On December 14, local residents will be among the tens of thousands of volunteers throughout North America braving winter weather to collect data about birds.
On that weekend, Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) will sponsor this year’s rendition of the National Audubon Society’s 126th annual Christmas Bird Count.
The Southern Adirondack Audubon Society (SAAS)
SAAS will sponsor a Hudson Falls-area Bird Count on December 20.
Since 1991, the Conservancy has acted as the designated compiler of all data collected within a 15-mile radius of Bolton Landing, said Sarah Hoffman, the Lake George Land Conservancy’s Communications and Outreach Manager. The LGLC’s area encompasses Amy’s Park in North Bolton, the Schumann Preserve at Pilot Knob, the Schroon River in Warrensburg and Sleeping Beauty and Black Mountain on Lake George’s east shore.
Anyone interested in participating in this year’s Christmas Bird Count should contact the LGLC’s Events and Fundraising Coordinator, Janice Reynen at jreynen@lglc.org or 518-644-9673.
“On average, 1,299 individual birds are reported each year, with an average of 34 different species. Volunteers choose to survey routes by foot, car, or boat, and submit bird counts as well as weather conditions and hours to the Conservancy, which then provides all of the compiled information to the Audubon Society,” said Sarah Hoffman.
The Hudson Falls census-area extends to Glen Lake, Moreau Lake State Park in Gansevoort, Fort Edward, Kingsbury, South Glens Falls and Argyle. For information, contact SAAS count compiler Linda White at least a week before the count, at (518) 222-5675.
“Everyone who takes part in the Christmas Bird Count plays a critical role in helping us focus attention and conservation where it is most needed,” she said.
Volunteers’ data will help scientists better understand how birds are faring in North America, said Hoffman. That data helped scientists establish that bird populations in North America have dropped by 29% since 1970, said Dr. Kenneth Rosenberg, lead author of the widely publicized article, “Decline of the North American Avifauna,” published in Science magazine in September 2019.
