BEMIDJI 鈥� Local birders had a chance to showcase their bird watching skills in Bemidji on Saturday when the 125th annual Christmas Bird Count 鈥� a National Audubon Society event that takes place between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5 each winter 鈥� kicked off.
The Christmas Bird Count is the nation's longest-running community science bird project. It provides ample data which is useful for both the scientific community and everyone as a whole.
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鈥淭he data collected is useful for the cities, counties, states, businesses and non-profits to make land management decisions,鈥� explained local bird enthusiast and Bagley resident Kelly Larson, who participated in the Bemidji bird count.
鈥淭hey have a database of what birds are in an area, how they have been using a particular habitat, where they鈥檙e located, what times of year they are dependent upon (an area as) a winter resource 鈥� or summer resource,鈥� Larson said, adding that the information provided is crucial for bird preservation.
Many factors lead to why the Christmas Bird Count is successful, including its consistency, but the dedicated birders who attend each year could be seen as the count's driving force.
Counting birds
Experienced and fledgling birders alike from Beltrami County and afar gathered at Country Kitchen early Saturday morning as the Mississippi Headwaters Audubon Society prepared for Bemidji's Christmas Bird Count.
The birders were divided into groups, prepared to tackle different portions of a 15-mile radius encompassing the Bemidji area.
Experienced birders David Harrington of Turtle Lake and Larson claimed the southwest corner of the circle which included Lake Plantagenet to begin surveying for birds.
Their process was simple yet effective. The duo traveled by car in search of bird feeders, open water and bird-friendly habitats. They never stayed in one location for too long and kept a watchful eye on the sky and nearby trees and power lines.
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When they did spot a bird, they quickly identified it and wrote it down to keep track.
As their day concluded, they identified a wide array of birds with some surprises like the red-winged blackbird and the American goshawk. But their most common finds were the wild turkey, snow bunting, blue jay, crow, house sparrow and the black-capped chickadee.
All of the birders met back up afterward to combine their numbers and conclude the Bemidji Christmas Bird Count. But with low volunteer numbers, it can be difficult to provide a fully comprehensive bird census.
That is why birders hope more people enter the hobby of bird watching in the future.
Join the cause
On a bird count, spotting birds is only half the battle. Identifying them can be the largest challenge, especially for beginners who might scramble through an app or book to make a proper identification.
This could scare potential bird enthusiasts from joining the hobby or a bird count.
But each bird count provides a simple solution: pairing newbies with bird watching experts who can guide the experience. This way, a beginner could keep their eyes peeled, alerting an expert as they make a quick identification.
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Birders like Larson and Harrington are up for the task of teaching beginners and hope more people find the hobby of bird watching to participate in future Christmas Bird Counts, which would help solidify the results. Larson did remark though that more people, including younger folk, attended this year's Bemidji Christmas Bird Count, a potential tell of the future.
Larson keeps coming back to the counts for many of the same reasons as other birders: a passion for birds and a shared camaraderie.
鈥淏irds are charismatic, they鈥檙e colorful, they have beautiful songs, have interesting behaviors and get you into different types of habitats and environments,鈥� Larson said. 鈥�(The bird count) is a way to stay active and outdoors during the winter time. (It) gives me hope and takes my mind off the depression of winter.
鈥淗aving other people that can get as excited about seeing different birds as I can 鈥� you don鈥檛 run into a lot of people that are like 鈥榃hoa, you saw an American pipit today? That鈥檚 so cool.鈥欌��
Harrington feels similarly.
鈥淚 like bird watching because it's a good excuse to get out,鈥� Harrington said, adding that a count may not be environmentally friendly but that it "serves a purpose in the long-term."
The next local bird count will take place on Thursday, Dec. 19, at Rydell and Glacial Ridge and all other counts can be found on the
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