Participate in a cross-border bird count on December 28

Volunteers are needed to participate in an upcoming bird count that is intended to gather data about the winter range of birds and trends in bird populations.

The Christmas Bird Count is a longstanding program of the National Audubon Society. It is an early-winter bird census, in which thousands of community science volunteers across the U.S., Canada and other countries count birds in December each year. The program began over a century ago, and this year will be the 120th annual bird count.

Locally, the bird count will take place on Saturday, December 28 on both sides of the border. It is being organized by the White Rock and Surrey Naturalists Society, which has encompassed the Blaine area as part of their count since 1976.

The group is looking for volunteers to participate on both sides of the border. To cover the Blaine area, the group hopes to have at least four teams of four or more volunteers. Gareth Pugh of Surrey, B.C. will be the team leader for volunteers south of the border. “We are looking for as many pairs of eyes as possible,” he said.

Participants do not need to be expert birders, but they should dress warmly and be available to watch birds all day on December 28. You can also arrange to participate from home by observing the birds that visit your feeder and reporting the count to Pugh on his cell phone.

Local volunteers will gather on December 28 at 7:30 a.m. inside the Starbucks at 530 Peace Portal Drive, with the count beginning at 8 a.m. and ending around 3:30 p.m. If you are interested in participating or would like more information, contact Pugh at 604/576-6831 (home) or 604/649-1027 (cell).