Bird-watchers in Guelph will set out to count as many bird species as they can across all parts of the city as part of the Canada-wide Christmas Bird Count.
On Sunday, about 70 local bird enthusiasts will take part in this year’s count, says Valerie Wyatt, who will lead one of the groups.
Volunteers can expect to see wintering birds, but Wyatt said there are often surprises.
“Sometimes there are stragglers that can be very interesting,” said Wyatt, who owns Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop on Gordon St.
Wyatt will lead a group of volunteers to count in the Arkell area.
Other leaders cover the West Side, Speed River, Hanlon Valley, Guelph Lake and other areas of the city.
Volunteers surveying along watered areas, like Guelph Lake and along the Speed River, can expect to see more water fowl, said Wyatt.
Birds like the Canada goose are often spotted in the thousands in Guelph, said Wyatt. Volunteers may count only one or two sparrows across the whole city.
Some bird watchers prefer to use the tried-and-true field guides and a pair of binoculars. As with many hobbies, smart phones have made things even easier for some people.
“A lot of them now use an app that has the (bird) calls, the maps and everything in the palm of your hand instead of carrying a big book around,” she said.
In some years, the volunteers will see only a few robins, said Wyatt, but in other years there may be a healthy berry crop enticing them to stay over winter.
“Last year there were a tremendous number of robins sticking around for that reason,” she said.
When the volunteers get together to report their results they are able to compare what they saw. There is often a lot of excitement when a rare birds are counted.
“There’s actually a very rare one up at Guelph Lake now that I saw yesterday — it’s called a Townsend’s solitaire. We’re hoping it sticks around for the count,” said Wyatt.
After the event, local numbers get tabulated and sent off to Bird Studies Canada along with results from around Canada.
About 1,700 counts are conducted across Canada as part of the Christmas Bird Count.
Bird Studies Canada says the data collected helps to assess the population trends and distribution of birds.
The data is used daily by conservation biologists and naturalists, says Bird Studies Canada.
Group leaders are experienced bird watchers, said Wyatt, while individual volunteers can be from any skill level.
“It’s remarkable how many different types and ages of people we get who are really interested,” she said.
Wyatt has been leading groups for about seven years and said her father has been participating in the count for over 40 years.
“He knows all the places to go. That’s why it’s nice for new people to join us, we need that mix of experience and new people,” she said.
