By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
GREAT BEND — The 2023 Christmas Bird Count at Cheyenne Bottoms may only require one or two hands this year. Drought conditions continue to impact bird numbers into the cold season. But each year, bird counters across the nation participate in the National Audobon Society's Christmas Bird Count that runs from Dec. 14 through Jan. 5, 2023. Kansas Wetlands Education Center Director Curtis Wolf said citizen scientists are welcome for the count.
"It's a fun time to get out," he said. "Not our typical time of year that people think about going outside to watch birds, but it can be a really fun time to get out and see what's here."
Hundreds of counts will take place across the nation during the three-week period, and Wolf estimates some 45 counts will take place in Kansas alone. The Cheyenne Bottoms count will take place on Monday, Dec. 19, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
"It's about a 15-mile area that is the same every year," Wolf said. "We divide that up into small groups of people that go out and basically try to monitor, identify, count, and document the birds they see during that day."
Regardless of how populations fare locally, Wolf said the Christmas Bird Count is one efficient way for scientists to collect massive amounts of data about birds.
"Scientists utilize this data frequently to monitor trends of birds," he said. "Here again, we would suspect our numbers are not going to be nearly what they were in previous years for the Cheyenne Bottoms count, but our count information gets put in with all the other counts across the U.S. and provides some incredible monitoring trend information for these birds."
Rookies or experienced birders are welcome for the count. Binoculars, bird books, and warm clothes are also preferred but not required, as much of the counting is done from vehicles.
"This is a great way to learn," said Wolf. "We'll pair you up with people that are experienced bird watchers, and you can go out and see what you can learn on how to ID some of these winter birds."
The Christmas Bird Count is a free activity. To register, call the KWEC at (877) 243-9268.