Depending on how one counts, at least eleven world religions celebrate holidays in December, and although the twelve days of Christmas and the eight-day celebration of Hanukkah begin on December 25, we at Crossroads are sharing an amalgam of holiday traditions all month.
The Biblical Christmas story mentions a “census” and “a star in the East.” This Saturday, Crossroads will participate in a bird census, an activity dating back to a truly non-religious holiday tradition.
That “star in the east” about which people have been asking? It truly is bright, but it is not a star, but rather a planet—Jupiter.
So, on Saturday, December 14, the Science Saturday Family Program at 2:00 will feature Juniper, a program co-sponsored by the Door Peninsula Astronomical Society. And all that day, plus the three days before and after, we will be conducting a census of birds as part of a citizen science effort called the Christmas Bird Count.
But why do we participate? After all, we count birds at Crossroads almost every day, and so do other eBird participants. We also sponsor breeding bird surveys and have acoustic recorders throughout the preserves. We are now part of the Motus Wildlife Tracking System (Motus), an international collaborative research network that uses coordinated automated radio telemetry to census birds.
We do this because a bird census is one important metric for evaluating our restoration efforts. Birds are excellent indicators of ecosystem conditions. Unlike less mobile species, birds can fly. If their needs are not met, they fly somewhere else. Consequently, by keeping records of the birds in our preserves, we can evaluate whether our restoration efforts are actually improving our various wildlife habitats.
But the Crossroads bird counts document the fluctuations in bird populations for about 200 acres over a relatively short period of time.
In contrast, during Christmas Bird Count, 70,000-80,000 volunteers count throughout the United States and Canada, as well as Central and South America, the Pacific Islands, the West Indies, and Bermuda.
Obviously, a database that large, including more than a century of records, is of enormous value to biological and climate scientists.
According to the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) website, “Prior to the turn of the 20th century, hunters engaged in a holiday tradition known as the Christmas "Side Hunt." They would choose sides and go afield with their guns—whoever brought in the biggest pile of feathered (and furred) quarry won.
“Conservation was in its beginning stages in that era, and many observers and scientists were becoming concerned about declining bird populations. Beginning on Christmas Day 1900, ornithologist Frank M. Chapman, an early officer in the then-nascent Audubon Society, proposed a new holiday tradition—a "Christmas Bird Census" that would count birds during the holidays rather than hunt them.”
Charlotte Lukes, who organizes the Door County CBC, selected December 14, the first allowable date, for the Sturgeon Bay Count in hopes that the bays' water would not be frozen. Most areas in the Sturgeon Bay area have been assigned to teams of hard-core birders who will spend the whole day in their assigned count areas.
We at Crossroads cover our area with experienced and novice volunteers—some who will be out all day and some who want to bird for a couple hours. If you are interested in participating, e-mail info@crossroads.com to be assigned to times and your count area.
As soon as temperatures and snow depth are adequate, Crossroads will groom designated trails and offer Ski For Free, our recreational equipment lending program. Watch the Crossroads website www.crossroadsatbigcreek.org for current conditions.
December 14
8:30-5:00 Christmas Bird Count at Crossroads
Please help us find and identify local bird species while adding to more than a century of community science data. Want to participate? Email info@crossroadsatbigcreek.org for more details. Volunteer for as much or as little time as you’d like. Crossroads has loaner binoculars available.
2:00 Science Saturday: JUPITER
In collaboration with the Door Peninsula Astronomical Society, this week’s family program will look at the planet Jupiter, which will dominate the sky this month. Intended for elementary students, learners of all ages are welcome.
Meet at the Collins Learning Center. Registration is not required. Free and open to the public.
Wednesday, December 18
1:30 Wandering Wednesday
Join a naturalist-led hike. Easy walking. About an hour. Meet at the Collins Learning Center. Registration is not required. Open to the public and free thanks to our donors.
