Christmas Bird Count with FBC Western Mass

Watch the recorded training video on Youtube: CBC Participants Training

I’m not great at identifying birds. Should I still come?

Everyone has something to contribute to the Christmas Bird Count! We need all eyes and ears on deck to find birds, count birds in flocks we observe, and keep a written record of the birds we notice. Your input is invaluable and our leaders can walk you through anything you want to learn more about. We promise that there will be more experienced participants at the event who can take on the tasks you don’t feel comfortable with, or which you just don’t find interesting.

What should I bring?

Dress warmly for winter! Prolonged exposure to the outdoors during Massachusetts winters can be dangerous without adequate preparation. Gloves, a hat and winter boots are a must. Extra layers, hand/toe warmers, ice grips/cleats and warm beverages are also recommended.

Bring binoculars if you have them, and let us know when you register if you need to borrow an extra pair from us. Please bring a water bottle and one or more masks with you.

If you are planning to bird with us for awhile, remember to pack food and medications. Depending on interest and the weather, some of us might stop for lunch at a restaurant, and others will keep birding while snacking throughout the day.

What pandemic precautions will you be taking for the event?

This event is only open to vaccinated participants. The CBC takes place outdoors and we encourage folks to social distance whenever possible. The stationary portion of the event offers the option to participate from the safety and comfort of your own vehicle.

Since the ambulatory part of the event isn’t on a loop trail, you may want to carpool back to the starting location after the bird walk. We ask that everyone brings a mask in case you share a ride, if social distancing becomes difficult, or if immunocompromised individuals are in attendance.

If a disability prevents you from meeting these requirements, you are still welcome here, but please let us know when you register so we can talk through how we can best support you and your safety!

What will happen in case of inclement weather? Is there a snow date?

This event may be modified in case of inclement weather, but is unlikely to be cancelled EXCEPT for during life-threatening conditions (e.g. blizzard, frostbite warning etc) or in weather that impacts the safety of commutes (e.g. extreme wind, poor visibility, black ice warning etc). We’ll keep an eye on the weather forecast and on trail conditions leading up to the event, and a final decision on potential changes will be communicated to registered participants by December 15 along with updated location info.

Where exactly should we meet you?

We’ve decided to wait to disclose the specific meetup spot because we want to include as many folks as possible! We’d like to get a better weather forecast and a sense of who wants to participate, before we finalize our plans. You can be certain that the bird walk will begin in the vicinity of the Hampshire Mall in Hadley, MA, and the afternoon stationary count will be somewhere between Amherst College and Hampshire College in Amherst, MA. Both locations will be within 0.5 mile of a bus stop. The habitat we’ll be birding in is primarily farmland and forest edges, so we expect to find hawks, bluebirds, sparrows, blackbirds, and flocks of ground-feeding winter passerines like Horned Larks and Snow Buntings. We’ll communicate all further location details to registered participants next week.

Can I participate in the December 17 CBC from home, or from another location in Massachusetts?

If you live within a 15 mile radius of the Hadley cemetery (on Cemetery Rd), you might be able to participate from home and report the birds that visit your feeders throughout the day. The Northampton CBC circle, centered at this cemetery, is divided into 36+ areas, each covered by a different team of birders. We will be helping to gather data in Area 9, but you may also be able to join another CBC team within this circle on foot. The first step is to make sure that your home or preferred birding location is within the CBC circle marked on this map. Next, you should email the compilers of the MANO Christmas Bird Count at cbc@hampshirebirdclub.org to learn more about how to participate.
Please note that FBC is not responsible for the inclusivity or safety of other CBC teams, but the local CBC compilers are wonderful and will work with you to find a good fit.

Does my participation really contribute meaningfully to science and conservation efforts?

Yes! CBC data have been used in hundreds of analyses, peer-reviewed publications, and government reports over the years. This visualization tool, built using several decades of CBC data, also allows you to explore population trends of many of your favorite species.

Our event will specifically focus on certain locations that haven’t been covered thoroughly in previous Christmas Bird Counts. With your help, we can create a more complete dataset for our local CBC… and who knows what treasures we’ll find along the way?

How can I learn more about the Christmas Bird Count?

Here’s more information about the Northampton Christmas Bird Count, including more resources and historical records dating back to 1935. You can also learn more about how the National Audubon Society administers all the Christmas Bird Counts and compiles the bird census data collected during the CBC.