birders

I got a bit lost in the woods last month trying to find these kind bird watchers. Once I did find them we spotted some blue jays, an oriole, lots of red-winged blackbirds and a wood duck.
 
"The point is to provide a snapshot of bird life in this area that will enable people who study this to know the distribution of birds and see changes as the climate changes," Gough said. "It also allows everyone to understand the population density, and what birds are increasing in population." The information they collect is eventually funneled in to the national census.

From left to right, Rob Gough, Bill Hauck, Jim Strzelinski, and Hank Schmitt watch for birds at the McHenry Dam on Saturday morning. The birders were taking part in the annual spring bird count going on around the county.