CITIZEN SCIENCE
Christmas Bird Counts… Migratory Bird Counts (Birdathon)…Small Owl Nesting
Research… Boreal Owl Rendezvous…Rio Grande Cottonwood CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT The Grand Junction Bird Count is held annually as part of the annual winter bird census sponsored by the National Audubon Society. The national count has been conducted for the past 100 years while our first local count was conducted in 1946. The Grand Junction Count has evolved into a primary Colorado winter census with approximately 100 different species found each year. The data compiled by the various groups across North America (about 1700 various counts) are sent to the National Audubon Society where they are compiled and published annually. The Christmas Bird Count is the longest running ornithological database. The count is a 100% volunteer-generated database that over the years has become a crucial part of the United States Government's natural history monitoring database.
As our count becomes more urban, bird feeders become a large factor. Folks who feed birds in their yard can become part of the count. A form for "feeder counts " can be picked up at Wild Birds Unlimited or by calling GVAS (241-4670).
GVAS encourages novice birders and bird feeders to participate in our Christmas Count. The extra eyes aid us in providing accurate data on the early-winter distribution pattern of various species and the overall health of our environment. MIGRATORY BIRD COUNT
The Migratory Bird Count is held nationwide on the second Saturday in May. It is timed to coincide with the northward migration of songbirds and provides valuable information relative to bird numbers and trends in the population. The spring count is organized in a similar fashion to the Christmas Count with a small group led by an experienced birder covering a certain territory. All of Mesa County is included so the area covered is much larger. Again, inexperienced birders prove very helpful by providing that extra set of eyes. Likewise, information from the feeder watchers is important and helpful.
SMALL OWL NESTING RESEARCH The Grand Valley Audubon Society invites you to be a sponsor for its nesting box project. This project will gather information on the distributions of small, hole-nesting owls and raptors, and help offset the loss of nesting sites in the mature cottonwood trees. GVAS will provide a nesting box and instructions for its placement to any individual or group that would like to help by becoming a project sponsor. The sponsor places the box in a likely spot to attract an owl or kestrel. They would also take the responsibility to see that the box is checked periodically for occupancy and notify the GVAS Citizen Science Committee if the box is occupied. We also ask that the sponsor check the box on the second Saturday of May, the day of the North American Migratory Bird Count, as well as on the designated Christmas Count day.
Sponsors are asked to make a $20 donation to the project to help cover construction costs and to enable GVAS to expand its monitoring efforts.
BOREAL OWL RENDEZVOUS
GVAS conducts an annual check of owl boxes in the nearby national forests. Over four hundred owl boxes on Grand Mesa, the Uncompahgre Plateau, the Owl Creek Pass area, and the Lone Cone are checked on one weekend for small montane owls. Owls typically found are Boreal, Flammulated, and Northern Saw-whet owls. This is a project in conjunction with the U.S. Forest Service which uses the information to monitor the montane owl populations. Baby owls are banded on this weekend and participants generally have the chance to see some owls up close. RIO GRANDE COTTONWOOD In light of its mission statement and due to the great value of Western Colorado's Rio Grande Cottonwood woodlands, GVAS has adopted a policy to encourage public agencies, environmental organizations, and private businesses to preserve and where possible to restore, this, the area's most threatened wildlife habitat. We ask that they:
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The Grand Junction Count circle has its center near Appleton and stretches from Fruita on the west to Grand Junction on the east (15 miles in diameter or about 177 square miles). The circle includes most of the Colorado National Monument to the south and the base of the Bookcliffs on the north. This large area is divided into as many sections as possible with each section covered by a small group of birders (2 to 5 people). Each group is led by an experienced birder aided by extra sets of eyes provided by the group. We normally have 15 to 20 groups out in the field. More groups and smaller sections provide better coverage and result in finding more species.
