KEWAUNEE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A long-running citizen science survey is underway around the Western Hemisphere.
The annual Christmas Bird Count is marking 125 years.
Just off the road that divides Kewaunee and Manitowoc counties, Bob Domagalski is on alert.
“I’ve always been a very enthusiastic birder. And I’ve been doing the Christmas counts since the 1980s,” said Domagalski.
The Christmas Bird Count involves volunteers fanning out, covering 15-mile diameter survey circles and counting as many birds they see and hear in that 24-hour period.
“In this count, we typically get somewhere between 40-50 species at this time of year,” said Domagalski.
There are about 400 documented species of birds in Wisconsin. And on Tuesday morning, Domagalski spotted something special.
“I started pishing towards those spruce trees. Pishing is pish-pish-pish-pish-pish. And what it did, it attracted seven White-winged Crossbills,” he said.
At a second location just to the east, a pair of Red-tailed Hawks circled over the small creek below.
“The way I usually bird is, I stop at places that might be good for bird habitat. And I get out of my car, and walk a little bit,” said Domagalski.
Domagalski says the Christmas Bird Count is a valuable way to monitor bird populations and other environmental trends.
“Then on my piece of paper here, I keep track of how many birds I see. And at the end of the day, I compile it, and I get all the reports from all the other birders that are in the Two Rivers count, and we send it off to Audubon,” he said.
The Christmas Bird Count wraps up Jan. 5.
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