MAT-SU — Valley birders and nature enthusiasts will  join others across the western hemisphere to participate in the 109th annual Christmas Bird Count. All counts take place throughout North America and beyond between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5.  n the Valley, the Mat-Su Birders wild bird club is sponsoring the 30th annual Matanuska  Valley Christmas Bird Count Dec. 14. Volunteer field counters will  attempt to count every bird and bird species found within a 15-mile diameter circle with its center at the intersection of the Palmer-Wasilla Highway and Trunk Road.

Results go into Audubon’s State of the Birds Reports that shape conservation initiatives.

On Sept. 22, a BirdLife  International report revealed serious declines in populations of many of the world’s most  familiar birds. Some 20 common birds in the U.S. have declined by more than half in the last 40 years.  The Northern Bobwhite quail fell most at 82 percent.

The holiday bird count also  contributed to Audubon’s WatchList that identified 176 species in the continental U.S. and 38  in Hawaii in dire need of conservation help. The counts also reveal good news, the return of the  bald eagle, for example. 

“Audubon compiles these reports because we care about birds and the quality of the environment  they share with us,” said Tom Bancroft, head of science for the National Audubon Society.  “These birds are sending us a clear message that their fate is determined by human activity more  than anything else. As we’ve seen with the bald eagle, when we help them through conservation, their chances improve. But when we damage their habitat, convert wetlands and forests, then they are more likely to become rare or extinct.” 

The Christmas Bird Count began in 1900 when scientist Frank Chapman led a small group on an alternative a hunt when teams competed to see who could shoot the most game. Instead, Chapman  proposed they identify, count, and record all the birds they saw.

For more information about the Valley bird count, contact Bob Winckler at 376-8594. The email address for local birders is msbirder@mtaonline.net.