. Bill Zachman is in desperate need of additional observers to cover the circle adequately. The center of the circle has been moved a few miles to the northeast in order to include more of our local “hotspot patches.” For more information regarding the Groveland Christmas Bird Count look in the November issue of Sierra Squawker. Bill may be contacted by phone at 209-962-6689 or (cell) 209-769-0147, or email by clicking Bill Zachman.
Sonora CBC—12/15/2012 |
Calaveras CBC—12/29/2012 |