Its that time of the year for Audubon's Christmas Bird Count. The 122nd Christmas Bird Count will take place Tuesday, December 14, 2022 through Wednesday, January 5, 2023. Counting the birds every year around the same time can help evaluate the health of an ecosystem and understand how birds are faring year after year. Amazingly, Audubon Society has 121 years so far of bird counts and scientists can use the data to evaluate how bird populations and species have changed in that time. The findings of the bird count also helps drive conservation efforts to protect vital bird habitat for future generations.
Birds are pretty active during the winter and much easier to spot during the winter since deciduous trees have dropped all their leaves making it an ideal time to observe birds. I recommend you take some time in your own backyard to observe the birds living right outside your door. Observing birds on various days and times of the day will help give you an appreciation of how activity changes in your own backyard. For those that really want to get involved, check out the Audubon Society's webpage for more information on the Christmas Bird Count located near you.