Bird count

11th Annual Fayette County Audubon Society Bird Count

The Fayette Soil & Water Conservation District hosted its 11th annual bird count as part of the 123rd year Audubon Christmas bird count on Wednesday December 14thth. Data comes from over 2000 circles. The count runs from December 14th to January 5th. A fifteen-mile circle is identified and locations within the area are included. The circle can then be counted every year to compare the results. This year Included in the count were sites in the City of Washington Court House, local farms, and Deer Creek State Park and Wildlife areas. Deer Creek Corps of Engineers provided a space for our lunch after the count.

This year 7 people participated. 40 species of birds were counted. We have had a high of 57 species in 2015 and a low of 33 species in 2016. Highlights of the count include 55 black vultures in one location and 23 Coots at Deer Creek. Also, two barn owls were included in the count. They are residence owls in one of the wooden barns in Fayette County.

Because of citizen science and bird counts scientist estimate 2.9 billion breeding adult birds have been lost since 1970. 90% comes from 12 bird families that include sparrows, warblers, finches and swallows. Habitat loss including forest and grasslands have contributed to the numbers.

A few steps that you can take include making windows safer, keeping cats indoors, reducing lawn size and planting native species. To learn more visit 3billionbirds.org.

 If you would like to participate in next year’s count, please contact Brigitte Hisey at 740-636-0279 or e-mail at brigitte.hisey@fayette-co-oh.com.