Make birds of Willapa National Wildlife Refuge and Peninsula count

Published 8:52 am Tuesday, December 6, 2016

It is almost time for the annual Audubon Christmas Bird count. It began in 1900 and is North America’s longest-running citizen science project. Currently, over 2,000 localities participate in the count throughout the western hemisphere.

This year each Christmas Bird Count or census is conducted on a single day between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5. Each count is organized within a 15-mile diameter circle that stays the same from year to year. Territories are carved out within each circle and each is covered by a group of bird counters.

The purpose of the bird count is to assess population trends and the distribution of birds. The data collected allow researchers, biologists, wildlife agencies and others to study the status of various bird species and the general health of our bird populations. The data can be combined with other observations such as breeding bird surveys to see how North America’s bird populations have changed in terms of geographic distribution and in other ways over the past 100 years. This long-term view provides vital information for those working to protect birds and their habitats. In addition, long term data help identify environmental issues affecting human populations.

The Leadbetter Point count will update our information on the state of the threatened snowy plover, a permanent resident of the refuge and a nesting species on the upper open beaches. It will also tell us something about the population distribution of other birds here and allow us to determine whether there has been a change since last year or from previous years.

The Christmas Count here on the Peninsula and the refuge will take place on Saturday, Dec. 17. The circle is the Audubon Leadbetter Bird Count Circle. There are seven sections in which the birds are counted by groups of birders as per the map of the circle. If you are interested in counting birds in one of the seven sections in the circle, please call Charlotte Persons, Audubon coordinator for this year’s count at 360-431-1174. No experience is required. Each group will have a leader who knows the birds. So come on out! Learn how to identify birds and in the process help with this worthwhile citizen science project. The birds, the refuge and the Peninsula will all benefit.