December, 2002 -- January, 2003

THE 103rd ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS BEGIN!

  Audubon calls upon volunteers in the AVAS area to join with birders across the western hemisphere and participate in one of our winter-time traditions, the annual Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs).

  CBC began over a century ago when 27 conservationists in 25 localities—including Pueblo—led by ornithologist Frank Chapman, changed the course of ornithological history. On Christmas Day 1900, the small group of conservationists initiated an alternative activity to the holiday practice typical of the time period. The 'side hunt,' was an activity in which teams

competed to see who could shoot the most birds and small animals. Instead of hunting, Chapman proposed to count the birds they saw, thus founding one of the most significant citizen-based conservation efforts which has lasted for over a century.

  Apart from its attraction as a social, sporting, and competitive event, CBC reveals scientific information on the winter distributions of various bird species. The CBC is important in monitoring the status of resident and migratory birds across the Western Hemisphere. The data, 100% volunteer generated, have become a crucial part of the U. S. Government's natural history monitoring database.

CBCs CONDUCTED IN THE AVAS SERVICE AREA, 2002

NAME

DATE

DEPART
TIME

PLACE

COMPILER

PHONE

COMMENT

Pueblo

Reservoir

545-8407

543-2724

Carl's Jr. in

Florence

Eve. pot-luck &

Comp., call Mark

Rocky Ford

Loaf ‘n’ Jug

Duane’s house,

Las Animas

Town House

8th & Santa Fe

547-9134

546-4447

NOTES:  uBe sure to call the compiler before participating in a Count so he can better plan the field survey. uTo participate all day, bring a sack lunch (unless otherwise noted). uDirections to Duane Nelson’s house: At the only traffic light in Las Ánimas, turn east on 6th St. and continue 1/2 mile, blue farm house on left. Lunch will be in the field with compilation after dusk at Bent’s Fort Inn restaurant just east of Las Ánimas on Highway 50. uNo information on Dave Silverman’s Spanish Peaks count is available at this time. uMonte Vista Natl. Wildlife Refuge usually has an unofficial CBC, contact the Refuge for more info. uThe Great Sand Dunes National Monument usually has a CBC but no information has been received from them yet. uSee page 3 of this issue of the Harrier for Colfax County (NM) CBCs.