Get In The Christmas Bird Count Spirit

PRATT – It is the most wonderful time of the year, especially if you enjoy birdwatching. Christmas Bird Count traditions provide a great way to spend time outdoors, learn about birds and enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded birders. And the best part: it’s free.

Birders of all skill levels are welcome to the events, where groups will spend time canvassing established circular census areas, recording species and numbers of birds observed. Information recorded at events is entered into regional and national databases and can show population and migration trends. Some Christmas Bird Counts have been conducted for more than 100 years, and more than 2,000 events are conducted across the U.S. each year, so databases are extensive. There are usually more than 50 events conducted in Kansas each winter between Dec. 13 and January 9.

To learn more about Kansas Christmas Bird Count locations, go to the Kansas Ornithological Society’s (KOS) website, www.ksbirds.org. You’ll find a list of events scheduled to date, along with locations and contact information. To learn more about Audubon-sponsored events go to www.audubon.org.

All you need to participate is clothing appropriate for traipsing outdoors on a mid-winter day, a pair of binoculars, and a good field guide. Spotting scopes are handy if large wetlands or reservoirs are included in the census area. Add in a little adventurous spirit and some good friends and you have the recipe for a great day in the Kansas outdoors.

2015 GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT BEGINS FEB. 13

Fifteen minutes or more of bird watching is all participants need to participate

PRATT – In lieu of conducting the Backyard Bird Feeder Survey this year, bird watchers around the state are asked to participate in the annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) taking place Feb. 13-16. The GBBC is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds. Participants are asked to count numbers and species of birds from any location for as little as 15 minutes on one or more days of the event and report their sightings online at www.birdcount.org.  Anyone can take part in the count, from beginning bird watchers to experts, and there is no cost to participate.

It’s free, fun and each checklist submitted during the GBBC helps researchers at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and other bird conservation organizations learn more about population trends and distribution of various songbird species. 

Visit www.birdcount.org for more information.

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KANSAS ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY FALL MEETING

Members of the public are welcome to join in on the feathery fun

PRATT – The Kansas Ornithological Society (KOS) will hold its fall meeting October 3-5 in Salina. This informative and fun gathering is open to everyone and will include an informal, come-and-go reception at Lakewood Discovery Center on Friday from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. On Saturday a paper session and business meeting will run 9 a.m. - 4:40 p.m., followed by the annual banquet from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. On Sunday, all-day field trips will start at 7 a.m.

The paper session and business meeting will take place at the Sams Hall of Fine Arts on Kansas Wesleyan University campus, where students involved in bird research will have the opportunity to present their results. Time will also be allotted for non-professional birders wishing to share information on less-formal bird observations and research. Following lunch, participants can enjoy a Birdwatchers’ Hour where photographers of all skill levels can showcase their images of birds from Kansas and around the world. During the business meeting, KOS members will vote on new officers and board of directors for 2015, receive a fiscal update on KOS, and address any changes regarding bylaws or rules of operation, if necessary.

The annual banquet is scheduled at the Salina Country Club and will feature an awards ceremony and keynote speaker, Al Batt, a contributing columnist for Birdwatcher’s Digest.

Sunday will conclude the three-day event with all-day field trips led by local experts. Participants will depart from Lakewood Middle School (across from Lakewood Discovery Center) at 7 a.m. Destinations include: Salina, Ottawa State Fishing Lake, Kanopolis Reservoir, McPherson State Fishing Lake and Abilene. A list of species compiled for these areas and a lunch will be provided for all pre-paid participants.

For more information, or to register, visit www.ksbirds.org, or contact Mike Rader atmike.rader@ksoutdoors.com or (620) 672-0708.

BIRDING BIG YEAR COMPETITION SIGN-UP STILL OPEN

It’s not too late to sign up for the Kansas Birding Big Year competition

PRATT – Birders can still sign up for the 2013 Kansas Birding Big Year, a competition where participants attempt to observe as many species of birds as they can within the borders of Kansas. Unlike other “big year” competitions that span the U.S. in a calendar year, participants in the Kansas Birding Big Year can compete any time now through Dec. 31, 2013.

“The real driving force behind this competition is getting folks into the Kansas outdoors to enjoy nature and the fun wildlife watching opportunities available,” said KDWPT wildlife education coordinator Mike Rader. “We also hope this competition will help show folks just how many different kinds of birds either migrate through or call Kansas home.”

Participants can compete in one of three categories: youth (16 and under), adult (17-64), and senior (65 and up) by logging their data into the online service, eBird, available on the Cornell University web site, www.ebird.org. Winners from each category will receive prizes to be awarded next January. Event sponsors include Acorn Naturalists, Cabela's, Bass Pro Shops, Bushnell, and Walmart.

Participants must register for the competition, at http://ksoutdoors.com/birding-big-year or by emailing Rader at mike.rader@ksoutdoors.com. To compete, birders will submit their list totals online. Birds must be observed within Kansas boundaries, and must be species accepted by the Kansas Bird Records Committee of the Kansas Ornithological Society. Qualified birds must be alive, wild and unrestrained, and diagnostic field marks must be seen, and/or heard and documented by the recorder.

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS READY TO SOAR

Kansas Ornithological Society Christmas Bird Count runs Dec. 9-Jan. 13, 2013
PRATT — The long tradition of Christmas bird counts provide people interested in birds opportunities to make new acquaintances, renew old friendships, and learn more about birds and birdwatching in Kansas. The counts also provide important information about bird migration and population trends.
Christmas bird counts have been conducted for more than 100 years, and more than 2,000 counts are held across the nation each year. Kansas averages 50 counts per year, with more than 40 scheduled so far this year and others yet to be announced. Many counts are concentrated in the eastern and southern parts of the state, but in recent years, more have been conducted in western Kansas — such as Elkhart and Ulysses — providing additional opportunities to participate.
Christmas bird counts are conducted in circular census areas with a 7.5 mile radius. This is consistent from count-to-count and year-to-year, always surveying the same location, ensuring data collected is comparable for population trends over time.
Count events are easy to prepare for; the best tools being a pair of binoculars, a good field guide, and appropriate clothing and footwear for possible extreme weather. For those counting in an area with a lake, a good spotting scope can be extremely helpful in identifying birds at a distance. It’s also a good idea to study species expected in your location.
There are many count compilers in Kansas who send data to the Kansas Ornithological Society (KOS), and these counts are free. The KOS will accept data collected on counts conducted from Dec. 9 through Jan. 13, 2013. The official Audubon Christmas Bird Count period is Dec. 14 to Jan. 5 every year and this year, there is no longer a $5 fee for field participants.
Information about Kansas Christmas bird counts can be found at the KOS website, www.ksbirds.org. For details, just click “2012-2013 Kansas Christmas Bird Counts.” For more information about Audubon Christmas Bird Counts in Kansas, go to birds.audubon.org/christmas-bird-count.

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS IN 112TH YEAR

Image via Wikipedia

Kansas Ornithological Society Christmas Bird Count runs Dec. 11-Jan. 8; Audubon count Dec. 14-Jan. 5
PRATT — An early December cold spell has many bird lovers filling their backyard feeders and preparing for the winter delight of backyard bird watching. For the most avid of bird watchers, December is also the time to go afield and participate in the annual Christmas bird counts (CBCs), sponsored by the Kansas Ornithological Society (KOS) and the Kansas Audubon Society. Christmas bird counts are great for making new acquaintances, renewing old friendships, and learning more about birds and bird watching in Kansas.

This is the 112th year for organized Christmas bird counts, and more than 2,000 counts are held across the nation each year. Kansas averages 50 counts per year, with more than 40 scheduled so far this year and others yet to be announced. Many counts are concentrated in the eastern and southern parts of the state, but in recent years, more have been conducted in western portions of the state — such as Clark County and the Cimarron National Grasslands — providing additional opportunities to participate.

Christmas bird counts are conducted in circular census areas with a 7.5 mile radius. This is consistent from count-to-count and year-to-year, always surveying the same locations and ensuring that data collected is comparable for population trends over time.

CBCs are easy to prepare for, the best tools being a pair of binoculars, a good field guide, and appropriate clothing and footwear for possible extreme weather. For those counting in an area with a lake, a good spotting scope can be extremely helpful in identifying birds at a distance. It’s also a good idea to study what the expected species are for your location.

There are many count compilers in Kansas who only send data to the Kansas Ornithological Society (KOS), and these counts are free. The KOS will accept data collected on counts from Dec. 14 through Jan. 5, 2012, giving counters plenty of time to help survey their favorite areas. However, the official Audubon Christmas Bird Count period is Dec. 14 to Jan. 5 every year. The Audubon count requires a $5 participation fee for persons 18 and older, with the money going toward the cost of data publication.

Information about Kansas CBCs can be found at the Kansas Ornithological Society website,www.ksbirds.org. For details, just click Kansas Christmas Bird Counts. Information about Audubon counts may be found at birds.audubon.org/christmas-bird-count# .

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WINTER BIRD SURVEY CURE FOR POST-HOLIDAY BLUES

Popular annual bird watchers' event Jan. 13-16
PRATT — For many people, Christmas and New Year’s festivities are followed by weeks of letdown and gloomy weather. But for those who feed birds in their backyards, winter in Kansas is a joy, and the pleasure is multiplied for those who participate in the Kansas Winter Bird Feeder Survey.
As snow and frigid winter temperatures entice finches, cardinals, juncos, woodpeckers, and a variety of other birds to backyard bird feeders across the state, both avid and casual bird watchers participate in the Kansas Winter Bird Feeder Survey. The Winter Bird Feeder Survey is a partnership among the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP), the Kansas Ornithological Society, and Kansas University Center for Science Education (KUSCIED). It is sponsored by the Chickadee Checkoff Program and helps biologists monitor songbird species.
This year, Kansas bird watchers are asked to choose two consecutive days from Jan. 13-16, then observe and record the number and species of birds visiting their backyard feeders. Watchers then report the results online at KUSCIED’s website, www.kuscied.org, or go to the KDWP website for a hard copy form that can be mailed. Information gleaned from this survey helps KDWP track songbird population trends and types of feed that are most attractive to backyard birds. This long-term survey was expanded several years ago through the University of Kansas to include surveys around the nation. Information is reported by state, so Kansas results are separate.
During the two days viewers choose, they record the times of day observed, list the numbers of each species seen, and describe their feeders using the online or printed form. In spaces provided, they list the highest number of each species seen together at any one time. For example, if 10 juncos are seen at 9 a.m., 11 at noon, and seven at 4 p.m., the number recorded is 11.
Observers are asked to count only during the two consecutive days and record only birds seen at their feeders, under their feeders, or in cover around their feeders. Birds that fly past a house and do not use feeding areas should not be counted.
For more information, phone 620-672-0792.

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