SUMMERTON – After the feasting and partying of the Christmas holiday, many outdoor enthusiasts will be grabbing their binoculars and field guides and spending an enjoyable day outdoors.

A special event of interest to bird lovers will be conducted on Saturday, Dec. 27 at the Santee National Wildlife Refuge.

The Santee Christmas Bird Count was initiated in 1982 to help provide a more accurate census of the numbers and species of birds present during winter months. This survey is part of the National Audubon Society’s 109th annual Christmas Bird Survey conducted by tens of thousands of volunteers from across the nation.

Birders will divide into 10 groups and spend the day birding in 10 different areas on and around the Santee National Wildlife Refuge. Interested participants should contact bird count coordinator Dennis Forsyth via e-mail at dennisforsythe@gmail.com. A $5 fee will be charged to help deter the costs of publishing results in the Christmas Bird Count issue of National Audubon Society Field Notes.

Beginning at dawn and finishing at dusk, participants will identify and record birds seen and/or heard within the designated count area. Counters will cover the area by vehicle or on foot with special emphasis on several wetland and open water areas, mixed pine and hardwood areas, thickets and open fields.

Organizers say birders can look forward to a very enjoyable day in the field and expect to see and hear a wide variety of bird life. The Santee count is one of the most productive in the state and normally attracts more than 35 participants.

Highlights from previous counts include an average of more than 130 species including Le Conte’s sparrow, greater white-fronted geese, more than 20 species of waterfowl, snow geese, tundra swan, Sandhill crane and 11 bird of prey species including numerous bald eagle sightings and occasional peregrine falcons.

For more information, call USFWS Wildlife Biologist Haven Barnhill at the refuge office at 803-478-2217.

n T&D Correspondent Shirley Upton can be reached by e-mail at writer@ntinet.com. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

 

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