The annual Christmas Bird Count, sponsored by the National Audubon Society and the Georgia Ornithological Society, will rally the troops Saturday to count the birds in Peachtree City and eastern Coweta County.

With Turin as the hub, CBC participants cover a circle 15 miles in diameter, and includes farmland, wetlands, residential and light industry – a good mix of habitat if you’re a bird. It was called the Peachtree City circle because plans to participate in the annual census were made in Peachtree City.

Societal changes come slowly. It’s hard now to believe that polio is essentially gone from Earth, and that smokers seldom do not light up indoors or around children. It is hard to believe that obesity is a national emergency and it’s hard to believe that a bird count was once done by gun to celebrate Christmas.

Today the count is called the largest and most consistent public survey in history. When data from that many observers and from more than a century are combined, science is the beneficiary.

Last year’s “first and most unusual” sighting in Peachtree City was a pair of bald eagles feeding at a fish kill on Lake Peachtree. For awhile the big birds appeared to be planning to build and breed in the Fayette County city, but eventually moved on, perhaps seeking a quieter neighborhood.

Red-winged blackbirds led the count in sheer numbers, 501 individuals. Ring-billed ducks made the next largest showing, with about 400 individuals, unusual for the Christmas Count. European starlings were right behind the gulls, with 382 counted, and the little chipping sparrows numbered 254.

The unwelcome brown-headed cowbirds were in the running with 250 and American crows were right behind with 215.

Twelve people in groups of two or three took to the Peachtree City Count last year, in clear mild weather. Their final total was lower than previous years have yielded, with 87 birds. When all 2,022 circles in the western hemisphere reported in, 69,901,741 birds had been noted.

The CBC date set for the Peachtree City circle is Saturday, Dec. 17, and experienced birders are welcome. Paperwork for backyard counting is available. For information, contact Brock Hutchins, who has participated as count coordinator for several years. He especially wants to hear from anyone who will allow egress to his or her property for the duration of the count. “We try to vary our sites within the count circle,” Hutchins said, “to make our totals as informative as possible.”

Hutchins will answer questions at 770-461-5042 or brockhutchins@msn.com.

login to post comments