LAKE COUNTY >> This year, the annual Clear Lake Christmas Bird Count will be on Dec. 27. The bird count is a traditional project of Audubon societies around the country.
Each December birders gather to record every individual bird and species encountered during the day. Each count group has a designated circle of 15 miles in diameter and tries to cover as much ground as possible within a certain period of time.
The data collected by each count group are then sent to the National Audubon Headquarters in New York and is available on-line.
The Christmas Bird Count began more than a century ago when 27 conservationists in 25 localities, led by scientist and writer Frank Chapman, changed the course of ornithological history.
On Christmas Day in 1900, the small group posed an alternative to the “side hunt,” a Christmas day activity in which teams competed to see who could shoot the most birds and small mammals. Instead, Chapman proposed to identify, count, and record all the birds they saw, founding what is now considered to be the world”s most significant citizen-based conservation effort — and century-old institution.
Redbud Audubon invites all birders and nature enthusiasts to join in the upcoming Christmas Bird Count. Birders of all skill levels are encouraged to participate. This is Audubon”s longest running wintertime tradition and is the 38th year the Count has taken place in Lake County.
After the count, participants are invited to a pizza dinner at 5:30 p.m. at Kelseyville Pizza on State Street in Kelseyville to join in the count compilation where the tally of the day”s sightings is compiled.
Prior to the bird count, Redbud Audubon will present an extensive slide show and discussion of distinguishing features of birds that are often seen during the annual count. This event takes place at the monthly meeting on Thursday, Dec. 18, Glebe Hall, St. Peter”s Catholic Church in Kelseyville, starting at 7 p.m.
If you are interested in participating in the bird count on December 27, please call (707) 263-8030, leave a message and someone will return your call. Please note the bird count is being held a little later than usual this year, one week after Christmas instead of one week before, which has been the usual time.
