Local birders urged to take part in annual bird count

Saipan will once again take part in the Audubon Society’s long running winter tradition—the Christmas Bird Count—during which volunteers will count the number of birds they will see throughout the day.

The CNMI has been participating in this worldwide effort for more than 11 years already.

This year, the Christmas Bird Count on Saipan will be held on Dec. 17, followed by one on Tinian on Dec. 28, 2008, and on Rota on Jan. 3, 2009.

Each year from approximately mid-December through the first week in January, birders and volunteers across the western hemisphere participate in various day-long counts throughout the Americas, the West Indies, and the Pacific Islands.

In 2007, 59,918 participants took part in 2,113 individual counts. These observers reported a total of 57,704,250 birds from 2,267 species—nearly a quarter of the total of the world’s known bird species.

The volunteer generated data that are a result of these counts have become an important part of the U.S. government’s Natural History Monitoring Database. Thus, the CBC is a great opportunity for bird enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels to make a significant and useful contribution to science.

The CBC began in 1900 when 27 birders in 25 separate locations in North America posed an alternative to the “Side Hunt,” a Christmas day tradition in which participants chose sides and shot as many birds and mammals as possible throughout the day. Instead, this small group (led by scientist Frank Chapman) counted and recorded all birds detected and founded what is now considered the world’s most significant citizen based conservation effort.

Come take part in the fun of this daylong event. Just meet with the group on Dec. 17 at the American Memorial Park parking lot at 6am with water, snacks or food, paper, pencils or pens, and binoculars and field guide if you have them (it’s OK if you don’t own binoculars; DFW may have a few field guides on hand for use). As you’ll take part in both roadside and walking surveys, come appropriately attired. A participation fee of $5 will be required, which covers the cost of data compilation and of the annual Christmas Bird Count publication that all participants will receive.

Paul Radley of CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife will be leading and organizing the count. If you have any questions or are interested in taking part in the counts on Tinian (Dec. 28, 2008) or Rota (Jan. 3, 2009), call or e-mail Radley at 664-6011 or paulradleycnmidfw@gmail.com.[B][I] (PR)[/I][/B]