Christmas Bird Count

Joe Meche is president of the North Cascades Audubon Society and also serves the chapter as newsletter editor and birding programs coordinator. He has been watching birds for more than 50 years and photographing birds and landscapes for more than 30 years.

On Sunday, Dec. 20, if you happen to see a few people seemingly wandering around your neighborhood with notepads in hand and binoculars hanging from their necks, do not be alarmed. If you live in the county, you might also notice two or three people driving slowly by your house, looking at the birds at your backyard feeder. Before you consider that either of these scenarios might be a homeland security risk and think about calling 911, keep in mind that the Bellingham Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is taking place this year, five days before Christmas.

In the spirit of the early conservationists who started the annual count in 1900, local birdwatchers will leave their cozy burrows in the early morning hours and begin counting birds in their assigned territories sometime before the sun rises. These intrepid individuals will be out in force covering 24 separate territories regardless of weather conditions. The inability to control the weather and the birds that we see and count is part of the adventure that we face on every count day. The idea is to beat the bushes and count everything with wings.

Volunteers who commit to spending the entire day outdoors on the CBC take part in the largest citizen-science effort in the world. We do it to contribute to the enormous database that tells us where birds spend the winter months. Birds that breed and nest here in spring and summer have headed south and been replaced by resident birds and migrants from the northern climes that spend the winter here.

In the late 1800s, one of the most popular pastimes around the holidays was the annual Christmas Side Hunt. The point of the Side Hunt was to spend the day shooting birds and the only counting involved was done at the end of the day to see who had killed the most birds. Frank Chapman, of the fledgling Audubon Society, called for an end to this madness. He suggested that people count the birds instead of shooting them, and he proposed a “Christmas Bird Census,” the precursor to today’s CBC.

Chapman put together the first CBC with a group of 27 conservation-minded enthusiasts in 25 locations, from New Brunswick in eastern Canada to Pacific Grove, California. Thus began a tradition that has nurtured and spread the concept of conservation throughout the world. The CBC is sponsored and overseen by the National Audubon Society and more than 50,000 observers count birds in over 1,900 count circles.

Count circles today range throughout North America and parts of Central and South America, Bermuda, the West Indies and some Pacific Islands. All circles are 15 miles in diameter and participants cover as much of the circle as possible within a designated 24-hour period. Counts can take place on any day between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5.

The Bellingham CBC count circle is centered northwest of the city and south of Slater Road. Within the circle are 25 separate territories. Each territory is assigned party leaders, who are responsible for their respective team’s efforts and coverage, as well as totals of the overall numbers of each species observed. Generally, species counts can range between 120-140 with total individual birds of all species numbering as many as 100,000.

The Bellingham CBC first took to the field in 1967, due to the efforts of Terry Wahl and Jim Duemmel. The North Cascades Audubon Society was founded three years later and now sponsors this count, as well as the unique CBC aboard the Washington state ferry on the international run between Anacortes and Sidney, B.C.

As mentioned earlier, the count proceeds regardless of adverse weather conditions. A brisk northeast wind and icy conditions might lead saner individuals to question their dedication. Since 1967, temperatures on count day have ranged from minus 3 degrees to an almost-tropical mid-50s.

More often than not, the count day weather is one of the foremost topics of conversation at the post-count potluck. The potluck is the place where we defrost at the end of a cold day in the field and where all the completed forms are turned in for compilation. The food, drink, and camaraderie put a nice end to the day and an active run through the list of species is conducted on the big board to tally the results of our labors.

If you’re interested in becoming a part of this effort, contact the CBC Coordinator, Joe Meche, at 739-5383, or by e-mail at mechejmch@aol.com. Every effort will be made to find a place for everyone, but keep in mind that the CBC is a controlled, systematic count, done by a cadre of conscientious volunteers. The birds we usually find are common species so don’t feel that you can’t help. The best way to learn field identification of birds is to get into the field where the birds are. The best way to contribute to this citizen-science effort is to participate in the 110th Christmas Bird Count, on Sunday Dec. 20. Call now and join in the fun!

Feeder Count Option: If you’d prefer to stay closer to the hearth and spend the day in your jammies, you can join in the feeder watch segment of the Bellingham CBC and count the birds at your backyard feeder. If you’re interested, contact Valeri Wade at the Wild Bird Chalet at 734-0969 or at v@wildbirdchalet.com. She will be able to determine if you live within the count circle and will add your name to her list of counters. These totals will be added to the totals of regular count.

Join us to enjoy the birds and begin a tradition of your own! §