The annual Christmas Bird Count will be held December 14, 28 and 29 across three locations. As in previous years, there are two ways to join and newcomers are always welcome.
The Christmas Bird Count is North America’s longest running “citizen science project”, according to Birds Canada, which organizes the count in Canada, in conjunction with the National Audobon Society in the US. The count enables a large picture to be painted of bird population and distribution across North America, to track their wellbeing.
Field teams, as well as backyard feeder counts, both take place on one day in each of the three areas.
The Fort Frances area count covers a circle from Fort Frances to Devlin, and will take place Saturday, December 14. To take part, message Ilka Milne through the Rainy River Valley Field Naturalists Facebook page or call her at 807-274-2988.
The Rainy River Count will take place December 28, and cover an area from Rainy River to Bergland. The Morson Count will take place December 29, and cover an area from Berland to north of Morson. Michael Dawber is the contact for both of those counts – he can be contacted over Facebook.
According to longtime RRVFN member Henry Miller, the circle is quite large, so is generally covered by small teams, and spotters using vehicles. Anyone can help, even those who can’t identify birds – new volunteers can be paired with more experienced birders, he said.
Another way to participate, if you have a bird feeder in your yard, is to count the birds two or three times during the day and report back to the area organizer.
“It’s an enjoyable day in the fresh air and nature, and new faces are always welcome – the experienced birders will happily show you everything you need to know,” he said.\
