A citizen science project to tide you over until salamander season!
- (photo: Byard Miller)
This is the 112th year of the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count, which was originally conceived as a conservation-minded alternative to a 19th-century holiday tradition known as the Christmas “Side Hunt.” Now it’s the longest-running and most involved citizen science project in the world, and the Keene group is one of the ten oldest in the country! This year, the Christmas Bird Count will be held in Hancock, Peterborough & surrounding towns on Saturday, December 17, and in Keene & environs on Sunday, December 18.
For those of you who are new to the the Christmas Bird Count, you can expect a fun day in the field (Keene birders can also participate by contributing observations from your backyards or bird feeders.) You can also expect to feel good knowing that your observations — when combined with those of thousands of other birders across the country — provide important information about the long-term status of North American bird populations. It’s also an excellent chance to learn more about birding & citizen science and to enjoy the camaraderie of fellow birders, which will be celebrated at a potluck following the Count.
If you live in or near Keene and you’d like more information or to join the fun, please contact Phil Brown at pbrown@nhaudubon.org or (603) 224-9909 x334.
If you live in Hancock, Peterborough or surrounding towns and would like to participate in a Christmas Bird Count a little closer to home on Saturday, December 17, call Dave Rowell at (603) 924-8790.
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