Winter can be a great time to get out and observe birds. In the West, depending on where you reside, it could even be the best time of year to observe certain species.
For instance, the southern states, Mexico, South America and the Caribbean are privy to waterfowl and migratory songbird populations that tend to inhabit the northernmost states, Canada proper and parts of the Arctic in the summer. To those of you in any of the south-central states or subtropics, this can truly be the season to be birding most devoutly.
And to all else, whom hail from somewhere that is subject to the bitter, cold face of winter weather, we too can make this a memorable birding season. But first, and very importantly, some of us have to make the conscious decision not to be consumed by the nagging passivity and desire to hibernate in our warm homes until spring. Conquer that initial hurdle, and the rest is just a matter of getting out there finding and enjoying your local winter wonderlands.
One helpful symptom of winter for birders is the lack of foliage. With less canopy and leaf-cover, the typical bird figure now stands out against a stark skeletal wooded area, making them easier to observe and identify.
Two other winter activities that fall between December and February are the Christmas Bird Count and the Backyard Bird Count.
This year marks the 111th Christmas Bird Count (CBC).
“CBC aims to capture an early winter snapshot of bird populations over many decades, and provide birders with an enjoyable social birding experience. Viewed in comparison with other long-term, continent-wide, monitoring programs CBC data give us an understanding of the dynamics of bird populations across North America during the early winter. We are also gaining an understanding of the status of bird populations in Latin America, the Caribbean, and US Minor Outlying Islands.”
Officially, the Christmas Bird Count kicks-off on December 14th, 2010, and is on-going through January 5th, 2011. For more information on how to get involved locally, visit: http://birds.audubon.org/christmas-bird-countfrom
In a similar vein, the Backyard Bird Count constitutes another, however abbreviated, three-day bird count event. From February 18-21, interested birders can sign up and get directions online that explain the process of compiling a checklist of the different species observed in the backyard over that period: http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/
Birders of all stripes are encouraged to participate in both of these important citizen science initiatives. Step-out and brave the conditions. Help contribute to the “longest-running wildlife census to assess the health of bird populations - and to help guide conservation action.”
