Caring for natural world includes counting birds

Catherine Ferguson SNJM

Many religions view caring for the environment as a core tenet, often interpreting their scriptures as a call for humans to take responsibility to protect and preserve the natural world as part of their faith.

Part of the natural world that may be especially threatened by the changing environment is birds.

The National Audubon Society, Birds Canada and Cornell Lab of Ornithology have announced the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), which will be held Friday to Monday, Feb. 14 to 17.

Launched in 1998, the Great Backyard Bird Count is the first online participatory-science project to collect data on wild birds and to display results in near real time. This is a global effort. The more people who participate, the more knowledge will be gained to help preserve and protect the natural world.

Two passionate birders who will participate are Lindell Haggin, a past treasurer and board member emerita of the Spokane Audubon Society—a chapter of the National Audubon Society—and Alan McCoy, a current board member. Both are dedicated birders who have invested many years in Audubon's mission of education and conservation.

Both have come to this avocation through family members.

When Lindell moved to Spokane from Cleveland in the 1970s, her first husband used to enjoy photographing orchids and carnivorous plants that grew in marshy areas.

"I decided I would take advantage of being outdoors and began to watch the birds," she explained.

Lindell's parents-in-law, Margaret and Morey Haggin, belonged to the Spokane Birders Club and instigated its transition to the Spokane Audubon Society.

Carrying on the tradition, her children in Oregon, Arizona and Minnesota are also in tune with the birds in their areas.

"All three of our children are interested in birding, although not to the extent of their grandparents and mother," said Lindell, "It provides another topic of enjoyable conversation by phone, on Zoom or for the rare personal visits."

Alan told how his passion for birds developed.

"It came from my mother. As a child, she taught me to observe the birds around our home. Then, I got my first pair of binoculars in my 20s. I got really interested in birds, but I'm not sure why I got the bird bug while others didn't," he said.

Today, 50 years later, he still loves watching birds – even common ones like the California quail and the chickadees that are abundant in his yard.

"I love birds, but I don't have a favorite. All birds are fun to observe," he commented.

Both Lindell and Alan lead nature field trips, advocate for birds and their habitat, and take part in bird counts and bird surveys. This is a part of the education and conservation that are the Audubon Society's mission.

The bird counts are not just important because birds are interesting to watch, but because birds are a bellwether for the planet and provide many benefits.

They keep ecosystems running smoothly by eating insect pests, dispersing seeds, pollinating plants and scavenging carcasses, which reduces the spread of some diseases.

They help inform people if the environment is healthy. Birds give an early warning about toxins and pollutants.

Bird counts monitor environmental trends because birds are sensitive to environmental change. The counts also help identify problems like habitat loss and climate change.

Lindell has seen the increase of the Eurasian collared-dove, which was introduced from Europe and now inhabits the Inland Northwest as an invasive species, taking over the habitat of native mourning doves. She has also tracked an increased northern migration of bird species because of the warming climate.

In 2019, she participated in a nationwide bird survey published by the National Audubon Society that drew on 140 million bird observations from across the country and focused on the effect of a warming climate.

The survey results warned that two-thirds of America's birds face climate-change-related extinction by 2100. In Washington, 141 local breeding species, including pygmy nuthatches and mountain bluebirds are among those birds.

Bird count data helps resource managers make decisions about how to protect ecosystems and preserve habitat.

Alan described an effort by Audubon Society members and other conservationists to advocate for bird habitats and maintain a corridor between nearby natural areas in more than 200 acres of undeveloped woodland on Thorpe Road in western Spokane.

Recently, the Department of Natural Resources decided to transfer this land to the Redmond-based Blue Fern Management, which plans to build up to 1,000 homes on the land.

Bird counts also support research to track patterns and answer questions about bird populations. They educate people about birds and the natural world, and help people connect with nature.

Participation in the two bird counts is open to anyone in the Spokane area.

One event is the Christmas Bird Count (CBC), which is structured and requires more preparation for participants.

The observations for this count take place within a designated circle on one day from Dec. 14 to Jan. 5 each year. In Spokane, the circle for observation is within a 15-mile radius from Division and Francis streets.

A second Christmas bird count in the region takes place in Cheney.

Each of the circles has a compiler. Those interested in participating in either of these CBCs can consult the Spokane Audubon website at audubonspokane.org/christmas-bird-count. This past Christmas, the Cheney circle count was held on Dec. 15, while the Spokane area count was held Jan. 4.

The upcoming Great Backyard Bird Count isn't as structured as the Christmas count, so it is easier for people to participate.

Anyone can take part—from beginning bird watchers to experts. It can be done from the backyard. Participants from all over the world are asked to count birds for as little as 15 minutes—or as long as they wish—on one or more days between Feb. 14 and 17. Then they may report their sightings online at birdcount.org.

Participating in the bird count can help the bird population in the long term, Alan explained, "because birds need our help, the Spokane Audubon Society has a place on its website for people who want to learn what to do for injured and diseased birds, or baby birds that have fallen out of their nests.

"I hope someday we will have a wildlife rehab facility in our area," he said, reporting that, "Only Hunter Veterinarian accepts birds for treatment in Spokane. The only other option is to take birds to Washington State University in Pullman."

As an advocate for birds, Alan also informs people about three major threats to birds in the region.

"The first and greatest threat is habitat loss. The second is outdoor cats, for which the American Bird Conservancy has a campaign called Cat Indoors—for the safety of cats, birds and wildlife. The third is window strikes," he said.

To eliminate the third threat at his home, Alan has applied a treatment to his windows that allows birds to actually see the windows and avoid hitting them.

Joining the Spokane Audubon Society is a way to learn more about the region's birds. Their website lists opportunities to participate in activities that teach about birds through field trips, lectures, presentations, a newsletter and videos.

Another way to learn more is to attend the society's monthly meetings, which are held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on second Wednesdays of September through May at Shadle Library.

As an antidote to a stressful world, Lindell reflects on her experience.

"I enjoy being out in nature half an hour in the morning just being near the river, standing and looking," she said. "There are lots of chickadees. I bring a handful of bird seed with me. Bold ones will hop on my hand and eat the seed. Some are territorial and won't let others come near. Each has their own personality. Watching things wake up in the morning calms my whole system. It is a good base for the rest of the day."

For information and to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count, visit birdcount.org.