Sign Up To Count Birds on New Year's Day 2014

You can still take part in what's billed (no pun intended) as largest and oldest citizen science project in the world—the annual Christmas Bird Count. 

Although it's called the Christmas Bird Count, it takes place over several weeks at Christmastime—this year, from Dec. 14, 2013–Jan. 5, 2014. 

Minnesota Public Radio reported on a recent Christmas Bird Count centered on Springbrook Nature Center in Fridley, MN—including Joanna Eckles of Stillwater, who works at Audubon Minnesota.

Here's the information on the local effort on Jan. 1, from the Minnesota Ornithologists Union website.  

• To participate, contact Joe Merchak at 715-425-1169 or jmerchak@baldwin-telecom.net.

• All participants will meet midway through the count at noon, Jan. 1 at the Belwin Nature Center, 1553 Stagecoach Trail, Afton (once inside the gate to the left and up the hill). Bring your own lunch.

• If you want to count on the Wisconsin side of the St. Croix River, meet at 7 a.m. on Jan. 1 at Perkins Restaurant in Hudson to form groups and be assigned routes.
  
  
• If you want to count on the Minnesota side, meet at the Dave Tanner residence (1000 Stagecoach Trail), or call 651-436-8771, or email dcsrt@q.com to get a route assignment in advance.
  
  

• Minnesota Ornithologists Union
• Wisconsin Society for Ornithology
• Audobon Society

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