Yesterday I participated, along with my friends Pete Olson and Greg Faleskin, in the 109th annual Christmas Bird Count, a National Audubon Society sponsored census of birds observed throughout the Americas. The tradition began in the year 1900, when the Audubon Society proposed that groups of people begin counting the number of birds they observe in the field, rather than practicing the common "side hunt" tradition, whereby two groups of hunters would compete to see who could kill the highest number of birds in a day. Today, the CBC has grown to be one of the largest (and longest held) citizen scientist events in the world. In addition to collecting vast amounts of data on bird populations and promoting conservation awareness, it has become a favorite winter-time tradition for many people, families, and friends.
Our territory included the area roughly between and north of the towns Genoa and Kingston in DeKalb County. In 5.75 hours we observed 22 species in total. I'll post the results on the number of individual birds counted once I get them from our compiler. Here are the species we saw in the field.
Our territory included the area roughly between and north of the towns Genoa and Kingston in DeKalb County. In 5.75 hours we observed 22 species in total. I'll post the results on the number of individual birds counted once I get them from our compiler. Here are the species we saw in the field.
House Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Blue Jay
American Goldfinch
American Crow
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Cackling Goose
Mute Swan
Mallard
House Finch
Downy Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Brown Creeper
Dark-eyed Junco
European Starling
Mourning Dove
White-breasted Nuthatch
Canada Goose
Horned Lark
Black-capped Chickadee
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