“Thirty-three people in 15 groups have signed up to participate in the Wellsboro/Mansfield Circle bird count this coming Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, and are assigned to specific areas in that circle,” said Sean Minnick. He and his wife Robin are members of the Tiadaghton Audubon Society based in Wellsboro. 

The Wellsboro-Mansfield Circle is centered on the intersection of Whitneyville and Charleston roads with a radius of 7.5 miles, covering the following area: North – Ives Run Campground; South – Arnot and South Elk Road; West – Route 6 and Heise Run Road; and East – Mansfield University and everything in between. Each participant is expected to count every bird they see as he/she/they follow their assigned route.

“Ten people living in the Wellsboro-Mansfield Circle bird count area who wanted to participate without leaving their homes signed up to count the birds at the feeders in their own backyards,” said Minnick. 

Results of the 124th Cowanesque Circle bird count on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023 were announced on Christmas Eve. “It was warm and sunny in comparison to other years with the temperature at 30 degrees and mostly open water on Cowanesque Lake,” according to Minnick.

“It is an interesting report,” Minnick said. “A total of 57 bird species were counted on Dec. 16, including 16 new species not seen during last year’s count. Four species sighted during last year’s count were not seen this year. Eastern bluebird numbers have really exploded with 94 counted this year; 47 in 2023; 10 in 2021; 6 in 2020; and 18 in 2019. Waterfowl species included a common goldeneye, a couple of redheads, numerous hooded mergansers, a couple of wood ducks, unusual for this time of year, and, of course, the usual mallards and Canada geese.”

The Cowanesque Circle is centered on Cowanesque Lake and has a radius of 7.5 miles, which covers the following area: North – Pinnacle State Park in N.Y.; South – Ives Run Campground; West – Osceola; and East – East Lawrence Road and Woodford Road and everything in between.

It is not necessary to be a member of either the Tiadaghton or the National Audubon Society to participate in the Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count, which occurs across America between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5 every year. Tioga County, through the Tiadaghton Audubon Society, has been represented in the count for 55 years, every year since 1968.