Volunteers needed for Christmas bird count (December 08, 2004)

Birders, ahoy! As the magic time of the Christmas bird count rolls around, the Sequoia Audubon Society is looking for volunteer bird watchers to spend some hard binocular time on Saturday, December 18, and/or Sunday, January 2.

On December 18, some 50 or more bird watchers will fan out in a 15-mile-diameter circle that includes Half Moon Bay, South San Francisco, Foster City, Filoli, and Bair Island, for the Crystal Springs count.

Then, on January 2, birders will take to the coast for the Ano Nuevo count, which includes Pescadero Marsh, Big Basin and Portola State parks, and part of San Gregorio.

The Bay Area is a particularly good place to find birds, said Al De Martini, who coordinates and compiles the Sequoia count and counts all over the state. The Crystal Springs count is usually one of the top 10 in the country, and the Ano Nuevo count among the top 25.

"We have a diversity of habitats," Mr. De Martini said. "We have the coast of the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, and a good slice of elevations in between."

This will be the 105th year the Audubon Society has sponsored bird counts every Christmas, and more than 50 years for the Crystal Springs Count, Mr. De Martini said.

Over the years the Audubon Society has amassed a huge amount of information that not only tells about species populations, but helps track the health of the environment.

"It's a huge data base," said Robin Smith of Atherton. "The count gives trends over the long term. It's pretty useful."

Ms. Smith and Leslie Flint will be counting birds in Foster City, where there are masses of ducks.

"We'll be there all day," she said. "You count a scope full of ducks, and then multiply by the number of scope-fulls."

The bird counts will take place rain or shine, from dawn to dusk -- and possibly later if you're after owls or night birds. Mr. De Martini advises good binoculars and layered clothing for any weather.

Anyone interested in joining a team may call Mr. De Martini at 345-6988. For more information on the count, check birdsource.org or audubon.org.

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