Christmas Bird Count

Since 2010, I’ve participated in in 3 Christmas Bird Counts for the Gila River area with The National Audubon Society’s state office, Audubon Arizona.  The Christmas Bird counts is the nation’s longest-running citizen science bird project fuels Audubon science throughout the year.

The morning’s start around 4:30am traveling with my well informed birder to play calls listening for screech owls just before the sun breaks on the horizon.  Some may imagine the screech owl mimics a high pitched sound, but the call sounds more like a bouncing ball. These mornings are a bit cold, even for the desert with average lows fall below 10 degrees Farenheit.

Some of my favorite moments are at the end of the day, when the birds begin to roost as the sun calls it a day.  The circling pattern is hypnotizing, and provides a breath taking view as the sun paints the sky with varying shades of pinks, oranges and reds. It’s a memory that will stay with me forever.

http://www.azfo.org/CBC/PhxAreaCBCdescriptions.html

Gila River Christmas Bird Count.  The Gila River circle is centered three miles east of Powers Butte and about the same distance south of Palo Verde. The count encompasses unincorporated Arlington and Palo Verde as well as part of the Town of Buckeye. This western Maricopa County count dates from 1981.

The Gila River winds through the middle of the count circle and provides excellent birding habitat. The Hassayampa River empties into the Gila upstream from Powers Butte. An added feature is the presence of the Robbins Butte Wildlife Area. Elevations range from approximately 700-1900 feet. This count typically records about 140 species.