The National Audubon Society’s 105^th Annual Christmas Bird Count will be conducted at Walker Lake this year on Friday, December 23, 2005.  The Walker Lake Interpretive Association will host the event that will begin with an early briefing conducted by Dennis Serdehely, representative from the National Audubon Society.  Following the briefing, the bird count volunteers will form groups to go out and count birds in areas around Walker Lake.  After the bird count is finished, the participants will meet around 5:00pm to report their findings.

The Walker Lake Interpretive Association is requesting volunteers to assist with vital fact gathering that will help to estimate the distribution and abundance of wintering birds around Walker Lake.  The results from the Walker Lake Christmas Bird Count will be compiled with the nation-wide census and listed in the journal North American Birds.  In the previous year’s 2004-2005 Journal of American Birds, “Walker Lake was reported as being so low that a boat could not be launched for the count.”  It was also reported that, “although the waterfowl numbers were down, there was a vast amount of shorebird habitat, and two count-first shorebird species--five Snowy Plovers and a Spotted Sandpiper--were recorded.  Further stated, “there was enough water for a single American White Pelican, the only one found on a Nevada Christmas Bird Count for the year.”

The Annual Christmas Bird Count originated in the early 1900’s by Frank Chapman of the American Museum of Natural History in New York when he proposed a Christmas Bird Count instead of a Christmas bird hunt.  This effort has grown to become the largest citizen science program in ornithology and has led to the creation of a law to protect the birds.  Each year since 1900, the National Audubon Society compiles an annual census of wintering bird populations that is used as an estimate of the distribution and abundance of wintering birds in North America.  Each local count covers a fifteen-mile area in diameter.   Birders of all levels are encouraged to participate.  Since this is an all day event, volunteers are encouraged to dress appropriately and bring food and snacks, along with binoculars, scopes, cameras and field guides.    Each participant is required to donate a $5.00 fee to handle the compiling and publishing costs of the North American Birds journal where the results will be published.

For more information please contact through this website

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT
 or

Bonnie Rannald at (775) 945-9088
or
Dennis Serdehely  at (775) 575-0319

Nevada Wildlife Federation

Backyard Wildlife Habitat Certification

The Nevada Wildlife Federation (NvWF)  in conjunction with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) sponsors the Backyard Wildlife Habitat Certification program.  It doesn't matter where you live or even how much yard or garden space you have. There are no size restrictions to your wildlife habitat. If you can provide food, water, shelter and places to raise their young, your backyard can be certified.

 It's that easy!  The application fee is $15.00

You will receive the following:

• Recognition - Receive a Certification Packet and a personal Certificate of Achievement suitable for framing.
• Enjoyment - Be rewarded with a beautiful yard filled with colorful butterflies, sweet-singing songbirds and other fascinating wildlife.
• Satisfaction - Feel good about nurturing wildlife all year long by providing food, water, cover and places to raise young.
• Useful Tips - Receive a free subscription to the quarterly email newsletter, Habitats, with tips on improving your yard and attracting wildlife year after year.
• Unique Sign - Be eligible to purchase a special yard sign to show your commitment to nature and wildlife.
• Free Membership - Get a complimentary membership to NWF including a full-year of the award-winning National Wildlife magazine, a $15 value in itself!

Online Application
Create a wildlife-friendly yard officially certified through NWF's Backyard Wildlife Habitat^TM program and help us reach our goal of 70,000 certified backyards as we celebrate NWF's 70th anniversary.

Nevada Wildlife Federation

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