Eyes skyward for annual bird count
Annapolis Royal area residents can sign up for 120th Christmas count
Citizens from Annapolis Royal and area can help scientists study the long-term health and status of bird populations by taking part in the 120th Christmas Bird Count Dec. 14.
The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is a long-standing program of the National Audubon Society, with more than 100 years of community science involvement. It is an early-winter bird census, where thousands of volunteers across the U.S., Canada, and many countries in the Western Hemisphere go out over a 24-hour period on one calendar day to count birds. Participants can conduct feeder counts from the comfort of home or sign up to cover a portion of the 24-kilometre diameter circle by foot or car.
The data collected during the count allows researchers, conservation biologists, wildlife agencies and other interested individuals to study the long-term health and status of bird populations across North America.
The Christmas Bird Count is one example of an important citizen science program. Citizen science programs rely on public participation in scientific research through activities such as data collection. Citizen programs are powerful because of the large volumes of data that can be collected when communities work collaboratively toward a common objective.
Another exciting citizen science opportunity coming in 2020 is the City Nature Challenge. As described on their website, “the City Nature Challenge is an international effort for people to find and document plants and wildlife in cities across the globe. It’s a bioblitz-style competition where cities are in a contest against each other to see who can make the most observations of nature, who can find the most species, and who can engage the most people.”
While the Valley may not meet the conventional definition of ‘city,’ a City Nature Challenge team has been registered for Kings-Annapolis counties.
Clean Annapolis River Project is looking forward to working with partners at the Centre of Geographic Sciences in the new year to get community members involved in this event. The Challenge is set to take place from April 24-27.
Citizen science programs play an important role in conservation efforts. At a local level, organizations such as Clean Annapolis River Project (CARP) use citizen science data to guide their habitat restoration and stewardship projects. Observations of species at risk can be used to focus further surveys or target key areas for private landowner outreach and education programs.
Anyone interested in participating in the Christmas Bird Count or learning more about the 2020 City Nature Challenge can contact Katie McLean at the Clean Annapolis River Project office, 902-532-7533, katiemclean@annapolisriver.ca.
Christmas Bird Count data forms are available on the CARP website www.annapolisriver.ca or can be picked up at the office between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
ABOUT CARP
Clean Annapolis River Project is an environmental NGO that operates throughout the Annapolis River Watershed, with an office in Annapolis Royal. Their mission is to enhance the ecological health of the Annapolis River watershed through science, leadership and community engagement. For more information visit www.annapolisriver.ca