103rd Christmas Bird Count Scheduled

LEWISTON - From novice birder to seasoned ornithologist, everyone is welcome to participate in the 103rd annual Christmas Bird Count to be held December 14 in the Moscow-Pullman area and January 4, 2003, in the Lewiston-Clarkston area. Sponsored by the National Audubon Society, the all-day count of early winter bird populations gives participants the opportunity to see wintering birds rarely seen by most people. Held annually, the Christmas Bird Count has also become one of the most popular birding events of the year. "Come out and enjoy birding with us. It is a fun learning experience for all," said Rita Dixon, local bird enthusiast and Idaho Department of Fish and Game Non-game Biologist. The results are compiled into the longest running database in ornithology, which represents 100 years of unbroken data on trends of early winter bird populations across America. The data from 100 years of Christmas Bird Counts, yield valuable insights into the shifting patterns, distributions, and population trends of bird species during the count period, which is from mid-December to early January. Novice birders can take advantage of the count by teaming up with experienced bird counters. All observers must do their counting within a designated area on the given count day. Contacts for the North central Idaho Christmas Bird Counts are:

• Moscow-Pullman area; Contacts: Tom Weber or Dave Holick, 509-334-3817 or 208-882-5556
• Lewiston-Clarkston area; Contact: Charles Swift 208-0553

Anyone wishing to census birds at their feeder and does not live within a Christmas Bird Count circle, can still get involved with Project FeederWatch. More information on both counts is available at www.birdsource.org and www.palouseaudubon.org.