People of all interest levels have an opportunity to contribute to a grand project at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday, December 20.  That is the date for the 2008 Christmas Bird Count.   This year will mark the 109^th anniversary of the annual bird census under the auspices of the Audubon Society.

During the nineteenth century it was a tradition among sportsmen of the eastern U.S. to compete on Christmas day to see who could shoot the most birds.  Just over one hundred years ago Frank Chapman and members of the early Audubon Society decided that there should be a new tradition that didn’t take such a toll on birds; thus was born the Christmas Bird Count. 

Now hundreds of such counts take place between 14 December and 5 January each year.  The data collected in all these censuses have become one of the world’s most complete and long-term data sets on bird populations.

The Hagerman NWR Christmas count circle, fifteen miles in diameter, is divided into six areas and each area has a designated leader who is skilled in identification.  Participants do not need to be expert, what is most needed is extra eyes to find the birds.  You don’t even have to commit to an all day search.  Several of the areas in the Hagerman circle are small enough to be covered in half a day.

The task of the counters is to find and identify all the birds they can in their assigned area.  The National Audubon Society encourages Christmas counts to cover at least the daylight hours and most counts include a few hours of owl searching at night.

There is another way people can contribute.  Any bird feeders within the count circle can be included in the day’s tally.  If you live in the Hagerman circle but don’t wish to spend part of your day in the field you can be a feeder watcher.  The Hagerman NWR circle includes the communities of Pottsboro, Sherwood Shores, Cedar Mills, Mill Creek, Locust, Fink, Tanglewood, Georgetown, Preston and Gordonville.  Contact Dr. Meyer for instructions on reporting.

Birders in the field at Hagerman NWR, photo by Sue Malnory

To participate in the field count, you can just show up on count day, but it would help in planning if you let Dr. Wayne Meyer know you’ll be coming ahead of time. 

He can be reached at wmeyer@austincollege.edu or you can leave voice mail at 903-813-2254. Those who will be counting will meet at the refuge headquarters at 7:00 a.m. to divide into teams. 

Anyone interested in searching for owls is welcome to meet Dr. Meyer at the headquarters building at 4:45 a.m.  The Friends of Hagerman NWR will be hosting a compilation social at 5:00 p.m.  All participants are encouraged to attend as the day’s results are added up.