Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Black-capped chickadees and American goldfinch are all-time most common species recorded in the last 15 years
KEN HANNULA, of Kimball, Wis., has had chickadees and other species of birds feasting on colorful berries at this home in Kimball, Wis. He supplements the visitors' diets with sunflower seeds and enjoys snapping photos of the birds.
BESSEMER - Christmas is coming and so is the annual Gogebic Range Christmas Bird Count.
This year's bird survey from Wakefield to Iron County, Wis., is set for next Saturday, Dec. 20, according to organizer Jerry Edde, of Bessemer.
The count covers a 7.5-mile circle centered on Bessemer.
"Anyone can participate and all birders are encouraged to take note of all birds they see on that date and report them to me by calling 906-663-6907 that Saturday, Dec. 20, some time after 5 p.m.," Edde said.
He will total the number of birds of each species that day.
"Please keep track of the amount of time you spend at each bird watching activity. For example, hours watching your feeder, hours spent snowshoeing, miles driving your car, also any bird species you see during the week leading up to Saturday is of interest," he said.
"There's no no need to count the number of birds, except on the 20th, but a list of species you see during the week prior is of interest," Edde said.
Black-capped chickadees and American goldfinch are the all-time most common species recorded in the last 15 years of the Bessemer Area Christmas Bird Count, but rare species also have been seen, such as a golden-eyed duck, Cooper's hawk, great-blue heron, brown creeper, northern shrike, ruby-crowned kinglet and European goldfinch.
"So get out those binoculars and walk, cross country ski, or drive, or just sit inside with a cup of hot chocolate and watch your bird feeder," Edde advises.
"When counting at a feeder, don't count every time the same bird visits the feeder. Try to estimate the most individuals of any one species you see at the feeder at the same time. This will be the best estimate of how many of that particular species is actually using your feeder," he said.
