The bird population in and around Iroquois Falls will undergo a census of sorts this coming Sunday.
You can participate in the Christmas Bird Count by identifying birds that come to your feeders over a four-hour period, or contact coordinator Rhonda Donley and she’ll give you a route to follow outdoors.
Donley – who is a professional biologist – says the most common species every year are the common black-capped chickadee, the common raven, evening- and pine grosbeaks, and red polls.
“Last year, we got our very first snowy owl for the count, which was really exciting,” she recalls. “I suspect they might be around this year too, because there’s been lots of mice and voles to eat.”
“There’s apparently been an influx of cardinals in the Timmins area,” she says in anticipation of Sunday’s count, “and it would be really neat if we could find one in Iroquois Falls. If you think you’ve got a cardinal, you’re going to have to send me a photo to prove it.
All the data goes to Birds Canada and the Audubon Society to map the movement of birds over the years right across North America.
You can contact Rhonda Donley on the Iroquois Falls bird count Facebook page; at [email protected] or 249-313-0561.
