Wednesday, March 26, 2003
|
Wednesday, March 26, 2003 |
Christmas Bird Count 2002 resultsBy SALLIE
SATTERTHWAITE
The day couldn't have been prettier, the sky clearer, or the temperature better. Those amenities, however, don't necessarily mean more birds will show up for their annual census: the National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count. Brock Hutchins of Fayetteville who coordinated the count, Dec. 21, 2002, says the count was low this year, despite near-perfect weather conditions. "We had 75 species and 4,767 total birds," Hutchins reports. "These were the lowest totals for any count we have had." One possible reason is that the number of birders participating in the count was low. Hutchins is hopeful that "we can get more observers in the field next year and cover more areas in the southern part of the count circle where there is less development." Ten people took to the fields for the recent census, several before dawn, which accounts for three species of owls reported. Also participating in the tally were several feeder watchers, who simply count what flies into their backyards during the day. The official Peachtree City circle is 15 miles in diameter, as are all CBC circles in the Western Hemisphere. The local circle actually centers on Turin, in Coweta County. "We were able to find most of the more common species," said Hutchins. "But we missed both house and winter wrens, American pipit, and my favorite, the fox sparrow." In the Peachtree City count, 296 chipping sparrows made up the largest single species seen. Killdeer came in second, with 270. "We usually get three or four unusual birds," Hutchins added, "but not this year, except for two canvasbacks. We haven't seen a canvasback duck since 1987." The total number of birds was low, he said, owing to the lack of any large flocks of blackbirds or other species that often pump up this number. Totals are still being tabulated by analysts of the Audubon Society. The Peachtree City count may be viewed on the Internet at audubon.birdsource.org/CBCOutput/ The National Audubon website is audubon.org. Hutchins said the next Christmas Count will be on a date chosen between Dec. 14, 2003, through Jan. 5, 2004. He expressed again his appreciation of landowners who allow counters to enter their property. Hutchins' e-mail address is brockhutchins@msn.com.
|
||