More eyes needed to tally local birds
Bird watchers in St. Charles Parish are invited to sign up now for the 2008-09 season of Project FeederWatch.
More participants are needed from the state and our parish to track the numbers and kinds of birds at feeders each week and then send the information to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
The information provided becomes part of the world’s largest database on feeder-bird populations.
“From western hummingbirds to colorful cardinals to invasive dovesjust about anything can show up at backyard bird feeders in Louisiana,” says Project FeederWatch leader David Bonter. “We need to hear from more bird watchers in the state to get an accurate picture of what’s happening with winter bird populations from year to year.”
Louisiana FeederWatchers reported 94 species this past season with the American Goldfinch reported in the greatest average numbers.
FeederWatchers across North America submitted more than 115,000 checklists during the 2007-08 season, documenting unusual bird sightings, winter movements, and shifting rangesinformation scientists use to monitor the health of the birds and of the environment.
As called by many, the hottest birding spot in St. Charles Parish is the Bonnet Carre Spillway where an average of 51 species of bird can be spotted in a single day.
A variety of warblers such as the orange-crowned and yellow-rumped warblers can be found in the spillway, along with dickcissels, woodpeckers, goldfinches, cardinals, sparrows, doves and kinglets.
“I would urge people in Louisiana to consider joining Project FeederWatch,” says participant Lisa Montgomery of New Orleans. “Watching the trends in the bird population is like watching history in the makingwhat are the changes that Hurricane Katrina caused, and will these changes be permanent? This will only enhance your bird watching experience.”
Project FeederWatch welcomes participants of all ages and skill levels. To learn more and to sign up, visit www.feederwatch.org or call 800-843-2473. In return for the $15 fee ($12 for lab members) participants receive the FeederWatcher’s Handbook, a bird-identification poster, a calendar, instructions, and the FeederWatch annual report, Winter Bird Highlights, reporting results.
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