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Audubon Society continues Bird Count tradition

News file photo A pileated woodpecker appears in the News file photo.

The pileated woodpecker also is a regular during the Bird Count, but in low numbers. Bird enthusiasts consider it a wonder to behold whenever they see one.

Two dozen bird enthusiasts in the Hubbard Lake and Alpena areas continued a long-standing tradition of serving as citizen scientists for the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count held in December. They were part of a mobilized force of more than 72,000 volunteer bird counters in more than 2,500 locations across the Western Hemisphere.

The national organization utilizes the data gathered to track the health of bird populations on a scale that scientists never could accomplish alone. Data compiled on every individual bird and bird species seen in specific locations and on specific days in Hubbard Lake and Alpena will be added to the statistics gathered nationwide and beyond.

Thunder Bay Audubon Society takes the lead locally with organizing the Christmas Bird Count. Member Bill Grigg reports that 50 different species and a total of 2,099 birds were spotted in Hubbard Lake, while 48 different species and 1,968 birds were recorded in Alpena.

“The cold weather a week before the counts froze most of Hubbard Lake as well as Lake Huron,” Grigg said in his report to the TBAS membership. “This resulted in fewer waterbird species being seen, which meant fewer species seen on the day of the count.”

The Bird Count typically is held in a count circle with a diameter of 15 miles. At least 10 volunteers are needed, including a compiler to coordinate the process. The volunteers break up into small parties, and follow assigned routes which change little from year to year, counting every bird they see. In most count circles, some people also watch feeders instead of following routes.

TBAS conducted the Bird Count on two different days and in both field and feeder formats. In Alpena, the count circle centered around the Duck Park and involved 20 volunteers who reported to Grigg.

In Hubbard Lake, 14 volunteers agreed to take part and then passed along their sightings to fellow TBAS member Craig Klemens.

Field counters were required to count all species within the boundaries of their assigned sections and also record the total mileage and time on foot or in a vehicle. Feeder counters were tasked with counting birds two or three times a day.

The most frequently spotted bird species in Alpena were European starlings with 661, Pine siskin with 510, American goldfinches with 440 and morning doves with 203. In Hubbard Lake, the most prevalent species were American goldfinches with 302, blue jays with 177, morning doves with 148 and European starlings with 145.

While many birds were spotted, TBAS President Karen Tetzlaff likened the experience to fishing in that participants in both instances never know if they will see birds or catch fish.

“The field observers cover the same geographical area – or nearly so – each year as we learn which areas we will most likely see birds,” Tetzlaff said. “I compare it to fishing – sometimes you can do everything right and you still don’t have fish for dinner. Going birding can be the same. You can check the correct habitat, good weather, right season of year and time of day – and you still might not see any.”

The Audubon Christmas Bird Count began in 1900 when Dr. Frank Chapman – founder of “Bird-Lore magazine, which evolved into the “Audubon” magazine – suggested an alternative to the holiday “side hunt” in which teams competed to see who could shoot the most birds. Today the information gathered through 117-year-old tradition gives a comprehensive picture of what’s going on in the avian world. It is also used in many scientific studies and shows population trends, habitat changes and disease problems.

Thunder Bay Audubon Society is a chapter of the Michigan Audubon Society. For more information about the organization, contact Tetzlaff at tetzlaffk@gmail.com or Grigg at wngrigg@hotmail.com.

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