Annual Christmas bird count returns to Oxford

The Audubon Miami Valley (AMV) chapter is once again inviting members of the public to participate in its annual Christmas bird count on Dec. 20.

This year, the event will take place from 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in which participants will be assigned to different areas of Oxford to look for birds. Participants new to birding can join groups led by experts who will guide them through the experience. Participants may also join the bird count from home by counting birds in their yard. 

The event will end with a potluck luncheon. 

When the count is complete, members of the AMV will compile the data, which is typically published to their website by January. 

The Audubon Christmas bird count is the largest citizen science project in the world, according to the Audubon Miami Valley (AMV) chapter website. The data collected by citizens across the world is provided to scientists to help them with a variety of subjects. 

Larry Gersbach, head organizer of AMV’s bird count, participated in the count for about 30 years, observing species like waterfowl, ducks and geese. Occasionally, he said he’s spotted relatively rare species to the Oxford area, like the snowy owl and the whooping crane. 

The data, Gersbach said, provides up-to-date information on bird migration that helps ornithologists answer various questions, like if bird populations or species are increasing or decreasing and why.

Historically, the bird count began in the United States over 126 years ago when hunters would go out to see how many birds they could kill.  

“As birds were becoming extinct and rare,” yet still being hunted, Gersbach said, someone finally asked, “‘Why can’t we just count them?’” 

The AMV chapter Audubon Miami Valley Chapter has been established for around 50 years, and the group has participated in the bird count for around 40 years, according to Hoffman. 

Marlene Hoffman has participated in the bird count since she joined the chapter. 

In that time, she has spotted birds like red-shouldered hawks, pileated woodpeckers and bluebirds.  

But her experience changes every year, depending on the weather, she said. 

“If it's a really crappy day, the birds are hunkered down and they're not very active,” Hoffman said. “If it's a nice day, there's probably more activity.” 

She said the Merlin app, which uses sound to help identify birds, has made a huge difference in her experience. 

“If you hear a lot of birds, it'll pick up sounds that you're not even aware of, where all of a sudden there might be six or seven different species chirping at you at once, and then you can zoom in and see the birds and count the birds, and it's really been a game changer,” she said. 

Hoffman said of the Christmas count, “I think it's brought a lot of people who aren't experienced to the bird world.”