Members of the Weminuche Audubon Society chapter are inviting you to help us count birds for this year’s Christmas Bird Count, Audubon’s 126th annual census of winter birds and the 15th year of participation in Pagosa Springs.
You don’t need to be an experienced birder; we welcome participation from all interested community members and visitors. Make it a part of your holiday traditions.
Volunteer help is critical to the success of this annual event.
In preparation for the count, we will hold two more classes to review species that we may encounter here during the winter. Classes will be held on Wednesday evenings, Dec. 3 and Dec. 10, at the Community United Methodist Church on Lewis Street. We will start promptly at 6 p.m. and be done by 8 p.m. If you can’t make it in person, you can join on Zoom using the link posted on our website prior to the class.
On Dec. 14, teams will split up to record all of the birds that we identify by sight or sound in our local count circle, following protocols established by the National Audubon Society.
Be a part of this important endeavor carried out by people just like you all across the Western Hemisphere. If you would like to be involved, join a team at our next class or send us an email and we will sign you up.
The Pagosa Springs count is conducted within a 15-mile diameter circle, divided into eight zones, and centered on Trujillo Road near downtown. Areas covered include town, about 6 miles east, most of Pagosa Lakes including the Meadows subdivisions, west to Elk Park, Alpha, Rockridge, Timber Ridge, Mill Creek and Holiday Acres areas, Snowball, Cemetery and the first part of Fourmile roads, Loma Linda, south to the Lower Blanco area, Trujillo Road to Burns Canyon and areas in between. It’s a lot of ground to cover in one day.
If you live within the count circle, you can also participate by counting birds at your feeders using the forms provided, or let us know that we are welcome to stop by and tally what we see in your yard. Please keep your feeders full that day.
For further information on the count or to sign up as a volunteer, email us at weminuche.audubon@gmail.com.
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