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Three this year! Feel free to join any or all of them. Florence, Oakridge, Cottage Grove

 

Florence CBC

Saturday, December 16

The Florence Christmas Bird Count has had a long history as a significant count area. The count circle includes both inland and coastal areas, covering very diverse habitats which attract and support a correspondingly wide-ranging species of birds. Since each area is covered by teams, participants at every level of birding experience can all be valuable contributors. Many eyes see more birds!

Morning Meeting: None. Packets will be sent out a couple weeks before the count, so people can head straight to their areas on count day.

Countdown: Abby’s Pizza, 1374 US-101, Florence, for countdown, food, and fellowship.

If you are interested (a firm commitment at this point is not necessary), or for more information, please contact Ellen Cantor at ellencantor@gmail.com and Vjera Thompson at nemesisquail@gmail.com. Please address your emails to both, in case one of them is unavailable. Or call Vjera, 541.953.8019.

Oakridge CBC

Thursday, December 28

This count is your chance to experience winter birding in the western Cascades, while starting and ending in civilized conditions. The morning meeting place, Lion Mountain Bakery, will offer both breakfast and box lunches, available for purchase. The end of day countdown is in a warm and cozy English-style town pub, where locals often drop in to share their own bird stories. In between, you’ll be exploring habitats at the easternmost fringe of the Willamette Valley ecosystem that range from montane conifer forests and meadows, to oak woodlands and high prairie. The species number may not be high, but where else do you have the chance to see California Scrub-Jays, Mountain Quail, and Great Gray Owls all on the same route?
Morning meeting: Lion Mountain Bakery, 48273 E 1st St., Oakridge, now back in business after a fire. Please contact the Compiler for start time and other details.
Countdown: Brewers’ Union Local 180, 48329 E 1st St, Oakridge, a family-friendly pub, around 4:30 p.m.

If you’d like to make this an overnight trip, for welcoming and comfortable lodging we suggest the Oakridge Lodge & Guest House, oakridge-lodge.com. Its owners have supported this traditional count ever since it re-started in December of 2009.

FMI or to get involved, please contact the Compiler, Joel Geier, joel.geier@peak.org, or 541.745.5821.

Cottage Grove CBC

Saturday, December 30, 7 a.m.-4 p.m. or later

Take part in something great: citizen science in Cottage Grove! The Cottage Grove (Oregon) Christmas Bird Count has returned. Thanks to Grace Fowler-Gore and the Coast Fork Birders, with help from area birders Alan Contreras, Mike Patterson and Dick Lamster, Joel Geier and others, we discovered that a Cottage Grove Christmas Bird Count ran from 1971-1984! We hope to reactivate the same count circle, centered on Taylor Butte, so as to enable comparisons of data. All levels of birders are encouraged to take part. We are seeking both Field Counters, who travel out and about in groups, and Feeder Counters, who can stay warm and off your feet. The more eyes the better. For those who team up with other Field Counters, this is an awesome opportunity to learn the names of more local birds from experienced birders.

Morning meeting: Koffee Kup, 
1241 N Pacific Hwy (Hwy 99), Cottage Grove. Phone 541.942.7710. If you’re coming into town off I-5, take exit #174 and head west. The restaurant is on your right as you come down the train track overpass. It opens at 6 a.m. Be there at 7 a.m., or earlier if you want to order breakfast. We intend to get most teams assembled and ready to head out by 7:30 a.m..

Countdown: El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant & Cantina, 725 E Gibbs Ave, Cottage Grove, begins at 4 p.m. Grace will have directions for you at the breakfast meeting.

Count Circle zones/locations are still under development, as the number of people who sign up to participate will dictate the number of zones.

FMI, or to express interest in participating, contact Grace Fowler-Gore as soon as possible, so she can
include you in her plans. Phone 817.975.4936, email GraceLovesBirds1@gmail.com, or check out the Cottage Grove Christmas Bird Count on Facebook.