Christmas Bird Count in Susitna Valley Dec. 29

Frontiersman.com

ANCHORAGE — If you missed the annual Christmas Bird Count in the Matanuska Valley Dec. 16, another count is planned in the Susitna Valley Dec. 29.

Groups have 24 hours to record as many birds as possible within a 15-mile diameter circle. Volunteers participate in counts in all 50 states, in all Canadian provinces, several Central and South American countries, and several Pacific and Caribbean islands. Last year, 38 counts held across Alaska.

First organized in the Lower 48 and eastern Canada with just 27 birdwatchers in 1900, this season marks the 113th Christmas Bird Count. In Alaska, volunteers have carried out Christmas Bird Counts since before statehood.

There are more birds, and bird watchers, than you might expect in Alaska in the winter. The 1,013 observers (an Alaska record) who participated last year tallied 141 species and 132,947 individual birds (both below the five-year average). Kodiak captured the title of seeing the most species: 78. The Prudhoe Bay count had its 25th year of recording only a single species, common raven.

Southcentral counts set some records last year during “count week.” Anchorage added a new species to the Alaska list for the Christmas Bird Count after volunteers spotted a Dusky Thrush, an Asian bird that had wandered far from home, in a residential neighborhood. Homer had a new record high count for Alaska of 57 White-crowned Sparrows and 664 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches. Matanuska Valley volunteers recorded a high count for Southcentral Alaska of 300 Snow Buntings.

For more information, see the Christmas Bird Count Calendar on the Audubon Alaska website, or contact Beth Peluso at (907) 276-7034 or bpeluso@audubon.org.