Kitsap Audubon Society
Announcements:
Events:
The 15th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count February 17 to 20, 2012
— www.birdcount.org
The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that
engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time
snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. Anyone can participate,
from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes
on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the
event. It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds.
Participants count birds anywhere for
as little or as long as they wish during the four-day period. They tally
the highest number of birds of each species seen together at any one
time. To report their counts, they fill out an online checklist at the
Great Backyard Bird Count website.
As the count progresses, anyone with Internet access can explore what
is being reported from their own towns or anywhere in the United States
and Canada. They can also see how this year’s numbers compare with those
from previous years. Participants may also send in photographs of the
birds they see. A selection of images is posted online. Why Count Birds?
Scientists and bird enthusiasts can learn a lot by knowing where the
birds are. Bird populations are dynamic; they are constantly in flux.
No single scientist or team of scientists could hope to document the
complex distribution and movements of so many species in such a short
time.
We need your help. Make sure the birds from your community are well
represented in the count. It doesn’t matter whether you report the five
species coming to your backyard feeder or the 75 species you see during
a day’s outing to a wildlife refuge. Your counts can help us answer
many questions:
• Where are winter finches and other “irruptive” species that appear
in large numbers during some years but not others?
• How will the timing of birds’ migrations compare with past years?
• How are bird diseases, such as West Nile virus, affecting birds in
different regions?
• How will this winter’s snow and cold temperatures influence bird populations?
• What kinds of differences in bird diversity are apparent in cities
versus suburban, rural, and natural areas?
Scientists use the counts, along with observations from other citizenscience
projects, such as the Christmas Bird Count, Project FeederWatch, and
eBird, to give us an immense picture of our winter birds. Each year
that these data are collected makes them more meaningful and allows
scientists to investigate far-reaching questions.
The Great Backyard Bird Count is led by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
and National Audubon Society, with Canadian partner Bird Studies Canada
and sponsorship from Wild Birds Unlimited
Bird Festivals:
None at this time.
Audubon Adventures: Members of Kitsap Audubon have an opportunity to make a difference in classrooms throughout the county by sponsoring an “Audubon Adventures” classroom kit. “Audubon Adventures” is an environmental education program, produced by the National Audubon Society aimed at fourth and fifth graders. Designed by professional environmental educators, the “Audubon Adventures” program presents basic, scientifically accurate information about birds and other wildlife, habitats and conservation. The material meets core elementary curriculum standards in Earth Science, Language Arts and Civics. “Audubon Adventures” comes as a classroom kit serving up to 32 students. Each kit contains a teacher’s manual and covers 4 separate topics with classroom hand-outs. KAS supplies these kits, free of charge, to subscribing teachers in the Kitsap County public schools. Last year KAS supplied 40 classrooms with “Audubon Adventures” kits. The cost of each classroom kit is $ 45.65 ($38.50 plus $7.15 postage). This is a major item in the KAS annual budget. Your contribution would help us defray the cost of this program. You may contribute any amount to the general “Audubon Adventures” program or sponsor your child’s or a grandchild’s classroom or a classroom of your choice! To make a contribution, make checks payable to Kitsap Audubon Society and mail to KAS, PO Box 961, Poulsbo, WA 98370 and specify that your contribution is for “Audubon Adventures” Should you have any questions contact Fay Linger, Education Chair, 360-297-3855 or ernieandfay@ centurytel.net
Puget Sound Seabird Survey Needs Volunteers: Are you a birdwatcher who’d like to make a valuable contribution to science? Volunteer for the Puget Sound Seabird Survey! Surveys are synchronized to take place within a four-hour window on the first Saturday of each month, October through April. Protocol is scientifically stringent, but user friendly. Advanced birders preferred,but those who can’t tell a Greater from a Lesser Scaup can team up with more experienced observers. This program is unique and addresses a known gap in our understanding of seabirds in Puget Sound. Visit www.seabirdsurvey.org or contact Adam Sedgley at adams@seattleaudubon.org to learn more
Friends of Newberry Hill Heritage Park: currently has three board members and openings for two more. The NHHP Board is especially interested in adding someone from the Audubon community who is knowledgeable about bird habit. To learn more about this soon to be 501(c)3 group, visit www.friendsofnhhp.com.
Our Mission is to preserve the natural world through education, enivronmental study, and habitat protection; and to promote awareness and enjoyment of local and regional natural areas. Check out our new Brochure!
The Kingfisher Newsletter
Kitsap Audubon publishes a monthly newsletter called the Kingfisher. The Kingfisher is published eight times a year, September to May.
©
Paul Carson
Submissions from readers are welcome. Email text or photographs to genebullock@comcast.net or mail them to Gene Bullock, Kingfisher Editor, 1968 NE Lind Ct., Poulsbo WA 98370. Our deadline is the 15th of the preceding month.