Hey All, We are coming in to the home stretch. Thanks to great response from you, all areas seem to have great coverage for the count on Saturday. Now, as has been said, let's just hope for little (or NO) rain.
I would like to take a minute to talk about feeder counts for those people who may not plan to go out counting or for those who do both. Feeder counts are so productive, especially in winter, when feeders concentrate species. I would like to join Dave Nutter in encouraging everyone within the count circle to tally the birds at their feeders and call in the total to the Lab of Ornithology where Holly Adams will be taking calls between 4 and 6 PM, Saturday, Jan. 1. Count circle map is here... http://www.birds.cornell.edu/cayugabirdclub/pdf/CBCMap.pdf To clarify the protocol for this count...you count the maximum number of birds of each species that you see at any one time. If you see two chickadees and they leave, and then a little while later, you see two chickadees, you do not add them. You still just have two chickadees. But if two are there, and two more show up (or are in the bush next to your feeder) you have four chickadees. I contacted Audubon to settle a debate from last year. And here is the verdict, You can count flyovers. You can count birds in trees that you can see, such as Cedar Waxwings, that will not come down to your feeder. I am planning on putting a little sign on the tree in front of my yard saying. "Christmas Bird Count in progress in this yard" so Dave, who is counting in my neighborhood, does not double count my birds. You can do this too! Email me if you have any questions about this. Dave Nutter wrote an extensive email the other day, defining the boundaries of the circle by street name, if anyone wants this information,let me know and I will forward it to you. Let's get the most feeder counts this year, as well as the most chickadees!!! > > Linda > > > Information follows: > > > A reminder, we need all hands on deck for our annual Christmas Bird Count > held, as has become traditional, on Jan.1. *Please consider becoming a > part of this. * Here is the link to the information included last week > http://www.birds.cornell.edu/cayugabirdclub/christmasbirdcount.htm > > We need you and we want you. If you are intimidated by any aspect of this > count, please get in touch with me, Linda, so I can reassure you. You do > not need to count all night, or all day. You can cover any assigned > territory in a way that is convenient and fun for you You do not need to be > an expert, although some familiarity with resident winter birds may make you > feel more confident. I am currently trying to line up experienced counters > who may be willing to have you along so that you are primed and ready to do > this on your own next year. Let me hear from you. > > Here is a link to our Ithaca count from last year. > http://audubon2.org/cbchist/count_table.html Can we do better? More > people? More birds? More areas covered? Join in!!! > > Link to full text of article: > http://www.birds.cornell.edu/cayugabirdclub/christmasbirdcount.htm > > > Here is a brief description of the areas. If you live in or near any of > them, or if you have some special fondness for the place, take some part > of it on. Make it your own. All of the areas can use counters. Some areas > are more in need than others. But no one will be turned away. Let me know > where you want to go, I'll get you in touch with the area leader. It's > easy!!! > > > > Area I > > West Dryden, Hile School Road area. Open fields, secondary growth fields, > and woodlots. Possible Merlin, White-winged Crossbills, blackbirds, and > sparrows. > > Area II > > Fall Creek area, Mount Pleasant. Woodlands and fields. Good for turkeys, > hawks, and herons. > > Area III > > The linear park in Dryden, Beam Hill, and Yellow Barn Road. Pine and spruce > forests, good for winter finches. > > Area IV > > Ellis Hollow area, Snyder Hill, Ringwood. Woodlands and fields. Good for > hawks, turkeys, bluebirds, sparrows, owls, and finches. > > Area V > > Six Mile Creek gorge, Brooktondale area. Our largest area, good birding and > hiking. Possible turkey and grouse. > > Area VI > > Danby area, Finger Lakes Trail, and Buttermilk Falls. Noted for wintering > bluebirds and robins. > > Area VII > > West side of Cayuga Lake, Bostwick Road, Mecklenberg Road. Good for > waterfowl, including all three species of merganser. > > Area VIII > > Cornell campus, Cayuga Heights, and Stewart Park. Good for rare birds, Fish > Crows, and gulls. > > Area IX > > East side of Cayuga Lake, Lansing area. Fields, woodlots. Waterfowl and > field birds, including Northern Shrike and Short-eared Owl. > > Call me, 279-4253, email me, [email protected]. I am waiting to hear > from you and the area leaders are looking forward to your wonderful help. > -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
