WESTLOCK – Circle Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022 on your calendar.
That’s the day of the sixth-annual Jarvie Christmas Bird Count, which will hopefully be much warmer than Christmas Day or Boxing Day.
The area covered by the count is a 15-mile radius of the Bat and Bird Conservancy just across the railway tracks from the Hamlet of Jarvie. That area runs as far north as Highway 663, south to Highway 661, east to Long Island Lake and west to Range Road 21, near Sunniebend Hutterite Colony.
Linda Foster has co-ordinated the count since it began back in 2017 and is the person to contact. She says during the day to count and record the number of birds and the variety within this circle area that you see around your bird feeder or if you are out for a walk or a drive in the area. That can be any bird from the small and numerous blackcap chickadee to perhaps a large owl or even an eagle.
After the Christmas count you can contact her at 780-206-5078 or e-mail [email protected] with the numbers you have observed.
For example, in 2019, she noted there were 26 bird feeder watchers and 16 bush beaters who counted a total of 960 birds representing 26 species.
If you wish, you can join other birders at the Bat and Bird Conservancy that day between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to enjoy a hot dog and hot chocolate or coffee beside a warm open fire while you share bird stories with others.
A suggestion for those who may have trouble identifying some bird species — a good illustrated bird book is a real asset, and regardless, are an excellent read. There are a number of different books on the market, such as Chris Fisher and John Acorn’s Birds of Alberta or James Kavanagh’s Nature Alberta. Both are excellent resources for the bird watcher. Kavanagh’s has the added feature of common plants and animals in our province, while Birds of Alberta covers only birds, but in much more detail.
