Christmas Bird Count

113th Annual Christmas Bird Count of the Audubon Miami Valley chapter of the National Audubon Society Records 72 Species!

Audubon Miami Valley’s 113th Annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC) took place on Saturday December 15, 2012 with Larry Sherman coordinating the event. Beginning at 7:00am at Miami University’s Ecology Research Center on Somerville Road, the dawn-to-dusk census of bird species covered 176 square miles around Oxford, Ohio.

This year’s report shows that participants counted 72 species and 8933 individual birds. This was one of the highest counts in a long time!

MORE ABOUT THE COUNT: The original bird count was on Christmas day in 1900. It now incorporates more than 1600 organized efforts and over 50,000 participants throughout continental U. S., Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. territories, Canada, Bermuda, parts of Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and Pacific islands. Data collected are sent to National Audubon Society. In the past these data were published annually in a special “Christmas Bird Count” issue of “American Birds.” But, starting this year the annual data will only be presented digitally on the web at http://www.audubon.org/.

Regardless of experience, new participants are welcome to join groups led by experts covering portions of the count area. All participants are encouraged to bring food to share along with their own table service. Also, as hunting season includes this date, participants are asked to be cautious and wear bright orange hats or vests when in the field so that they can be clearly distinguished from the game hunters are seeking.

Count areas include Springwood, Four Mile Creek, Bachelor Wildlife Preserve, Upper and Lower Indian Creek Valley, Rush Run, Hueston’s Woods State Park-Acton Lake and the Miami University Airport.