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Apple River) The Eagle Nature Foundation and the Conservation Guardians of Northwestern Illinois have just announced that the date for the 48th Annual Jo Daviess County Christmas Bird Count has been set for Dec. 17. If bad weather should prevent the count from being conducted on that day, a Blizzard date of Jan. 5 has been chosen. Most counters are in the field by at least 7:30 to 8:00 am, but some may start looking for owls before sunup and some may continue listening for owls after dark.

This count will be part of the National Audubon Society’s 114th Annual Christmas Bird Count, which has volunteers counting birds all across North America. In one day all the birds are counted in a circle that is 15 miles in diameter. The Jo Daviess County count was started in 1966 by Terrence Ingram, who has been the compiler of the count ever since. The first count in 1966 conducted by just two persons in one vehicle recorded 1374 birds of 18 species. The last few years this count has been conducted by 24 to 30 volunteers in at least six separate teams. When this count has been completed the teams meet at one location for a late lunch for the teams to tally the total birds that were seen.

Anyone who would like to participate in the count should contact Grace Storch, who is the coordinator for the teams. Her e-mail is: gsfeathers@aeroinc.net.

The Audubon Annual Christmas Bird Count is a massive effort on behalf of thousands of people to document the changes in our winter bird populations. A person who is interested in getting more information about the Christmas Bird Counts, including the results of past counts anywhere in the country, may go to: birds.audubon.org/Christmas-Bird-Count.

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For more information contact: Terrence N. Ingram, Exec. Director, Eagle Nature Foundation, 300 East Hickory St., Apple River, IL 61001 Phone 815-594-2306

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