2013 Christmas Bird Count
December 14, 2013: Early Sunday morning a group of enthusiastic birders set out to collect data for the longest-running wildlife census, The Audubon Society’s 114th annual Christmas Bird Count. The Count provides scientists with important information that aids in assessing the overall health of bird populations and ultimately guides conservation efforts.
The citizen scientists saw the usual suspects including Red-tailed Hawks, Acorn Woodpeckers, California Towhees, and Western Scrub Jays. An American Robin was spotted for the first time on The Richard and Donna O’Neill Conservancy. The second portion of the bird count took place at Horno Basin. The American White Pelican, Ring-necked Ducks, and American Pipit were new sightings for this area. In total, 53 different species and 443 individuals were identified.
