The local bird count, the Wild River Count, will be held on Saturday, Dec. 15. All counters should gather at the Chisago Lakes Lutheran Church upper parking lot at 7:30 a.m. From there the counting teams, comprised of beginners and veterans alike, will scatter to their assigned counting areas. The local count will culminate in a potluck supper and final tally of the day's counting efforts at the Chisago Lakes Lutheran Church at 5 p.m.

A $5 participant's fee is required from each counter to pay for expenses such as database technology/support. This fee applies to only those counters over the age of 18. Every year, the expenses are greater than the dollars received in fees.

All bird counts take place in a 15-mile diameter count area (177 square miles) and all counts must take place in a 24-hour count period. Some determined counters will count from dawn to dark.

The only requirements are a keen curiosity and willingness to hone your observation skills. Binoculars and a bird field guide are helpful but not absolutely necessary. Traveling primarily by car, dress for frequent stops and hikes. Generally most of the counting is done from inside cars but occasional stops are made to hike into the countryside so dress for the weather. Bring a snack if you like, most groups stop at a local café for lunch.

Over the past century, more than 8,500,000 birds have been counted of 201 species. This year, over 1000 volunteers are expect to count more than a quarter million birds at 70 locations in Minnesota.

The collected data, all volunteer generated, has become a crucial part of the U.S. government's natural history monitoring database. With the data, good estimates are possible to assess population trends for several important species of birds.

If you want more information or have further questions call Tom Anderson at (651) 462-7353 (evening).

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