OWATONNA — Weather was a major factor in the results of the 43rd annual Christmas Bird Count in Owatonna on Saturday.
In fact, Gary Johnson, Ken Vail and Darryl Hill didn’t see any birds on Lake Kohlmier, which hasn’t happened for a few years.
“We’re not doing too good,” said Hill, who started the bird count 43 years ago and has coordinated it since. “Lake Kohlmier was open last year so we saw a couple thousand birds. Today we didn’t see one.”
However, the three men spotted about 475 mallard ducks and 50 geese at Morehouse Park.
“Most will migrate, but like these ones here, if they get food they’ll probably stay all year,” Hill said.
The count area covers a 15-mile diameter with Havana Township at the center and that includes Owatonna and Claremont as well as Clinton Falls and Steele Center townships.
Johnson, Vail and Hill counted in the southwest portion of the area that includes Owatonna, and about seven others counted in the remaining ones.
But they reported similar results.
Jeanine Vorland, who has been participating in the bird count for the last six years, said it was “very quiet” in the southeast portion of the area, which includes Claremont and Bixby.
“We’re seeing less birds,” Vorland said.
Terry Dorsey, Austin’s bird count coordinator, and Nels Thompson, who has participated in the local bird count all years counted birds in the northeast portion of the area.
“Our numbers are low and the varieties are pretty average,” Thompson said. “The unusual thing is our numbers are so low.”
Thompson said he and Dorsey hadn’t spotted any turkeys and only one pheasant by noon on Saturday.
“If it was sunny out, I think we would’ve done better,” he said.
Hill said last year, 60 feeder counters and 15 field counters counted 7,983 individual birds, which is the group’s third highest count.
The counters identified 47 different bird species last year, including two new ones. Cackling geese were spotted on Lake Kohlmier and a fox sparrow was seen on a feeder in Owatonna.
Although Hill didn’t have a final tally of the number of birds or participants in this year’s bird count, he said, “Everyone still had fun, and we’re doing it for nature.”
The National Audubon Society uses the Christmas Bird Count, which is in its 115th year, to determine the movements of birds, the extensions of wintering ranges, and the expansion of newly introduced species. These counts also document overall population increases and decreases of the various species.
People in North, Central and South America conduct bird counts only one day between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5, and Hill tries to hold Owatonna’s the last Saturday before Christmas.
According to data from last year’s bird counts, the Owatonna area count was one of 68 in Minnesota and among 2,230 in the world.
The Owatonna area bird counters have identified 104 species found within the last 42 years in Owatonna.
The list includes such birds as the wild turkey, blue jay, snowy owl, house finch, wood duck, Canadian goose and many more.
Reach reporter Ashley Stewart at 444-2378 or follow her on Twitter.com @OPPashley
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