The Weminuche Audubon Society chapter invites you to help us count birds for this year’s Christmas Bird Count, Audubon’s 125th annual census of winter birds and the 14th year of participation in Pagosa Springs.
You don’t need to be an experienced birder; we welcome participation from all interested community members and visitors. Make it a part of your holiday traditions. Volunteer help is critical to the success of this annual event.
In preparation for the count, Keith Bruno, Audubon Rockies southwest community naturalist, will lead us in three bird identification classes to review species that we may encounter here during the winter.
Classes will be held on Wednesday evenings, November 20 and December 4, and on Thursday, December 12 at the Community United Methodist Church on Lewis Street. We will start promptly at 6pm and be done by 8pm.
The first of these classes will cover waterfowl in time to visit local waterways and test your identification skills.
On December 14, teams will split up to record all of the birds that we identify by sight or sound in our local count circle, following protocols established by the National Audubon Society. Be a part of this important endeavor carried out by people just like you all across the Western Hemisphere.
The Pagosa Springs count is conducted within a 15-mile diameter circle, divided into eight zones, and centered on Trujillo Road near downtown. Areas covered include town; about 6 miles east; most of Pagosa Lakes including Meadows subdivisions; west to Elk Park, Alpha Rockridge, Timber Ridge, Mill Creek and Holiday Acres areas; Snowball, Cemetery and the first part of Fourmile Roads; Loma Linda; south to the Lower Blanco area; Trujillo Road to Burns Canyon; and areas in between.
It’s a lot of ground to cover in one day.
If you live within the count circle, you can also participate by counting birds at your feeders using the forms provided, or let us know that we are welcome to stop by and tally what we see in your yard. Please keep your feeders full that day.
For further information on the count or to sign up as a volunteer, email us at weminuche.audubon@ gmail.com.