Belvoir goes to birds for annual count

A red-bellied woodpecker, identified by its red cap and zebra like stripes on its back, rests momentarily on a fence post near the archery range.

Volunteer watchers find 79 species in avian census

Fort Belvoir went to the birds on Dec. 31, as 20 people armed with binoculars and cameras participated in the annual Christmas bird count.

“It’s one of the oldest [bird counts] in the area,” explained Greg Fleming, a wildlife biologist for SpecPro, Incorporated and contractor for the Directorate of Public Works, Environment and Natural Resources Division. “It dates back to 1911.”

As the sun rose over the Potomac River, the group gathered at the Accotink Bay Wildlife Refuge Educational Center, where Fleming briefed participants on their assignments.

“If you see any eagles, make sure you document the time you see them,” he urged.

Sponsored by the National Audubon Society, the annual bird census is performed annually throughout the Americas during the holiday season. The world’s longest-running bird survey began on Christmas Day 1900 with 28 observers. Today, tens of thousands of volunteer birders scoured their designated areas in more than 2,000 circles during the holidays.

The Belvoir count covered a 15-mile circle with the Army installation at its center. To cover the entire 15 miles, the area was broken down into 10 sectors: Fort Hunt, Mount Vernon, Huntley Meadows, Fort Belvoir, Mason Neck, Burke Lake, Occoquan, Colonial Farms, Md., and Lake Accotink. By the time the sun came up on New Year’s Eve, a group of dedicated owl counters had already logged two great horn owls, three barn owls and three woodcocks.

“The big thing is, the most common species for here, we got all three,” said Michelle Hayward, wildlife biologist for SpecPro, Incorporated and contractor for DPW’s, environment and natural resources division.

Hayward’s group also heard, but did not see, a screech owl.

The Christmas bird count helps scientists to better understand wintering bird populations in the western hemisphere, said Fleming.

“They do comparisons from year to year to determine the population changes during the winter for wintering birds,” he said. “Now we’re getting birds here we never did before.”

Fleming said the most interesting bird found on Belvoir during this year’s count was an American white pelican. It is the first time that particular species had ever been identified in the history of the Belvoir count, he added.

“They winter along the Gulf of Mexico,” Fleming explained.

During the count more than 79 different species of birds were identified and 8,176 total birds were detected, according to Fleming. The five more common birds that were counted included the dark-eyed junco, white-throated sparrow, European starling, lesser scaup, American black duck and Canada goose.

For Bob Wood, there was no better way to prepare to ring in 2007 than by participating in the count.

“I like birding in this area,” he said as he raised his binoculars to his eyes to watch and count a gaggle of Canada geese fly overhead. “There are larger bird populations here.”