Christmas Bird Count Updates

Christmas Bird Count Updates

Space Coast Audubon participates in three National Audubon
Christmas Bird Counts locally, (one since the 1950s). The Cocoa Christmas Bird Count (Cocoa CBC) circle is centered at Mila Elementary School on Merritt Island with the diameter of the circle reaching from the Atlantic Ocean near Port Canaveral over the eastern quarter of lake Poinsett. It includes the area from Sharpes down to Duda Ranch in Rockledge. Members of the Space Coast Audubon Society participate in this count. The results of this year’s count were 158 species, up from last year’s 146.

The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Christmas Bird Count (MINWR CBC) circle center is near the intersection of Palmer Creek Road and Sharkey Road and includes the area from the southern part of the Mosquito Lagoon just south of NASA Causeway (S.R. 405) and west to the railroad tracks beyond U.S. 1. This encompasses Titusville and Atlantic Ocean shorelines in addition to the Indian River Lagoon itself. Volunteers assigned to areas within the Kennedy Space Center are issued temporary badges and are accompanied by Refuge Rangers. The participation fee is paid by the Merritt Island Wildlife Association (MIWA). The results of this year’s count were 168 species, up from last year’s 145.

Although the South Brevard Christmas Bird Count (SB CBC) is sponsored by the Pelican Island Audubon Society, many Space Coast Audubon Society members also participate is this count. The count circle includes the area just north of Grant down to Wabasso and from Sebastian Inlet west to Fellsmere. The results of this count were not in at the time of this printing.