They really are going to the birds.
The Maryland Ornithological Society is a nonprofit organization made up of people interested in all aspects of birds and nature. The society, which was founded in 1945, promotes the study and enjoyment of birds, as well as conservation of natural resources and habitats. The society helps record and publish observations of bird life. There are 15 chapters across the state that generally run along county lines.
“We have between maybe 1,600 and 1,700 members,” said society President Marcia Balestri. “Our purpose is to protect habitats and enjoy birds.”
Balestri has been birding for the past 14 years after a move to Frederick sparked an interest in the birds she saw in her backyard.
“I bought a field guide to figure out what the birds were, and then I heard there was a Frederick bird club,” she said. “So I joined, and it sort of took off from there.”
The MOS has been busy trying to get more youth involved with bird-watching.
“Each chapter is trying to adopt a local youth group that?s interested in doing nature type stuff,” Balestri said. “We?re really trying to involve youth, not just in birding, but in wildlife and being outdoors in general.”
The society also is getting ready for the annual Christmas Bird Count, in which organization chapters gather to count the number of birds in a certain area.
“The Baltimore Harbor Christmas Bird Count is held annually, generally a Saturday several days before Christmas,” said Pete Webb, president of the local ornithological society chapter, the Baltimore Bird Club. “Bird-watchers spend part or all of the day outside, counting birds of each species encountered and report back to the count coordinator so the results can be tallied and reported for national compilation by the National Audubon Society.”
The census data adds to a national database that dates back to the 1900s. The data tracks population trends of birds that winter here and birds that are migrating through the area.
“I feel like we?re doing some good in conserving bird habitat and preserving birds themselves, but it?s also about the people, the interaction with people who are of like mind,” Balestri said. “You can go out and have a good time while doing something for nature, too.”
