See What El Dorado Audubon Volunteers Saw During Christmas Bird Count

by Mary Parsell, President El Dorado Audubon

(December 29, 2011) -- What did you do the day after Christmas? While many braved the stores for after-Christmas sales, El Dorado Audubon members and friends enjoyed the beauty of nature by participating in The National Audubon Society's 122th Christmas Bird Count.

Four photos immediately below show Audubon members counting birds on the Los Cerritos Wetlands Hellman property, December 26, 2011

Photo credit: Cindy Crawford

Photo credit: Kim Moore

Photo credit: Kim Moore

Photo credit: Kim Moore

El Dorado's count circle is 15 miles in diameter and includes beaches, Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge (part), San Gabriel River, Los Angeles River, parks and golf courses. The group at Los Cerritos Wetlands had a great day. Highlights included "soul satisfying looks" of a Loggerhead Shrike, two White-tailed Kites, and a group of migratory ducks, herons and egrets.

Los Cerritos Wetlands, White-Tailed Kite, 12/26/11 Photo credit: Cindy Crawford

Shorebirds including Willets, 12/26/11 Photo credit: Cindy Crawford

Bird on a wire, Loggerhead Shrike has almost disappeared from coastal area in the Los Angeles/Orange County area. 12/26/11 Photo credit: Cindy Crawford

Los Cerritos Wetlands, tidal inlet runs to the end of the former Hellman property, 12/26/11 Photo credit: Cindy Crawford

Luz Torres (left), staff biologist for Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority with article author (right) El Dorado Audubon Pres. Mary Parsell at the end of a long day. Photo credit: Kim Moore

The National Audubon Society explains more about the bird count in "Citizen Science in Action -- The count period for the 112th Christmas Bird Count runs from December 14, 2011 through January 5, 2012.

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.

For El Dorado Audubon's bird walks and natural science programs, visit www.eldoradoaudubon.org.

[Editor note: From its website: "El Dorado Audubon is a California Chapter of the National Audubon Society serving the communities of Artesia, Avalon, Bellflower, Carson, Cypress, Hawaiian Gardens, La Palma, Lakewood, Long Beach, Los Alamitos, Paramount, Rossmoor, San Pedro, Seal Beach, Signal Hill, Sunset Beach, and Wilmington.

The mission of the El Dorado Audubon Society is the conservation of native birds and their habitats. The society provides leadership in conservation and educates its members and the community, so that they may appreciate birds and participate in the society's conservation efforts."]