Birdstud's Birdchat: December 2010

Saturday, December 18, 2010

2010 CBC - Counting Birds is FUN!

Here it is December again...time to see how many birds there are in Area 20...

The Schlitz Audubon Compiler for the southeastern Wisconsin area established Saturday - December 18th, 2010 as the Christmas Bird Count date (CBC) for 2010. The CBC is rich with history and tradition. Not wanting to be left out of the count for this year; I signed up for Area 20 in the WIMI circle. This would be the 111th version of the annual count. The Milwaukee Circle was coordinated (compiled) again this year by Andrea Szymczak.

The “bird-brained” participants are to "count" the total amount of each species (they are sure of) recorded in their section, to the best of their ability from midnight to midnight. The "official" turn in date for all data is January 5, 2011. Again the WIMI had its "turn-in party" beginning at 4:00 PM at the Schlitz Audubon Center the evening of the count. Barbara and I started the count around 9:15 AM in the 10 degree air. We drove to the Honey Creek Parkway behind Hart Park and walked and walked until the wind chill drove us back to the shelter of the vehicle (and the heater). One of the most interesting facets of this year's count were the plethora of European Starlings and the dearth of American Robins logged.

Barbara and I turned over our count data at around 4:20 and shared a glass of ginger ale; while basking in the afterglow, (and chatting with WIMI faithfuls like Scott Diehl, Marilyn Bontly, Judith Huff, Andrea Szymczak and Jean Frelka) of another successful CBC. If you'd like to join in a count (either the CBC or the upcoming GBBC February 18, 2011); email me at birdstud@birdmilwaukee.com and I'll hook you up. In the meantime...keep watching your feeders cause you never know what you'll see this winter. You could even spy a wayward Red-winged Blackbird in Boulder Junction, WI in 12" of snow! Yes, Virginia...it can (and does) happen.

Here's the count for 2010 (in area 20)