Coordinator Jim Coffman invited people interested in helping count birds during this year's Christmas Bird Count to meet at 6 a.m. Dec. 19 for breakfast at Cool Creations, 706 S. Sandusky St. From there, people are to be divided into groups to cover the area.

Participants need not be expert birders. Less-experienced people can be paired with veterans.

Anyone interested in helping Jim or Tom Bartlett call owls earlier in the morning should call Jim at (419) 862-4268, (419) 448-4753 or (419) 618-1835, or Tom at (419) 447-0005 to make arrangements.

In addition, Jim said people not interested in going into the field can help count from home by watching their bird feeders.

To participate in the feeder count, Jim suggested choosing three times during the day and counting the species and the number of each species at feeders each time. Write them down.

For example, first thing in the morning you might see two bluebirds, six cardinals and 15 goldfinches.

At mid-morning, there might be five goldfinches, two cardinals and six juncos.

In the afternoon, there might be one junco, five bluebirds and three cardinals.

When you turn in the results, Jim said the highest number of each species should be reported. Not the total number of each species, he stressed.

In the example above, the reported numbers should be five bluebirds, six cardinals, six juncos and 15 goldfinches.

The report also should include the times of day the birds were counted.

Results can be e-mailed to jrusscoff@gmail.com or hthomas.bartlett@gmail.com. For more information or to report results by phone, call Jim at (419) 448-4653. Leave a message, but there's no need to leave the report on the message. He'll call you back.

At noon, the groups plan to converge at Columbian High School (Union Street doors) to tally the local numbers. People participating in the feeder count can go to the high school if they choose, but it isn't required.

Jim said the counters are looking birds in general, but he noted a few trends he plans to watch for.

"This year, we'll be kind of looking to check the number of kestrels," he said. "There's a general consensus that the ketrel population is way down."

He said there seems to be a lot of Eastern bluebirds this year - which is a good thing - and large numbers of cow birds in flocks - which is a not-so-good thing.

Cow birds lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, which then raise the foreign birds as their own. In the process, the larger, more aggressive cow bird young sometimes consume all the foods and push smaller young birds from the nest.

Jim said the 24-hour count takes place again this year during the second weekend of deer-gun season, which limits some of the places the counters go and reduces the number of young participants. Wearing hunter orange clothing is good idea.

"It cuts down on the number of kids that parents will let come along," Jim said. "If the young kids don't go with us bird watchers, the chances of their interest growing decreases. They don't get that introduction."

He said 60-70 percent of counts have traditionally taken place on the Saturday before Christmas.

Hunting season the same weekend conflicts, he said, because the bird counters don't go into the woods the way they used to.

"We have a little bit of respect for the hunters, but we have that irritation too," he said.

In addition to the Tiffin count, counts are planned Dec. 19 in Hancock County (Betty Hardesty, 419-422-4737), Dec. 20 in Fremont (John Sawvel, 419-4070), Dec. 27 at Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area (Ed Lux, 740-387-0154) and Jan. 2 in the Carey area (Rick Counts, (419-209-0145).

Youth deer hunt

Young deer hunters in Seneca County harvested 94 deer last weekend during the state's seventh annual youth deer-gun season, a decrease of three deer from 2008.

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Statewide, young hunters got 9,331 deer, compared to 9,852 from last year. In area counties, the totals were: Crawford, 89 this year (75 in 2008), Hancock, 64 (40), Huron, 105 (132), Sandusky, 18 (26), Wood, 59 (44) and Wyandot, 52 (67).

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife estimated 40,000 young hunters participated.

Counties reporting the greatest number of deer taken were: Tuscarawas, 445; Washington, 362; Harrison, 351; Holmes, 279; Guernsey, 276; Knox, 265; Licking, 240; Coshocton, 212; Athens, 209; and Ross, 206.

Deer-gun season for all hunters starts Monday and runs through Dec. 6.

Pickerel Creek youth hunt

A lottery card drawing is planned for a youth muzzleloader deer hunt during the statewide muzzleloader deer season Jan. 9-12. The hunt is to take place in portions of the state wildlife refuge on the Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area.

Youth ages 17 and younger may participate. Interested youth hunters may apply by mailing a 4 x 6-inch post card to the Division of Wildlife District Two Office, 952 Lima Ave., Findlay, OH 45840. Include name, address and phone number on the card with the words Pickerel Creek Youth Muzzleloader Deer Hunt printed at the top. Postcards must be postmarked by Dec. 4. Eight permits will be issued per day.

For further regulations or more information, call (419) 424-5000.

Big tree

In my Sunday feature last weekend about Larry Barto, I couldn't remember the circumference of the big tree he was measuring in one of the photos. Because so many people asked, I thought I would let you know the tree measures 19 feet 1 inch around.

Park programs

Santa has contacted the Tiffin Park and Recreation Department and would like to talk with children from Tiffin and surrounding areas. Santa Claus has arranged to make calls 6:30-8 p.m. Dec. 13-15. Forms may be picked up and dropped off at the park office, 621 E. Market St.; Tiffin Hardware; Tiffin-Seneca Public Library; or Tiffin Community YMCA. Forms also can be printed from www.tiffinparks.com. For more information, call (419) 448-5408 or e-mail recreation@tiffinohio.gov.

The city park board also is taking nominations for its Volunteer of the Year award. If you know a city park volunteer who deserved the honor, contact Steve Dryfuse or Matt Coleman at (419) 448-5408.

Seneca County Park District is hosting a Nature Walk Bird Talk 8 a.m. Dec. 5 at Garlo Heritage Nature Preserve on SR 19 south of Bloomville and a Luminary Walk at 6 p.m. Dec. 6 at Zimmerman Nature Preserve, SR 18 next to Autumnwood Care Center. No registration is required for either hike. Anyone who attends four hikes receives a free walking stick.

Make a Yo-Yo Snowman during a family program at 6:30 p.m. family program at Garlo preserve Dec. 8. Take along a yard of white material, thread and scissors to learn the art of yoyo quilting while creating a snowman.

Another reading from "A Sand County Almanac" is to take place 2 p.m. Dec. 9 at Garlo preserve. Read and learn from the lessons of Aldo Leopold, father of wildlife management. Co-sponsored with Seneca County Pheasants Forever.

Sandusky County Park District has awarded $30,000 in grants through its 2010 Local Park Capital Improvement Grant Program to seven village and township park improvement projects. Since the inception of the grant program in 1990, the park district has provided more than $451,000 for outdoor recreation improvements in neighborhood parks. In addition to financial assistance, park district officials provide technical assistance to communities in areas of park planning, playground safety and programming. Through the partnership program, much progress has been made toward improving conditions in neighborhood parks and increasing access to quality outdoor recreation facilities for all residents.

Hancock Park District invites families to bundle up and attend the last full moon hike of the year at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Meet at shelter 3 at Riverbend Recreation Area on TR 208, off SR 568 east of Findlay. For more information, call (419) 425-PARK or visit www.hancockparks.com.

This week's meetings and reminders:

Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Christmas wreaths program, Young Adventurers ages 6-12, Seneca County Park District, Garlo preserve.