2009 Bird Count Results
KVLT Bird Count Yields Impressive Numbers
The land trust held its annual bird count last Saturday, April 18. Nearly 20 birdwatchers participated in the event, which worked to catalogue the species that use our neighboring protected properties as migration corridors during the spring. Bird species rely on these corridors in order to travel north and south, just as we humans rely on our interstates for the same reason. Focal areas included the KVLT Rocky Creek Tract in Great Falls, the Landsford Canal State Park, the Forty Acre Rock area, and the KVLT Greenway Preserve in the city of Lancaster.
Significant sightings included a Swainson’s Warbler, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and a Northern Waterthrush, none of which actually live here in summer or winter, but instead are simply passing through. Other beautiful warblers were on display, such as the Hooded Warbler, the Common Yellowthroat, and the Prothonotary Warbler. The most numerous birds were Double-crested Cormorants, Cliff Swallows, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Canada Geese, Northern Parula Warblers, Pine Warblers, and Northern Cardinals.
The average species richness found across the four areas was 62, but the total species richness for all locations combined was an incredible 113. This speaks to the importance of protecting multiple tracts of land in the same geographical area, so as to incorporate the incredible diversity of habitats we are so privileged to find within our state. Land protection is a challenging endeavor, and it’s nice to have events like the bird count to show us the successful results of the work already done my numerous entities. Conservation is working in our area; a little bird has told us so.
For detailed data from the bird count, click here.
