Lehigh Valley Christmas Bird Count

Brandon Swayser

Originally Published in October - December 2024 Quarterly Newsletter of The Lehigh Valley Audubon Society

This year will mark the 125th annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC), the world’s longest-running citizen science project and wildlife census.

The Lehigh Valley Christmas Bird Count will take place on Saturday, December 21, 2024. This will be the 81st year of our count.

The Lehigh Valley Audubon Society (LVAS) administers the annual Lehigh Valley Christmas Bird Count, and several other counts occur nearby, any of which could use your help!

We are looking for 2 types of volunteer participants in our designated circle, feeder-watchers and extra counters.

Feeder-watchers who live within this circle are needed to accurately identify all species commonly seen in your yards, count birds for any length of time on the 21st and report your sightings on a datasheet that we will provide.

Extra counters will be placed on one of our 12 area leaders' teams, within our designated circle, to drive/walk most of the day to count birds.

We hope you can join us!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact LVAS’s count complier Brandon Swayser at brandon.swayser@davincisciencecenter.org

What is the Christmas Bird Count?

Winter Wren photographed during the 2022 Lehigh Valley CBC

For those of you who are unfamiliar, the CBC is an annual volunteer-run census of birds that takes place across the western hemisphere from December 14th through January 5th every year. It is made up of thousands of local counts, each lasting 24 hours, covering a 15-mile wide diameter circle of land, and organized by a count compiler. Teams of volunteer counters typically split up areas of the circle and drive and/or walk those areas for up to 24 hours straight, recording the birds that they observe. Christmas Bird Counts are rich in tradition and camaraderie, and due to their thorough nature, often turn up some pretty incredible birds! For many birders, the CBC is one of the highlights of their year, a chance to catch up with old friends, see some rare birds, and above all else, contribute meaningful data to one of the worlds’ most powerful conservation science studies.

That sounds great and all, but isn’t really my cup of tea, how else can I help?

It’s understandable that spending 12+ hours straight birding in the cold isn’t for everyone, but there is another way in which most people can participate, and that is by being a feeder-watcher. Feeder-watchers spend a portion of their area’s count day observing their backyard birdfeeders, or any birds in their yard or local greenspace, and report their sightings to their area’s compiler.

Here are a few easy steps for getting involved as a feeder-watcher:

1. Determine which (if any) circle your backyard is in by going to: https://www.audubon.org/community-science/christmas-bird-count/join-christmas-bird-count. Click the bold link on that page that says “click here for a map view of circles expected…” and zoom in to your home area on the map. If you are in a circle on that map, click the yellow bird icon in that circle and you will see the count date, and compiler’s contact info. This map may not be updated until November.

2. Contact the compiler to see if you can sign up to be a feeder-watcher for that count. Don’t wait until the last minute.

3. On the day of the count, keep a checklist of all bird species you see at your feeders, recording only the highest number of each species that you saw at one time - birds will often visit feeders many times over the course of the day, so this part is important. You also must record your effort - the amount of time that you spent counting birds in your yard and the number of observers who counted with you.

4. Finally, follow your compiler’s instructions (usually a simple email) for reporting your observations.

Why is the CBC important?

By conducting a standardized survey of birds on the same date, in the same location, with the same methods, and usually by the same people year after year, we gain incredibly valuable data on long term changes in bird populations. CBC data has been the first alert to many population trends over the years and has made an immense impact on avian conservation science. Count data has pointed out downward population trends like that of Evening Grosbeaks and Common Grackle and has helped to inform scientists and catalyze the next steps of conservation work to help these species. Additionally, the CBC is a great way to get new birders involved and grow our team of citizen scientists, and hey, it’s fun!

Pennsylvania’s 1st Winter Atlas Needs Your Help

Earlier in 2024 Pennsylvania birders of all ages and skill levels began working together to map the breeding and status of bird species in the state as part of the 3rd Pennsylvania Bird Atlas (PBA3), a 5-year-long survey that will end February 2029.

The PBA3 will include Pennsylvania’s first Winter Atlas which will set an important baseline for data on the distribution and abundance of the state’s winter avifauna.

The Winter Survey began December 1, 2024, and most of the data will be collected by volunteers. For directions on how to participate in the Winter Survey, get the Winter Atlas Volunteer Handbook, read how to complete Winter Priority Blocks and conduct Winter Water Surveys specifically for the Winter Atlas, watch the recording of November’s Atlas Town Hall - Introduction to Winter Atlas.

This project is supported by the PA Game Commission (PGC), headquartered at Hawk Mountain, and facilitated by Cornell Lab’s eBird online tools. The PGC initiated this project to update the information they need to prioritize conservation actions and to protect the birds of Pennsylvania. Findings will guide conservation for years to come. Read the PA Bird Atlas 3 Volunteer Handbook to learn how to participate during the other seasons.

In addition to volunteers, Pennsylvania Bird Atlas is hiring a team of seasonal point count technicians to conduct surveys throughout Pennsylvania during the summer of 2025.
Deadline to Apply to be a Paid Seasonal Research Technician for Pennsylvania Bird Atlas: April 18, 2025, but applications will be reviewed upon receipt

Employment Dates: May 19 – mid July 2025

Preference will be given to applicants with previous point count experience and eBird experience. Prior birding experience need not be through a paid position, but ability to identify birds of Pennsylvania by sight and sound required.

Read all the job details and how to apply here.

2023 Lehigh Valley Christmas Bird Count Summary

Originally Published in January - March 2024 Quarterly Newsletter of The Lehigh Valley Audubon Society

Orange-crowned Warbler

On December 16th, 2023, 40 counters participated in the 2023 Lehigh Valley Christmas Bird Count. This marked the 80th year of this particular count, and 124th year of the Audubon Christmas Bird Count overall. 86 species and 40,826 individual birds were counted. Highlights included the first ever sighting of an Orange-crowned Warbler in the Topton area, a wintering Eastern Phoebe near Fogelsville, Cackling Geese in Allentown, and a Wilson’s Snipe in the western part of the circle. High counts were achieved for Green-winged Teal and Common Merganser, with 67 and 73 individuals respectively. Only 22 Black Vultures were counted, likely an impact of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza outbreak. Thank you to all of the counters who participated! The 2024 count is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, December 21, 2024.

Wilson’s Snipe

Observers: Terry Master, Barbara Malt, Brian Stamper, Stephen Kloiber, Mark Boyd, Chris Sipos, Makayla Hernandez, Brandon Brogle, Luke C . Miller, Kennedy Sullivan, Jenith Flex, Felice Cragin, Grant Stephenson, Jason Horn, Brandon Swayser, Jon Mularczyk, Steve Smith, Frank Dickman, Dan Klem, Peter Saenger, Jim Funk, Todd Underwood, Todd Watkins, Fritz Brock, Jeff Hopkins, Joe Zajacek, John Mitchell, Anne Wenninger, Carl Veltri.

GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT 2023

Originally Published in April - June 2023 Quarterly Newsletter of The Lehigh Valley Audubon Society

Brandon Swayser and Sunny, the Barred Owl

Here at LVAS, we don’t just count birds for the Great Backyard Bird Count – we party! The Great Backyard Bird Count party is a joint project of Lehigh Valley Audubon Society (LVAS) and Wildlands Conservancy. We met at the Trexler Building at the Dorothy Rider Pool Wildlife Sanctuary, where feeders were set-up in front of windows. Adults and children alike watched the feeders, practiced their bird ID, and counted the birds. They were enthralled by the chance to view education birds, Sunny the Barred Owl and Nittany the Red-tailed Hawk, up-close, with lots of good info and background stories on these two birds by Brandon Swayser. With cooperative weather, many participants also enjoyed the option to take a guided walk through the woods and along the creek to see what else could be found. Many cookies and pretzels were consumed, bird puzzles were done, and pine cone snowy owls were made.

Participants at Great Backyard Bird Count - Photo by Ello Soto

Twenty-three species were spotted altogether, with highlights including four Common Mergansers and a Red-tailed Hawk and Turkey Vultures circling overhead. A big thanks to our LVAS volunteers who helped with approximately 42 visitors: Jim Funk, Colette Cragin, Paul Sherrer, Janet Farley, Karen Campbell, Dan Pokras, and Betty Abrams. Special thanks to Wayne Frick for bringing his Chirpsounds technology to pipe bird vocalizations inside for learning sound ID.

Participants at Great Backyard Bird Count - Photo by Ello Soto

LVAS: 2014 Christmas Bird Counts

The 115th Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is rapidly approaching. Please read the National Audubon article below, giving some background on the Christmas Bird Count and, if you’re not already a regular participant, consider joining this important activity.

Important: A CBC Dinner will be held following the Allentown Bird Count on Dec. 20.

Following are the dates and contacts for the various area counts in the Lehigh Valley. If you are interested in participating, please contact your group leader from last year or the contacts listed below.

Saturday, 12/20 - Allentown CBC, compiler: Stephen Kloiber 610-863-3889

Sunday, 12/21 – Wild Creek/Little Gap CBC, compiler: Josh Nemeth 610-573-8577 or email at allroy1313@rcn.com

Saturday, 12/27 – Bethlehem/Easton/Hellertown CBC: compilers: Don and Elaine Mease 610-346-7754

Christmas Bird Count – From National Audubon Society From December 14 through January 5 tens of thousands of volunteers throughout the Americas take part in an adventure that has become a family tradition among generations. Families and students, birders and scientists, armed with binoculars, bird guides and checklists go out on an annual mission - often before dawn. For over one hundred years, the desire to both make a difference and to experience the beauty of nature has driven dedicated people to leave the comfort of a warm house during the Holiday season. Each of the citizen scientists who annually braves snow, wind, or rain, to take part in the Christmas Bird Count makes an enormous contribution to conservation. Audubon and other organizations use data collected in this longest-running wildlife census to assess the health of bird populations - and to help guide conservation action. From feeder-watchers and field observers to count compilers and regional editors, everyone who takes part in the Christmas Bird Count does it for love of birds and the excitement of friendly competition -- and with the knowledge that their efforts are making a difference for science and bird conservation.

Songbird banding program

Songbird Banding at Jacobsburg Saturday, October 18th 9:00-10:00 a.m.

The fields at Jacobsburg are known for its large of numbers of sparrows in the fall. Join licensed bird bander Dawn Fariello has she captures and bands different species of sparrows and other songbirds. Learn about the banding process and why scientists band birds. To register contact Rick Wiltraut at rwiltraut@pa.gov or 610-746-2801.