Birders to host holiday counts
PRESQUE ISLE — Aroostook Birders bird watching club will once again host two Audubon Christmas Bird Counts, one centered around Presque Isle and the other in the Caribou/Limestone area, and is looking for volunteers that would like to assist counting birds at home feeders or out in the field.
According to Bill Sheehan, Aroostook Birders club president and count coordinator, Audubon’s Christmas Bird count is an annual survey of wintering birds conducted by a group of citizen volunteers who comb the countryside, within a specified area, looking for any birds that can be found throughout the day. It’s been a citizen science tradition of hundreds of Audubon chapters and groups nationwide for over a century. As one of the longest running biological surveys, the extensive record of data provides valuable insights into how bird populations and their habitats are doing, and what needs to be done to protect them.
The Presque Isle census is done in a “count circle” within a 7.5-mile radius of the city’s downtown. Field volunteers cover assigned areas and count all wild birds seen, with feeder watchers recording birds visiting home feeders throughout the day. The birders gather afterward for a meal and tally of results.
Sheehan notes that 35 different species are typically seen on one of the local counts.
“In this area, the possibility always exists to find rare birds such as Iceland gulls, snowy and northern hawk owls, rusty blackbirds and hoary redpolls seen in recent years,” he said.
Bird watchers of all skill levels are invited and new birders can usually be paired with an experienced volunteer who will help with identification and count rules.
“We hope that beginning birders and more experienced folks who have never participated in a Christmas Bird Count will want to take part,” Sheehan said.
Aroostook’s two counts are scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 29 in Caribou/Limestone and New Year’s Day, Tuesday, Jan. 1 for Presque Isle. The Presque Isle count has a long history going back to the 1930s. The count is centered in Presque Isle and covers parts of Chapman, Easton, Fort Fairfield, Mapleton, Presque Isle and Westfield.
To sign up to count or learn more about the counts, contact Sheehan at 227-7301 or bill.j.sheehan@gmail.com. For further information, visit www.aroostookbirders.com.
