- Trails are open 24/7 at no charge. Enjoy a Winnie-the-Pooh themed TRAIL TALES Storybook Walk.
What’s Happening: Christmas Bird Count
Depending how one counts, at least 11 world religions celebrate holidays in December, and although the 12 days of Christmas and the 8-day celebration of Hanukkah begin on December 25, we at Crossroads are sharing an amalgam of holiday traditions all month.
The Biblical Christmas story mentions a “census” and “a star in the East.” This Saturday, Crossroads will take part in a bird census, an activity dating back to a truly non-religious holiday tradition.
That “star in the east” about which people have been asking? It truly is bright, but it is not a star, but rather a planet—Jupiter.
So, Saturday, December 14, the Science Saturday Family Program at 2:00 pm will feature Jupiter with a program co-sponsored by the Door Peninsula Astronomical Society. And all that day plus the three days before and after, we will be conducting a census of birds as a part of a citizen science effort called the Christmas Bird Count.
But why do we participate? After all, we count birds at Crossroads almost every day, and so do other eBird participants. And we sponsor breeding bird surveys and have acoustic recorders through the preserves and now are part of theMotus WildlifeTracking System (Motus) which is an international collaborative research network that used coordinated automated radio telemetry to census birds.
We do this because a bird census is one important metric for evaluating our restoration efforts. Birds are excellent indicators of ecosystem conditions. Unlike less mobile species, birds can fly. If their needs are not met, they fly somewhere else. Consequently, by keeping records of the birds in our preserves, we can evaluate whether our restoration efforts are improving our various wildlife habitats.
But the Crossroads bird counts document the fluctuations in bird populations for about 200 acres over a relatively short period of time.
In contrast, during Christmas Bird Count, 70,000-80,000 volunteers count throughout the the United States and Canada, as well as Central and South America, the Pacific Islands, West Indies, and Bermuda.
Obviously, a data base that large including more than a century of records is of enormous value to biological and climate scientists.
According to the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) website, “Prior to the turn of the 20th century, hunters engaged in a holiday tradition known as the Christmas “Side Hunt.” They would choose sides and go afield with their guns—whoever brought in the biggest pile of feathered (and furred) quarry won.
“Conservation was in its beginning stages in that era, and many observers and scientists were becoming concerned about declining bird populations. Beginning on Christmas Day 1900, ornithologist Frank M. Chapman, an early officer in the then-nascent Audubon Society, proposed a new holiday tradition—a “Christmas Bird Census” that would count birds during the holidays rather than hunt them.”
Charlotte Lukes, who organizes the Door County CBC, selected December 14, the very first allowable date, for the Sturgeon Bay Count in hopes that the water on the bays would not be frozen. Most areas in the Sturgeon Bay area have been assigned to teams of hard-core birders who will spend the whole day in their assigned count areas.
We at Crossroads cover our area with experienced and novice volunteers—some who will be out all day and some who want to bird for a couple hours. If you are interested in participating, email info@crossroadsatbigcreek.org to be assigned to times and your count area.
As soon as temperatures and snow depth are adequate, Crossroads will groom designated trails and offer Ski for Free, our recreational equipment lending program. Watch the Crossroads website www.crossroadsatbigcreek.org for current conditions.
– by Coggin Heeringa, Interpretive Naturalist
For more information, please check out our Crossroads calendar or stop by the Collins Learning Center and pick up a printed calendar. Our trails are open all day every day, free of charge, thanks to donors like you!
Crossroads at Big Creek Learning Center and Nature Preserve is located at 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay. Crossroads is a 501(c)3 organization committed to offering education, conducting research and land restoration, and providing outdoor experiences to inspire environmental stewardship in learners of all ages and from all backgrounds. We welcome your support.
Upcoming Activities
Wednesday, December 11
1:30 – 2:30 pm Wandering Wednesdays – Naturalist Led Hike
Join a naturalist a gentle, but fragrant hike through the late autumn forest. Easy walking. Meet at the Collins Learning Center. Registration not required. Open to the public and free thanks to our donors.
3:30 – 4:30 pm Environmental Exploration – Cones
Join us for this indoor / outdoor program and learn about cones from pine, spruce, fir, and cedar trees. (Dress for the weather.) This program is intended for elementary school students but is open to all ages.
Meet at the Collins Learning Center. Registration not required. Open to the public and free thanks to the generosity of donors like you.
Friday, December 13
7:00 – 9:00 pm DPAS Astronomical Viewing Night
Starting at 7:00, planetarium shows are offered every half hour. Because seating is limited. Those waiting can tour the astronomy campus and observatory. At dark, around 9:00, DPAS members offer outdoor viewing and open the dome on the Leif Everson Observatory.
Free and open to the public. 2200 Utah Street, Sturgeon Bay.
Visit facebook.com/DoorPeninsulaAstronomicalSociety for updates and more details.
Saturday, December 14
8:00 am – 8:00 pm Christmas Bird Count
Help us find and identify local bird species while adding to over a century of community science data!
Want to participate? Email info@crossroadsatbigcreek.org for more details. Take as much or as little time as you’d like. Crossroads has loaner binoculars available.
2:00 – 4:00 pm Science Saturday – Hexagons
Join this indoor program as we explore hexagons, in particular “hexagons in winter.” This weekly family program is intended for elementary students, but learners of all ages are welcome.
Meet at the Collins Learning Center. Registration not required. Open to the public and free thanks to the generosity of donors like you!
Monday, December 16
1:30 – 3:00 p.m. Wild Ones: Watch Party – “Wasps”
Enjoy this pre-recorded webinar about Heather Holm’s new book, “WASPS,” featuring 150 species of wasps that occur in eastern North America.
Open to the public. Sponsored by Wild Ones – Door Peninsula Chapter
Tuesday, December 17
7:00 – 9:00 p.m. DPAS Monthly Meeting: “Goldilocks and the Three Planets”
Visitors are always welcome at the meeting of the Door Peninsula Astronomical Society (DPAS. This month, Board member Steve-Ransom Jones will present the lecture “Goldilocks and the Three Planets.” Once Upon a Time (about four and a half billion) years ago there were three planets, all neighbors, with almost identical atmospheres. One became too hot and toxic, another too thin and dry, while the third became ‘just right’ to support life. What drives climate and how did we end up with atmospheres that were so different? Meet at the Stonecipher Astronomy Center, 2200 Utah, Sturgeon Bay.
