84th annual Yosemite Christmas Bird Count

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Dear Prospective Bird Counter,

The 84th annual Yosemite Christmas Bird Count is close at hand, and you are invited to participate! This year's count will be held on Sunday, December 20. If you wish to attend, please contact Sarah Stock at (209) 379-1435 or by email at sarah_stock@nps.gov so I can plan your zone assignment. It is important to contact me at least a few days before December 20 to receive your assignment, but the sooner the better. Also, please see if you can drum up additional participants from among your friends and family, the more bird watchers, the better! Last year, 56 enthusiastic participants counted and identified 2,354 birds of 68 species in the park. Some of the highlights included: a Red Crossbill in Foresta, a Rock Wren in the El Portal area, and a flock of 33 Clark's Nutcrackers in the Badger Pass area. The three most unusual species detected last year were Green-tailed Towhee (only the 2nd time detected on a Yosemite CBC), and Canada Goose and Wild Turkey (detected on 3 Yosemite CBCs).


The bird count is a free, all-day event. We start shortly after dawn and continue until around 5 p.m. Participants should dress warmly and wear sturdy shoes, and be prepared for conditions that can vary greatly (layering is the key). Bring binoculars, field guides, lunch, and water. We'd like to have as many people as possible in the field for as long as possible, but it isn't required that every person be out the entire day. Arrangements can be made for participants who can only be out for part of the day. If you are one of these people, it is preferable that you begin at the normal start time for your area (usually as early as 8:00 a.m.) and end early. A rendezvous with a group later in the day is sometimes difficult to arrange.

At 5:30 p.m. on the evening of the count, we’ll meet at the Girls Club (a.k.a. the library) in Yosemite Valley for the compilation of results. The Girls Club is located in Yosemite Village, near the Ranger’s Club, across the street from the park's Administration Building, and next to the NatureBridge office. We will have a potluck style meal, so please plan on bringing something to share with the group (an oven/stove is available at the Girls Club). All count participants are welcome to attend and share your bird observations with the group. When you respond, please let me know if you’ll be attending the compilation.

We'll hope for good weather, but we'll count birds on Sunday, December 20 come rain, wind, snow, or shine. We look forward to your participation. I will send subsequent reminders, but for now, please mark your calendars and let me know if you're planning on joining us. If you have already contacted me and heard back, then you’re on the list!

Sincerely,
Sarah Stock, Wildlife Biologist, Count Compiler, and Bird Aficionado

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Sarah Stock, Wildlife Biologist
Yosemite National Park
5083 Foresta Road
El Portal, California 95318

Phone: (209) 379-1435
E-mail: [email protected]