Like a census taker going door-to-door, teams of citizen scientists will tramp from marsh to woodland to mountain on Dec. 30 to identify as many bird species as possible.
The ornithological safari is the 6th annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count, one of nearly 2,200 counts taking place across the country. Established in 1900, the national count is the world’s longest-running wildlife census.
Sonoma Valley has been ranked among the very best bird counts annually in the United States for the past five years, according to event organizer Tom Rusert of Sonoma Birding.
In Sonoma Valley last year, 39 teams recorded a total of 170 species, ranking it 34th in total species and 20th in total participants in the United States.
“Recording 150 species basically gets you on the honor roll,” Rusert said. Logging 170, as local teams did last year, “is a big deal.”
The call is out for volunteers to join the six-to-eight member teams. The teams are assigned 10 specific areas within the Valley territory. Fifteen miles in diameter, the territory encompasses two mountain ranges, urban communities, riparian habitats and vast marshes and wetlands.
“Everyone who participates does it for the love of birds and the excitement of friendly competition,” Rusert said, “and to make a difference for science and conservation.”
The diversity of habitats within the territory, and its location within the Western migration flyway, create wonderful sighting opportunities. To increase the chances of spotting shy species, Rusert has negotiated access to 70 private properties and areas usually off-limits to the public.
“There will be a lot of teams in lots of unique habitats,” Rusert said. “It’s quite an amazing day.”
CBC volunteers should have some level of birding experience, Rusert said. The teams are working to gather and document data that will shape the overall direction of bird conservation.
“Each observer is an important contributor to better understand our local bird species,” he said. “Our partners in the science community rely on this ‘citizen science’ to monitor bird populations across North America.”
The dusk-to-dawn workday is “no nonsense,” Rusert said, “but a lot of fun.”
The CBC culminates with a potluck dinner celebration and tabulation at the Sonoma Community Center. Bird enthusiast interested in participating can sign up and learn more at sonomabirding.org or 939.8007.
–Photo by Christine Hansen
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