People flock to Great Backyard Bird Count at Conservancy

CACHE CREEK CONSERVANCY

Local bird enthusiasts Tom Lamorree and Steve Radosevich sign up for Saturday’s Great Backyard Bird Count at the Cache Creek Conservancy. The count continues today, Sunday and again on Monday. PHOTOS COURTESY OF JIM SMITH

What is believed to be a Black Phoebe takes flight near the pond of the Cache Creek Conservancy on Saturday during the Great Backyard Bird Count.

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By Jim Smith

Special to the Democrat

Woodland-area birders got a lift Saturday during the second day of the Great Backyard Bird Count.

Around 10 people attended the event at the Cache Creek Conservancy west of Woodland at 34199 County Road 20, which continues from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday and from 8 a.m. to noon on Monday.

Under the direction of direction of Restoration Biologist Felicia Wang, avian observers got a guided tour of the 130-acre complex of wetlands, oak woodlands, grasslands and areas around Cache Creek.

The site is home to the Tending and Gathering Garden and Jan T. Lowrey Memorial Grove. The Garden is a collaborative effort with the local Native American community to demonstrate native plant uses in Patwin culture while the Lowrey Memorial Grove showcases California native plants in a manicured setting and contains a small outdoor amphitheater.

The Backyard Bird Count is free event is being sponsored by the Conservancy in conjunction with the Cornell Lab and Audubon Society. It is part of an international four-day event celebrating the world of birds.

People attending the event and keeping track of their bird counts can report their findings to help scientists understand and protect birds around the globe.

People can upload their findings to the eBird Mobile app or enter a bird list on the eBird website via desktop or laptop.

On Saturday morning, plenty of small birds such as the Black Phoebe, European Starling, Song Sparrow and House Wren could be seen while larger birds such as geese, egrets, herons and ducks were absent from the pond area of the Conservancy.

People planning to attend on Sunday or Monday should bring binoculars, bird field guides if available and wear hiking boots. Participants should also dress appropriately for the weather, which is cooler during the morning hours. The Conservancy will provide a pamphlet showing birds common to the area if needed.

This is the second bird count in recent months. A Christmas Bird Count was done on Dec. 28, also in conjunction with the Audubon Society. During that count, some 138 species of birds were seen in and around Woodland.

Those counting birds found that snow geese were the most abundant species, numbering 12,572.