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Surveying the turf, bird by bird
By JORGE SANCHEZ, Times Staff Writer
Binoculars and field guides in hands, groups of birdwatchers scoured the west side of the county Saturday during the annual Christmas Bird Count sponsored by the Audubon Society. The birders found a winged winter wonderland of lesser scaups, kestrels, loons and even a bufflehead, along with the better-known species such as robins. Overall, this year's bird count was down from last year's, but organizers say it probably had more to do with the wind and water than anything else. Seven groups conducted the count, fanning out in a 7.5-mile radius from the Crystal River Airport. "Generally, our count was unusually low for shore birds, due to a fairly low incoming tide," said Betty Smyth, who was part of a team of birders that counted along Fort Island Trail. "The best conditions are a high or falling tide," she said. Smyth's group did see a white wing dove, a species she said usually does not venture this far north. They also spotted a peregrine falcon. "He hangs out on a dead tree on an island just off Fort Island Beach," she said. The group also spotted a bufflehead duck, which Smyth described as a "tiny little duck," that they hadn't seen before. The annual bird count is conducted in the winter, when the birds have finished their migration, Smyth said. She has helped organize the bird count since its inception. Another group that worked the Fort Island Trail saw some new birds, said Jack Casselberry, Audubon president and member of the Fort Island group. "We saw a lesser scaup, which is a duck, and a kestrel, but we didn't see near as many robins this year as we did last year," he said. "That could just mean the flocks we saw last year came by the day before or flew somewhere else. It's not a cause for concern." Casselberry said the weather was great for birdwatchers. "It was a great day to be out in nature," he said. "It was a great way to help fulfill Audubon's mission and a great way to solidify friendships with birders. They're just great people."
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