Christmas Bird Counts: 2024
The year 2024-2025 marks the 125th year of this annual community science event.
Contact Francis Moore if you wish to participate in the Bremer or Waterloo-Cedar Falls counts. If you live within a count circle (see links to the PDFs for the count circle maps below) you can do a feeder watch, but otherwise you need to consult with Francis so he can ensure that all areas of the count circle are accounted for.
Download the species list to use for your count.
Saturday, December 21 – Cedar Falls-Waterloo CBC – Center of the 15 mile diameter circle is at intersection of 1st Street and Main Street in Cedar Falls, Black Hawk County, Iowa to include Beaver Valley Wetland, Washington Union Access, Rotary Reserve, Cedar Hills Sand Prairie, Falls Access, Black Hawk County Park, Big Woods Lake, George Wyth State Park, East Lake, Hartman Reserve Nature Center, Prairie Lakes Park, Black Hawk Creek Greenbelt and the cities of Cedar Falls, Waterloo, Finchford and the southern half of Janesville. Get a copy of the count circle map.
We will meet at 7:00 am at the Hy-Vee Food Store on University Avenue in Cedar Falls and receive assignments and carpool and drive into the Count Circle from there. We usually meet back at the Hy-Vee Food Store in Cedar Falls at 12:00 pm (Noon) for lunch and to see what bird species have been seen and which ones have been missed during the morning so we can put extra effort to find them in the afternoon. Please plan on counting until it gets dark to count or count during the day as long as you can before having to leave your assigned area. Please count when you can and for as long as you can during the day (even if is for only a few hours.)
Saturday, December 28th - Bremer County CBC
Center of the 15 mile diameter CBC circle is at the center of Section 2, Maxfield Township, one mile north of Readlyn, Iowa, Bremer County, Iowa to include Seven Bridges Wildlife Area, Aldo Leopold Wetland Complex, Wapsi River Greenbelt, Sweet Marsh Wildlife Area and the cities of Denver, Readlyn, and Tripoli. Get a copy of the Bremer County circle map.
We will meet at 7:00 am at the old Hy-Vee Food Store on Logan Avenue on U.S.
Highway 63 in Waterloo and receive assignments and carpool and drive into the Count Circle from there. Some of us will meet at the Quick Star in Denver at about 7:15-7:30 am for those that do not want to drive into Waterloo to meet. We usually meet at the Panther Bowling Alley in Tripoli at 12:00 pm (Noon) for lunch and to see what bird species have been seen and which ones have been missed during the morning so we can put extra effort to find them in the afternoon. Please plan on counting until it gets dark to count or count during the day as long as you can before having to leave your assigned area. Please count when you can and for as long as you can during the day (even if it is for only a few hours).
Photo by Tom Moon
Click the link above to see what will be happening in the sky during December.
Enjoy, and Merry Christmas.
David
"O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth."
- Philip Brooks, "O Little Town of Bethlehem
David
"O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth."
- Philip Brooks, "O Little Town of Bethlehem
Volunteer to Help Fill Bird Feeders @ George Wyth State Park - Canfield
- To see the weeks that we need assistance, click this link to our spreadsheet.
- Email PRAS at praudubon@gmail.com to let us know you want to help. We will contact you and share pertinent details.
Earth's Future
By David Voigts
We are on the brink of an irreversible global disaster that will imperil the very fabric of life on Earth according to “The 2024 State of the Climate Report” that was published recently in the peer-reviewed journal BioScience. This stark conclusion was the result of a study that tracked 35 planetary vital signs, of which 25 were at record extremes. Included in the record setters were surface air temperature, global tree cover loss due to fires, jurisdictions that declared a climate emergency, and U.S. heat-related deaths.
The authors also found a surge in yearly climate disasters that show we are in a major crisis with worse to come if we continue with business as usual. Climate change has the potential to displace hundreds of millions or even billions of people. Furthermore, by the end of the century, one-third of the world’s people could be outside the human climate niche resulting in increased famine, illness, and early death. This could lead to greater geopolitical instability and even international conflict.
The authors believe that this dire future can be avoided by political leadership that includes keeping fossil fuels in the ground, reducing overconsumption and waste, and protecting and restoring ecosystems. Vote wisely.
Your Help Is Needed!
Did you know that PRAS keeps bird feeders filled at George Wyth State Park, Cedar Valley Hospice, and other locations so that the public can enjoy bird watching? Cash donations that pay for bird seed is needed for this annual endeavor and our bird seed fund is very low - can you help? Any cash donation helps! Please issue and mail a check to Prairie Rapids Audubon Society, P.O. Box 682, Waterloo, IA 50704, or click here to make a donation with PayPal. Thank you!!
Did you know that PRAS keeps bird feeders filled at George Wyth State Park, Cedar Valley Hospice, and other locations so that the public can enjoy bird watching? Cash donations that pay for bird seed is needed for this annual endeavor and our bird seed fund is very low - can you help? Any cash donation helps! Please issue and mail a check to Prairie Rapids Audubon Society, P.O. Box 682, Waterloo, IA 50704, or click here to make a donation with PayPal. Thank you!!
Find an injured bird or animal? Call Black Hawk Wildlife Rehabilitation Project 319-277-6511
New to Birding?
Check out this great new brochure from Iowa Audubon that gives you all the information about enjoying the activity of watching birds!
Subscribe to our Online RedTail Newsletter
Bird Flight Patterns and Music Concert Program
You are now able to access the online concert video and curriculum (see link and password below-posted with permission by the copyright holder).
The link provides the full concert video and online curriculum with activities, lessons, extra musical performances, composer interviews and educational games. This resource will remain active through June 2022 (for one year), so utilize it for your programs, personal edification working with your children or grandchildren to teach them about music and birds!
You are now able to access the online concert video and curriculum (see link and password below-posted with permission by the copyright holder).
The link provides the full concert video and online curriculum with activities, lessons, extra musical performances, composer interviews and educational games. This resource will remain active through June 2022 (for one year), so utilize it for your programs, personal edification working with your children or grandchildren to teach them about music and birds!
Bird Flight Patterns and Music Link: https://nbsymphony.org/bird-
Password: BFPMC (case sensitive)
Subscribe to the PRAS YouTube Channel if you are interested in watching recordings of our past Zoom meetings for which we have permission to post for viewing.
Contribute to our Flickr Photo Stream
Go to this URL: https://www.flickr.com/
Click "Login"
Click "Login"
The email address associated with PRAS's account is: praudubon@gmail.com
Email praudubon@gmail.com to request password for email; we won't post it here online.
Save the UN and PWD so it is quick and easy the next time you upload photos.
Click the Upload icon (looks like cloud with an arrow) and follow prompts.
Here is Flick's help page for uploads.
Click the Photos link on the above navigation bar to see photos.
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We share information about field trips, local sightings, fun and interesting photos and stories about birds, nature, the environment, etc. on our Facebook page. Check it out and like us and "share" our posts.