Birders Cast E Skyward Audubon Volunteers Count Nation’S Birds At Christmas

Sun., Dec. 13, 1998

Rich Landers Outdoors Editor

Birdwatchers make Christmas time a working vacation.

Audubon Society Chapters across the country soon will march out in about 1,700 squads to conduct the annual Christmas Bird Count for the 98th year.

A purely local spectacle occurs this time of year at Lake Coeur d’Alene, where knowledgeable volunteers will team up with U.S. Bureau of Land Management personal to help visitors learn about the bald eagles that congregate there each winter.

The eagles have been showing up in the past few weeks in numbers higher than normal, BLM researchers say. Last week, 23 were counted in the Wolf Lodge Bay area, said Scott Robinson, BLM biologist.

Spotting scopes and information will be set up at the Mineral Ridge boat launch and trailhead Dec. 26 through Jan. 1, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Christmas Bird Count attracts about 50,000 helpers across North America. This year, Inland Northwest birders will be able to log onto the Internet to see results compiled from throughout the continent.

The Website can be found at http://birdsource.cornell.edu/

The count is the longest-running ornithological database, Audubon officials say. The long-term volunteer effort helps scientists monitor changes in bird populations and range.

Audubon chapters invite new volunteers, whether they’re experts or novices, to join the counts. The Coeur d’Alene Chapter will be signing up members at its meeting Monday, 7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 521 Lakeside Ave.

Watchers Auduboners from throughout the region plan to count birds rain, snow or shine as follows. * Coeur d’Alene area, Dec. 20. Info: Susan Weller, (208) 682-3413. * Spokane area, Dec. 27. Info: Alan McCoy, 448-3123. * Indian Mountain area of North Idaho, Dec. 27. Info: Don Heikkila, (208) 689-3347 or Shirley Sturts, (208) 664-5318. * Spirit Lake area, Jan. 3. Info: Shirley Sturts, (208) 664-5318.

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