Annual winter bird count a success
By DENNIS APRILL, Outdoors Columnist
On Sunday, Dec 16, volunteer field observers counted 59 bird species (11, 707 individual birds)in the Annual Audubon Winter Bird Count.
There were also 17 feeder watchers Among the more numerous species sighted were Canada geese (1354), American crows (1243), mourning doves (571)and wild turkeys (54). The two species sighted that are not often thought to remain in the North Country as winter approaches were loons (3)and robins (29).
Also counted, according to count coordinator Judy Heintz, were pine grosbeaks (41), white-winged crossbills (5)and northern cardinals (53).
The Winter Bird Count began at the old Air Base with volunteers fanning out in a 7 ½-mile radius from the hub This was the 33rd Plattsburgh Winter Bird Count and 102nd National Count, one of the longest running natural history databases in the world.