Christmas Bird Counts happening in Dec.-early Jan.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/12/2023 (742 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Wildlife enthusiasts across Canada — and right here in Westman — are gearing up to dress warmly, grab their cameras and head out to this year’s Christmas Bird Counts, happening on different dates throughout the region.

The 43rd annual Brandon Christmas Bird Count already took place on Dec. 17, complete with a potluck supper afterwards, but bird counts in other areas have yet to take place.

The Cypress River-Spruce Woods Christmas Bird Count is happening on Dec. 23, the Minnedosa one on Dec. 28 and the Rivers one on Dec. 30.

Alex Koiter, a professor in the Department of Geography and Environment at Brandon University and the president of Westman Naturalists, says the Christmas Bird Count is a fun holiday tradition that benefits a lot of different people for many different reasons.

“At this time of year, I think some people are struggling to find good reasons to actually go outside, so this provides a good excuse to get people bundled up and out the door,” he told the Sun. “And getting out in nature, even if it’s within the City of Brandon and surrounding areas, is an opportunity to see what’s out there.”

For people that are new to birdwatching, the Christmas Bird Count is a great introduction to what can oftentimes turn into a lifelong love affair with new feathered friends, Koiter said. It’s also a perfect chance to take part in the event for even causal birders like himself, he added.

“Sometimes we get paired up with someone that knows a little bit more, and it’s just a fantastic opportunity to learn. I’m always really surprised and astonished about the amount of knowledge some of our [Westman Naturalists] members have,” he said.

Bringing children to take part in a Christmas Bird Count is an excellent way to spark conversations with them about the importance of conservation and introduce them to the wildlife, Koiter added.

“It makes you really appreciate how many different species of birds and other little animals we actually have here,” he said.

Even people with no prior “birding” knowledge are enthusiastically welcomed at each Christmas Bird Count, Koiter said.

“There’s that really great opportunity to learn it in a very casual, very community-oriented kind of way.”

Carson Kearns is a member of Westman Naturalists who has taken part in Christmas Bird Counts in the past. He agrees with Koiter about the casual, easy-going atmosphere that one can expect at a local bird count.

“Everyone is willing to share information, so there’s no barrier to entry even if you’ve got only a slight interest,” he said.

Of all the birds he’s encountered in Christmas Bird Counts he’s attended, Koiter said his unforgettable moments include watching a snowy owl spread widd its white wings and take to the sky.

“For me, that’s a fantastic kind of bird – so big and beautiful, and they’re not that common,” he said.

Birds such as Blue Jays, crows and ravens are all interesting to encounter as well.

“It’s always kind of fun to watch their behaviour,” Koiter said.

The event began in 1900 and is North American’s longest-running citizen science project, according to Birds Canada’s website. The information collected from each Christmas Bird Count makes up one of the world’s largest sets of wildlife survey data. Conservation biologists, environmental planners and naturalists use the results, gathered between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5 each year, to assess bird population trends and distribution across the continent.

Last December/early January marked the 123rd Christmas Bird Count, with thousands of volunteers spending a day outside — or in the comfort of their own home in front of a window — counting birds.

According to a report by Birds Canada, a total of 10,463 field counters and 3,816 feeder counters participated in 476 counts across all provinces and territories in Canada.

Last year, a total of 3,205,861 individual birds of 279 different species were reported in Canada. Among the top 10 most abundant species in the counts included the American crow, the Canada goose, mallard, dark-eyed junco, American wigeon, Bohemian waxwing, house sparrow, dunlin, snow goose, and rock pigeon.

In Manitoba last year, at least two brown thrashers showed up in the count, with one at Cypress River and one in Winnipeg. An immature trumpeter swan was spotted overwintering at Oak Hammock Marsh, and one red-headed woodpecker at Carman also surprised Birds Canada. Across the province, a total of 20 areas took part in Christmas Bird Counts, where 75 different species and 46,553 birds were noted. Three hundred and fifteen of the sightings that took place happened in the field, while 192 happened at bird feeders.

To sign up to take part in an upcoming Christmas Bird Count, visit birdscanada.org. Westman Naturalists is a group of amateur naturalists who hold events and activities that allow them to explore and enjoy the nature in southwestern Manitoba.

» mleybourne@brandonsun.com

» X: @miraleybourne