Audubon Announces ‘Christmas Bird Count’ Events Starting Nov. 18

By Keith Bruno

The Pagosa Springs 121st Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is scheduled for Saturday, December 19, 2020. In the event of foul weather on the 19th, the proposed alternate date for the count is Sunday, December 20.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we will be splitting our zones into smaller “sub-zones” for the purpose of avoiding carpooling, encouraging walking, and birding closer to home. We will be taking all state-recommended considerations into account for a safe CBC.

In order to prepare for the count, Weminuche Audubon and Audubon Rockies will host bird identification classes, “Winter Birds 101”, for three evenings leading up to the count. We’ll cover Waterfowl on Wednesday, November 18, perching Songbirds on Wednesday, December 9, and Raptors (plus CBC protocols & review) on Wednesday, December 16.

All evening sessions will be held virtually on ZOOM from approximately 6:30-8pm. For sign-on information for ZOOM sessions, consult www.weminucheaudubon.org.

Bald Eagle, by local photographer and wildlife documentary maker Daryl Saffer.

We hope you’ll join in on the effort to document birds and contribute to community science. For more information about the CBC, visit the Audubon website, or check out our local chapter website at www.weminucheaudubon.org.

To get involved, please contact Keith Bruno at kbruno@audubon.org.

Keith Bruno is Southwest Colorado Community Naturalist with Audubon Rockies.

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