Pine grosbeaks are part of the finch family (Photo by dfaulder via FLICKR)

The Audubon Christmas Bird Count is known as one of the oldest citizen science initiatives in the country, now celebrating its 122nd year. In the Chilkat Valley, organizers are planning a bird count day on Wednesday December 15 and are inviting the public to participate. KHNS’ Corinne Smith reports.

The Audubon Christmas Bird Count kicks off this week with birders fanning out across the western hemisphere, to document feathery flocks across habitats and landscapes.

Here in the Chilkat Valley, Haines resident Dan Egolf is helping to organize birders for the count. This year, that includes two areas, with roughly 16 units, extending in and around Haines, and the Bald Eagles Preserve, up to Klukwan.

 “We’re an important part of it, especially because of the Bald Eagle Preserve. We’re on, kind of the edge of the Pacific Flyway here. And new species are always fun to see. And it’s fun to see the regular ones as well,” Egolf said.

Haines birders have been participating since 1987. Egolf says they’re expecting the usual mix of eagles, ravens, magpies, ducks and chickadees. But be prepared for some surprises. He said over the weekend, a friend reported being surprised by pine grosbeaks, which is part of the finch family. Males have a distinctive Christmas-red head, back and rump. 

“Down on the peninsula, huge flocks of pine grosbeaks. They’re (here) throughout the winter, and they’ll go for the frozen mountain ash berries that are still in the trees in the frozen high bush cranberries. They’re happy little bird,” he said. “I’ve been at a cabin at 31 mile, an area surrounded by highbush cranberries and huge flocks – on the coldest, darkest days – huge flocks of grosbeaks coming in, and they have a very melodious song that kind of lifts your spirits.” 

Anyone interested can sign up for a unit and pick up a checklist at Egolf’s Alaska Backcountry Outfitter Store on 2nd Ave in Haines. They’re still looking for volunteers to observe zones around Lutak Rd, Mud Bay Road, and on the Chilkat River around 16 mile.

He says people can participate in Audubon’s bird count: without leaving the comfort of their own home

“Anybody that has a bird feeder can keep track of the numbers and species of birds, in the time that they watch their bird feeder. And they can report that back,” Egolf said. 

The annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count goes through the month through January 5. 

The observations from local birders are critical in this part of the world, says Alaska Audubon executive director Natalie Dawson.

“If we’re looking at the landscape of southeast in total, southeast Alaska hosts about 70% of all the birds known to occur across Alaska, and almost half of the birds found in North America. That’s huge for this region,” Dawson said.

Chilkat Valley is a particularly important migratory corridor for birds between Southeast and into the Interior. Overall, bird populations are declining due to habitat loss and environmental impacts, estimated at 3 billion birds lost in the last 50 years, since 1970.

“It’s not just what’s happening in Alaska that impacts those birds. It’s what’s happening across their entire migratory landscape, which for many birds that visit the Chilkat Valley may mean, you know, nine or 10,000 miles of landscape that those birds are traversing in the course of one year,” Dawson said. 

Dawson says with climate change and changes to habitats, species are being impacted in ways researchers are still working to understand. The data from the bird count can assist scientists and conservationists in monitoring species behavior. 

“I would just recommend that people look out for any unusual birds, birds that may usually just occur seasonally in the valley, but maybe hanging out throughout the winter,” she said. “Because those birds are great sentinels for letting us know about environmental changes that maybe we can’t feel as as people.”

Resident observations will also contribute to the Southeast Alaska Birding Trail. It’s an interactive map, where citizen data is collected and shows birding hot spots across the region.

Organizers in Haines and Klukwan are planning to participate in the bird count on Wednesday Dec 15. For more information call Dan Egolf at (907) 766-2876. 

Skagway’s bird count is on Saturday December 17. For more information google Skagway Bird Club.