歪歪漫画

BEMIDJI 鈥� The Mississippi Headwaters Audubon Society invites the public to join in on gathering data on bird populations in the Bemidji area during the 125th annual Christmas bird count, administered by the National Audubon Society as the longest-running citizen science bird project in the U.S.

Counts are held in designated areas throughout the U.S. between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5 each year.

The first in the Bemidji area is set for Saturday, Dec. 14, in Bemidji. Another will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 17, at Itasca State Park. The third is the 10th Annual Rydell/Glacial Ridge Christmas Bird Count on Thursday, Dec. 19.

Each count will take place within a 15-mile diameter circle from the starting point. Organizers ask that participants bring binoculars and a bird book if in possession, otherwise extras will be on hand.

According to a release, information from the counts provides important information on winter ranges of birds, population trends and how a changing climate alters winter bird distribution.

Meet at Country Kitchen in Bemidji from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. for assignment of survey area or pairing of teams. Beginners are welcome but expect to be paired with a more experienced birder.

Contact Jaime Thibodeaux at (218) 308-6853 (text or call) or jaimethib@hotmail.com for more information. A heads-up text or email to Thibodeaux is helpful for beginners to coordinate pairing.

Meet at the Jacob V. Brower Visitor Center lobby between 7:30 and 8 a.m. for assignment of count areas or contact Connie Cox to get an assigned area. For registration, questions and further details, call Cox at (218) 699-7259 or email constance.cox@state.mn.us.

Registration is required for Thursday's count and interested participants are asked to meet at the Rydell NWR Visitor Center at 8 a.m. for coffee and a brief meeting.

Participants can count from a vehicle or on foot, depending on their preference and the weather conditions that day. Those who live within the Rydell and Glacial Ridge Count Circle can even participate by reporting bird sightings at feeders from the comfort of their own homes.

Birds observed in the Rydell/Glacial Ridge Count Circle over the past nine years have included 57 different species including northern shrikes, Bohemian waxwings, red-bellied woodpeckers, Hoary redpolls, northern goshawks, white-winged crossbills and Lapland longspurs.

鈥淧eople interested in participating do not need to be experienced birders. This event can serve as a learning experience for new birders and those individuals will be paired up with Refuge staff or experienced volunteers,鈥� the release said.

Refuge staff will host a potluck lunch at the Visitor Center at noon. After a hearty lunch, folks can 鈥渃all it a day鈥� or can go back out and continue to search for birds.

If interested in taking part in Thursday鈥檚 count at Rydell, register no later than Dec. 16, by calling Wildlife Biologist Ben Walker at (218) 230-5563 or emailing benjamin_walker@fws.gov. Walker can also be contacted for additional information and to answer any questions.