I know I am a little late to the punch as the month has already begun, but for the folks in the western hemisphere…
how many folks were participating in the CBC this year, and where are you counting?
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Looks pretty fun! From your link above:
The Christmas Bird Count occurs December 14 to January 5 every season. Sign up to receive information and results about all of Audubon’s community science programs through American Birds, our newsletter by email.
Oct 2022: Please follow the CDC COVID-19 safe requirements available here
Click here for a map view of the circles expected to be included in the 123rd CBC.
Unfortunately, To my surprise, I live in an area with no circle.
I will be participating in the Athens, Georgia CBC! I was unfortunately unable to do one last year due to work-related travel, so I am eager for this year.
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as do I!
this is why we are traveling 5 hours to assist the national parks guides along the coast here with their counts. perhaps you could lead your own in your area, or travel and assist in a count nearby?
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CBC’s in and around Edmonton, AB,Canada
Last year (2021) highest temperature during period was -16 Deg C ,hopiing for better temp this year.
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I love these. Typically do 4 a year, 1 of which I’m the compiler for.
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/rock-cut-christmas-bird-count
There’s also a project for CBC’s https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/christmas-bird-count-bioblitzes
This is easily my favorite bird count of the year. I always ask the compiler for the territory that people complain have “no birds”, trying to figure out where the good stuff is hiding is extremely fun.
I found this Orange-crowned Warbler feeding in shrub patch next to a grocery store:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/103494346
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I am participating in a count here in Northeast Ohio on December 30. It is the Lakewood Circle just west of Cleveland.
Sadly, a few years ago, the people/person in charge of another circle stopped participating. So, there is a big area of land that includes the north two-thirds of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and some local parks that isn’t included in the Count any more. The circle isn’t even shown on the map on the Audubon website any more.
It’s not easy managing a survey like this. Kudos to the people who do. I once sat down at a computer and tried to list all the eBird Hot Spots and good birding areas in that area in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park that wasn’t being covered. There were a lot of them. So, once a person organizing a circle has a list of spots to cover, that person has to ask for birders to cover the spots. And, some people only want certain spots. (I have done a number of surveys over the past decade or so. I don’t care what area I’m assigned. You can find birds anywhere if you look/listen.) Then, the person has to compile all the checklists.
The bottom third of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park is covered by the Greater Akron Audubon Society. I used to participate in that one. But, it’s a longer drive for me since I moved recently.
If anyone is interested in seeing a map of the circles, here you go:
https://audubon.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=ac275eeb01434cedb1c5dcd0fd3fc7b4
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I’ll be participating in at least one count in central Massachusetts in the US, maybe two if the compiler needs me. Actually definitely two counts, since I’ll contribute my feeder birds to the second count even if they don’t need me to cover a larger area. Although I’m not much of a birder any more, I always appreciate the reminder that there’s more to the end of the year than shopping malls and enormous amounts of food (OK, I admit I do like the food part!).
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For several years now I’ve participated both in my hometown’s circle (where I am just one of three people doing it) and the circle where my alma mater is (where there’s more like a dozen!). The latter requires an hour of driving in the dark and usually icy conditions each way but I’m too attached to the area to ever stop! That circle tends to get some more interesting finds but I feel like doing my hometown is also my duty, so both it is! After all, it’s for science, so just doing the interesting spots doesn’t make for good standardized data.
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We lack the family here (or elsewhere to be honest!) to enjoy the traditional american holidays we celebrated so much as kids, so my partner and I use the CBC as our way to mark the end of the year.
Our new “family” has welcomed us to count birds in the ancestral community of Agua Blanca, for two routes, I cannot express what an honor it is to record data in this very special space, as well as to follow the route of my mentors and most respected birders.
Sorry for the usual and additional grammatical errors the ash from Volcano Sangay is “tearing me apart” today
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Good to support the smaller counts.
I wish I could but my health and lack of transportation just doesn’t permit it so I will be attempting to take thorough counts of a few specific locations around my neighborhood instead.
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Portland, Oregon USA
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Yep, back to back the weekend after next (Saturday and Sunday) in and around Cape Cod, MA. I usually do one or two more but unfortunately they’re scheduled during the week and I’m a working schlep.
Yes, same here.
Best of luck!
I’m in Hillsboro, between the Forest Grove circle and the Portland circle. Where will you be counting in Portland?
I’ll be joining one of my local counts for the first time on December 17! My route is in the Port Townsend, Washington area, which is where I do most of my iNatting anyway. This is one of the few opportunities I’ve had to meet other, more experienced birders, so I hope I’ll learn a few things and add some species to my life list.
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how did it go?
Unfortunately, I felt mildly sick on Friday, so I decided it was best not to go. Maybe I’ll try again next year.
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