Kenny Lake Christmas Bird Count December 17th
WISE Press Release
The Wrangell Institute for Science and the Environment (WISE) would like to invite you to participate in the 123rd annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count on December 17. This event is a part of a collective bird census that is conducted each year by Audubon. Audubon has conducted this annual bird census since 1901! That is a lot of valuable information about our birds and their movements.
Everyone is invited to participate, and no special knowledge is necessary. One of the benefits of winter birding is there are very few species in residence, so identification is far easier than in the summer months. If you are a beginning birder who would like to team up with an experienced counter, we may be able to help you with that as well. WISE does have some bird guides available if helpful. Just let us know when you sign up that you would like to use a guide to assist you.
The Kenny Lake count is taken in a 15-mile diameter circle centered on Kenny Lake near Mile 8 Edgerton Highway. You can participate by going out and looking for birds on foot, skiing, snowshoeing, or any other mode of transportation. Feeder watchers are also needed if you would rather stay inside and enjoy your birds through the window. Count Week will last from Wednesday, December 14th, to Tuesday, December 21st.
If you plan to participate, it is important to contact WISE and let us know where you plan to count, so we don’t overlap and can cover as much of the area as possible. We will be sending out packets of information to past participants.
Information and forms will also be available on the wise website at www.wise-edu.org/christmas-bird-count.html . You can call the WISE office at 822-3575, or email jolene@ wise-edu.org.
Why is this important? The Audubon Christmas Bird Count is one of the longest running citizen science projects in the country, and provides a baseline of bird populations through the decades. Scientists use the information to determine the range and habitat of birds, and identify population changes. This is especially important as we try to understand the impact of global climate instability.
After counting from dawn to dusk on December 17th, participants are invited to meet at the Kenny Lake Library at 4:30pm to compare notes, and enjoy some hot drinks and a light dinner. This meeting is not mandatory, it is just a fun way to finish up the day. WISE will compile the results and return them to Audubon to be included in the national results.
