30th Annual Christmas Bird Count

Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge will host its 30th consecutive Christmas Bird Count on Sunday Dec. 14. The National Audubon Society has been conducting this survey for 109 years. The refuge joined the count in 1979 to help provide a more accurate census of the numbers and species of birds present on the Refuge during the winter.

Beginning before dawn and finishing at dusk, participants will identify and tally birds seen and/or heard within a 15 mile circle. The area will be covered by vehicle and on foot with special emphasis on the refuge’s many ponds and lakes, longleaf pine areas, hardwood stands, and open fields. Portions of Lake Robinson are also included in the count area and add to the diversity of habitat types covered on this count. Participants should look forward to a very enjoyable day in the field and expect to see and hear a variety of birds.

Since 1979, a total of 103 species have been recorded. Previous counts have included 15 species of waterfowl, 11 birds of prey, horned larks, Lincoln’s sparrows, and the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker.

The count will begin at 6:15 a.m. from the Refuge Headquarters, located 4 miles East of McBee on U.S. Hwy. 1. Persons interested in joining this year’s count should contact the compiler, Nancy Jordan, by noon on Dec. 10 at (843) 335-6026 or email nancy_jordan@fws.gov. A $5 fee helps defer the costs of generating materials for compilers, producing the annual CBC summary issue, and maintaining the CBC website and database.

Grab your binoculars and your field guide, pack a lunch, and plan to spend an enjoyable day in the fresh air of the sandhills.

Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge is a 46,000-acre longleaf pine forest managed primarily for the red-cockaded woodpecker, a federally endangered species. Along with rolling sand hills dominated by the longleaf pine-wiregrass ecosystem, the refuge is home to streamside pocosins, open fields, hardwood ridges, wetlands and open water ponds. This mosaic of habitats provides for the needs of more than 190 species of birds, 42 species of mammals, 41 species of reptiles, and 25 species of amphibians. More than 800 species of plants have been identified on the refuge, including rare species of pitcher plants, Well’s pixie-moss, and the white-wicky. The refuge is located in Chesterfield County.