The Calgary May Species Count will be taking place on May 26 and 27 this year.  If you are a Calgary-area birder and are free for one or both of these days, or even a half-day, you are invited to contact Terry Poulton to sign up.  It’s very important that we get more people out for this event.  It’s a huge area, and we had 72 people take part last year.  It would be nice to get 100 or more birders out.  Please contact Terry if you can take part.

Terry says:

The annual Calgary area May bird species count (MSC) will be held the weekend of May 26-27 this year. Calgary birders are out in force the last weekend of May every year since 1976, when our count began. This is Calgary’s contribution to a broad census of the constantly changing patterns of bird distributions in North America.

It is an opportunity for birders to work together, put their skills to the test, and find out what birds we have passing through in migration and nesting locally. The count circle is a large area, 80 km across, centred on Centre Street Bridge, extending from Olds to Nanton, and from Exshaw to Standard. It includes a variety of prairie, marsh, foothills, and urban park environments. Last year we found 224 species, setting a new record.

Birders of all skill levels are needed and welcome to participate in this major “citizen science” project. Birders with experience (and vehicles) are needed more than ever this year. Beginners will be teamed with more experienced birders, as possible.

To sign up, or ask for more information, please call Terry Poulton at tpoulton@yahoo.com  or call 403 274 7393.

The Count Circle for the May Species Count.