The Peterborough Christmas Bird Count (CBC), now in its 73rd year, is the longest running wildlife survey in Peterborough County. Organization of this year’s Peterborough count has commenced, and members and friends of the PFN are invited to participate. If you are unable to participate in one of the field parties you can still assist by registering your feeder and counting the birds that visit during the day. Some participants will contribute by walking their neighbourhood. Others walk unopened road allowances. There are many ways to participate and learn more about our winter birds.

The Peterborough CBC participants cover an area contained within a circle with a diameter of 24 kilometers, centered on the intersection of Chemong Road and Sunset Boulevard. There are ten areas within the count circle, each of which will be covered by a specific group of participants. The count area will be subdivided by the area leader in order to enhance coverage. A map showing the count circle and areas is available on the PFN website (peterboroughnature.org/resources). The areas and confirmed Area Leaders are as

follows:

Chemong/Bridgenorth………. Don McLeod

Miller Creek/Selwyn …………. Drew Monkman and Brian Wales

Lakefield/Otonabee East …… Dave Milsom

Douro Wedge …………………….. Bill Crins & Mike Oldham

Burnham ……………………………. Warren Dunlop & Janet Kelly

Stewart Hall/Landfill ………… Joan DiFruscia & Pam Martin

Airport ………………………………. Matthew Tobey

Cavan Swamp ……………………. Chris Risley & Erica Nol

Jackson Park ………………………. Scott Gibson & Jerry Ball

Downtown …………………………. Martin Parker

This year there will be a count supper at the end of the day in a local restaurant. Participants can share count experiences during supper and then participate in the initial count tally. Details will be provided to all count participants. Plan now to register and participate in this Peterborough birding tradition and citizen science project. To register contact Martin Parker (count compiler) as soon as possible by phone 705-745-4750 or by e-mail [email protected]. The area leaders can be contacted directly as well.

This is the 124th year Christmas Bird Counts are being held across North America. Join this Christmas birding tradition.

Backgrounder:

Each year, Birds Canada and the National Audubon Society help coordinate and support the efforts of more than 2500 counts throughout the Western Hemisphere. Christmas Bird Counts are run across Canada and the United States, as well as in Latin America, the Caribbean, and some Pacific Islands. Data collected during the Peterborough count includes details on the number of birds of each species seen or heard within a local 24-km diameter circle. Surveying this circle year after year contributes valuable long-term information on how winter birds are faring, both in your locale and across the country.

The Christmas Bird Count took root over a century ago when 27 birders in 25 localities from Toronto, Ontario to Pacific Grove, California, led by ornithologist Frank Chapman, proposed a conservation-oriented alternative to the traditional ‘side hunt,’ a Christmas Day competition to hunt the most birds and small mammals. This alternative initiative to identify, count, and record all the birds found on Christmas Day 1900 has turned into one of North America’s longest-running wildlife monitoring programs.

For more information about the Christmas Bird Count, or to find the location of additional counts, visit

Birds Canada’s website at birdscanada.org/cbc.

Sunday, Dec. 15
All day