Homer might not have French hens or turtle doves — and while you might occasionally see a “partridge,” you won’t find one in a pear tree — but there will be plenty of other birds to count this weekend.
According to Kachemak Bay Birders count compiler Dave Erikson, this year marks the 126th annual National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count. The CBC is the longest-running citizen science survey in the world and provides “critical” data on bird population trends throughout much of the western hemisphere. Erikson wrote in a Dec. 6 press release that each year, tens of thousands of volunteers from all 50 states, every Canadian province, parts of Central and South America, Bermuda, the West Indies and the Pacific Islands coordinate for one specific day to systemically count the number of bird species and individual birds sighted within a standardized 15-mile-diameter circle at each count location.
Homer’s Count Day will be held on Saturday, Dec. 20, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. According to the release, the three days before and three days after Count Day is referred to as “Count Week.” During this period, bird species are tallied to provide a list of additional species not seen on Count Day. Count Week this year will occur Dec. 17-19 and Dec. 21-23.
The center of the Homer CBC circle is located in Mud Bay at the base of the Homer Spit. The boundary extends east to Fritz Creek on East End Road; west to Augustine Drive on the Sterling Highway; north into roadless areas within the Anchor River drainage; and south into Kachemak Bay.
Community members interested in volunteering for this year’s Christmas Bird Count should contact Erikson or one of the CBC field team leaders to sign up. All are welcome to join a team regardless of birding experience. This event is free. Participants are asked to dress appropriately for outdoor weather conditions.
Participants will be assigned to teams during a pre-count meeting held in person Saturday at the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. Coffee, tea and snacks will be provided. The Homer Christmas Bird Count is an all-day event; volunteers will meet at the AMNWR Visitor Center after 4:30 p.m. to tally the preliminary results and discuss the day’s count. According to the release, count data will be transmitted electronically through the eBird app or by email to Erikson.
If your home is within the Homer CBC circle and you wish to participate in Count Day, but are unable to leave your home during the count period, you can still take part! Contact Erikson to first ensure that your home is within the Homer CBC circle boundary, then participate in the count by reporting the birds that visit your bird feeders or yard during the day.
Erikson will also host a free Winter Bird Identification class, sponsored by Kachemak Bay Birders and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, on Thursday, Dec. 18, from 5:30-7 p.m. at the AMNWR Visitor Center. Everyone is welcome to participate; this class is designed for beginning birders and birders new to the area, and is a “good refresher” for more experienced birders. The class will also help prepare those planning to participate on Count Day.
Erikson will review bird species commonly seen around Homer during the winter months, as well as how to identify them using simple field marks. He will also discuss how to separate closely-related species; differences among males, females and juveniles; and differences in seasonal plumages.
The Homer Christmas Bird Count is sponsored by the Kachemak Bay Birders, AMNWR and the National Audubon Society.
For more information, contact Dave Erikson at 907-441-7931 or derikson@alaska.net, or Lani Raymond at 907-399-9477. Find the list of field team leaders and count area maps at www.kachemakbaybirders.org.
