The Carroll County Christmas Bird Count is coming up next week, and organizers are still searching for volunteers interested in helping out. The Audubon Society starting tracking bird numbers during the holiday season in 1900, and the tradition has spread across the world over the last century. Naturalist, Matt Wetrich, says it is a very simple way to become a citizen scientist and help bird experts, called ornithologists, better understand avian behaviors and habits.
Wetrich adds Carroll County has participated for many years, and you do not have to be an expert to participate. Birds are tallied using two methods, with the first involving volunteers actively searching for different species.
He says this is a great opportunity to get outside and enjoy some fresh air, but he also understands that some people do not have the time or ability to be outside all day. Wetrich says people can lend a hand without leaving their home.
Once watchers have collected that data, they can submit it to Wetrich by phone, email or at the Swan Lake Conservation Education Center. The Carroll County Christmas Bird Count is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 19 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Wetrich using the information included with this story on our website.
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Carroll County Naturalist, Matt Wetrich
712-792-4614
