Be a scientist. Help track Tri-Cities bird population in annual count

All that’s needed to become part of the longest-running citizen scientist program in the world is some free time on the last day of this month and a pair of binoculars.

Volunteers will be out in force Saturday to serve as scientists, counting all the birds they see in a 15-mile circle centered on the Columbia River south of Road 68 in Pasco.

The results will be contributed to the Christmas Bird Count organized by the National Audubon Society’s Science Center annually since 1900. Local Audubon groups organize the bird counts within a few weeks of Christmas Day.

The data is made available on the internet both to the public and to researchers. Ornithologists and conservation biologists can track trends over decades, including looking at whether climate change may be affecting species across the nation.

In the first bird count 117 years ago, 27 people participated. This year about 30,000 people are expected to count birds, mostly in North and South America.

Some 70 to 80 people usually volunteer to help with the Tri-Cities count organized by the Lower Columbia Basin Audubon.

The fun part of the count is looking for different species, such as the rare sighting of the largest falcon in the world, a gyrfalcon, in Pasco last year, say local volunteers. But the most value to scientists is in the number of birds counted.

In the Tri-Cities, volunteers can meet at one of three locations in the Tri-Cities at 7:30 a.m.

Look for Lisa Hill at the fingernail at Howard Amon Park in Richland; Richard Barchet at the Rod Coler Audubon Nature Trail parking area on Columbia Park Trail in Kennewick; or Dana Ward at the Chiawana Park Boat Ramp at the end of Road 88 in Pasco.

From there, volunteers will be split into smaller teams led by more experienced birders. Some birding skills are helpful, but not required.

Participants will need to keep clearly written lists of the types and numbers of birds spotted.

People who live in the Tri-Cities count area and have bird feeders also may participate by keeping a tally.

“Birds seen at bird feeders within the count circle are extremely important to the count,” said Ward, count coordinator for the Lower Columbia Audubon Society.

The local group ends the day with a potluck after turning in tallies of birds counted to team leaders.

The potluck will be at the Benton County PUD auditorium at the corner of West 10th Avenue and South Ely Street, with people gathering at 5:30 p.m. and eating at 6 p.m. Bring your own tableware.

The PUD auditorium also will be open starting at noon Saturday for volunteers who want to stop by for a warm drink.

To see results of the count, go to www.birdsource.org and select the Christmas Bird Count icon. The Tri-Cities count code is WATC.

For more information about joining the count later than 7:30 a.m. Saturday, for reporting bird feeder counts or for information about counting birds on other days from Dec. 27 to Jan. 2, call Ward at 509-545-0627.

This story was originally published December 25, 2017 at 2:30 PM with the headline "Be a scientist. Help track Tri-Cities bird population in annual count."