BIRDWATCHING
CONTESTS:
WINTER BIRD COUNT AND PONCA CITY LIBRARY BIRD PHOTO CONTEST February 16-19, 2007 The Ponca City Library has information and lectures about participating Rules are as follows:
1. SAFETY: Don't walk with the binoculars covering your eyes. Don't harvest birds for identification. Don't stop on the road, highway, or in front of a driveway. Use a sign in your back widow that says "Birdwatcher on Board".
2. PREPARING FOR THE COUNT: Attract song birds with food and fresh water. Practice how to use your binoculars. Learn when birds come out ahd were they are. Learn some of their songs. Learn to recognize how many is ten, twenty, etc. by scattering beans. Look at the online web site: http://www.birdsource.org
3. COUNTING WAYS AND MEANS: Pick only 2 of the 4 days to count. Count for at lest l5 minutes...as many times as you like during the day. Use only the highest number found within a mile radius for final online report. Count undercover when possible (from inside a house or car). Binoculars are best when moveing about. Telescopes need to be mounted on something. Identification problems? Consult guide books or look on line: http://www.birdsource.org or http://www.okwinterbirds.com. the winter birds site can also be accessed through the Wildlife Department's web site: http://wildlifedepartment.com under "2007 Bird Survey" and then under "Winter Birds". E-Bay ---click on "pictures" and write in the name of the bird to see several photographs of that bird.
4. TURNING IN THE RESULTS: List largest number of each type online at the end of the day. PRINT OFF an online copy BEFORE hitting the sumbit button. Bring the printed copy of your submitted list to the Library by 5PM on February l9th. There will be a $25 cash prize for the best bird list in a children's and teen's group. There will be a $25 prize for the best picture taken during these Bird Count days. .
5. PHOTOGRAPH CONTEST RULES: Digital Camera photographs or Film Camera photographs are okay. Winning photograph will be digitalized and become the property of the Ponca City Library. Pictures must be current photos taken between Feb. l4th and l9th, 2007. Written contact information and details when- where-and how must be submitted with picture. Photograph is due by 5:00pm on Friday February l9, 2007. You can e-mail digital pictures to: huthcjl@poncacityok.com.
INFORMATION ABOUT BIRDWATCHING:
BIRD IDENTIFICATION: Birds are identified by several aspects: Size of bird, Size-shape-color of beak, coloring of head-breast-wings-etc., sex, age, songs, manerisms, location-habitat, migration.
PONCA CITY LIBRARY: Has books, recordings, lectures etc on identifying birds
KAW CITY OKLAHOMA EAGLE WATCH: 7:30AM ON SATURDAY FEBRUARY 10 7:30AM-2PM 3 OPPORTUNITIES TO EAGLE WATCH at the Kaw City Community Center, Kaw Nation Museum and Kaw Dam. This is a State Centennial Recognized Event at three locations. For More Information Call: (580) 762-9494 (1)KAW CITY COMMUNITY CENTER ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF HIGHWAY 11 IN KAW CITY: 7:30am Doors open and refreshments, 8AM First Guided tour; 9AM Kathy and Gary Siftar, Raptor Rehabilitators talk; 10AM: Second Guided Tour; 10AM Mark Howery, Ok Dept of Wildlife history of Eagles and their habitat; 11AM Jennifer Lance="Critter Tales"; Noon=Lunch at Kaw Nation Tribal Headquarters or area restaurants, 1PM Third Guided Tour; 1PM Kathy and Gary Siftar "Praptor Rehabilitators", 2PM Fourth Guided Tour. 2PM Jennifer Lance "Critter Tales"(2)KAW NATION TRIBAL HEADQUARTERS IN KAW CITY, NORTH SIDE OF STATE HIGHWAY 11 7:30AM Door open with refreshments and Exhibit "The Red Tail Hawk". 8AM First Guided Tour, 9:45AM=Luther Pepper "Significance of Eagles to Native Americans" 10AM Second Guided Tour. 10AM Victor Roubidous, Iowa Tribal Aviary. 11AM Oklahoma Falconers Association. Noon=Native American Lunch in the W.A. Mehojah Sr. Resource Center. 1PM Victor Roubidoux-Iowa Tribal Aviary. 2PM=4th guided Tour. 2PM=Oklahoma Falconers Association. 3PM Luther Pepper-'Significance of Eagles to Native Americans. (3))KAW DAM-HYDROELECTRIC PLANT ON SOUTH SIDE OF LAKE ROAD 8 MILES WEST OF PONCA CITY. 9am Elecgtrical Safety Demonstration, overview of the plant operations, displays, video of Eagles around the Kaw Dam. 10AM Terry Whittaker-US Fish and Wildlife Service "Endangered species in Oklahoma-Bald Eagle"; 11AM Ryan VanZant-Suttton Avian Research Center-featuring "Fiona' an American Bald Eagle, Noon=view eagles around Kaw Dam. Info 877-671-6985, 580-762-9494, or http://www.poncacity.com/eaglewatch.
ONLINE SOURCES: Cornell University= http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/ http://birdsource.org, www.okwinterbirds.com , Oklahoma Wildlife Dept.= www.wildlifedepartment.com Audubon Society= http://www/birding.com
PONCA CITY LIBRARY: Has many books, videos and recordings about bird watching which are free to check out. They also participate in the Annual Winter Bird Count of Cornell University and have their only Photo Contest. They have free lectures, presentations and field trips on birdwatching. 515 East Grand.
