Boise, ID – The 112th annual Christmas bird count comes to an end today, January 5th).
Thousands of birders and biologists count all species of birds across the country for the event, sponsored by the Audobon Society. Emily Schwing joined one biologist to count owls before dawn on a cold winter morning.
Down by Boise River, Jay Carlisle fishes an I-Phone from his pocket. He’s a biologist at theIdaho Bird Observatory. Tall, old Cottonwood trees tower above us as he scrolls through the apps to find the calls for Northern Saw-whet and Western Screech owls.
“This is the Northern Saw-whet owl,” he says as the call starts to play. ” We have found them in the winter sometimes, so I figured I’d give it a try.” I like their bark,” he laughs. “So, this is something that I’d hope would get something kind of feisty. It always cracks me hearing those sounds.”
He switches the call from the Saw-whet to the Western Screech. And then…
“There!” exclaims Carlisle. “One just started calling off that way. There’s two of them. Mostly, just one is talking but there’s a second that’s talking once in a while at the same time.”
The data collected during Christmas bird counts help scientists like Carlisle keep track of North American bird populations and trends over time.
“and then you’ve got the just appreciation for birds and nature part of it,” adds Carlisle. “That it is a good way to get some newer people out there introduced to the world of birding and bird identification not just by sight but also by the sound.”
After we hear another pair of Western Screech owls and stumble upon a Great Horned owl, we head to Idaho Fish and Game headquarters.
Carlisle says generally, more bird enthusiasts turn out for the count on the east coast, but here, you’d never guess that numbers are low. In Boise, birders have been counting birds this time of year since the 1970’s.
A group of about 20 people, some with binoculars swinging from their necks are waiting to find out where they will head for the daytime count. Carlisle is going with them. He’s headed for the Hyatt Wetland, northwest of Boise and he knows what to look for. He lists off what he hopes to see.
“Wrens. Like marsh wrens, Virginia rail, lots of sparrows and blackbirds probably, if there’s any open water, some waterfowl and often times there’s some neighborhoods with bird feeders in the surrounding area so you could have finches and sparrows and I’ve had waxwings and even American pipit. And then hopefully some gulls out here and if we get along the river, some golden eye, some ducks along the river.”
So what do you say top a birder who’s headed for the field?
“Good luck have fun. Good birding!” laughs Carlisle.