Antigonish Christmas Bird Count 2023 !

Greetings all,

The Antigonish Christmas Bird Count will take place on Sunday 17th December 2023. The map below shows the survey area. Briefly, Mahoneys Beach is at the north central border, the Frasers Mills Fish Hatchery is at the southern Border. Black Avon is in on the southeast, Bayfield is just outside the area on the northeast. West River is in, but it depends where you are in Brierly Brook to know if you are in or not.

The Antigonish CBC is one of approximately 2000 surveys that goes on during the Christmas season, all across North America, and through parts of Central and South Americas, too. In Canada, Bird Studies Canada coordinates the Christmas Bird Counts.

How you can help:

1. At home: FeederWatchers who live in the count circle keep a tally of the birds they see in/from their yards (not just at their feeders). It's fun to do, and instructions and the tally sheet can be found by clicking the photo on the left. You should be confident in your identifications of the birds in your yard, and I will be happy to help identify those birds that give you trouble. A digital or conventional picture would really help.

If you use Excel, this spreadsheet would be the easiest way to report your birds - just fill it in and email it back to me!

 

How many species are in this picture?

What type of bird is this?

 

 

 

 

2. In the field: The survey area (=Count Circle, map above) is divided into regions, with at least one competent birder in each region. Parties of birders cover as much of their region as possible, by foot and by vehicle, and count/identify all the wild birds they can

Please keep track of time and distance covered (click! for a useful tally sheet).

Novices can help here, and at the very least, act as spotters and recorders. A shopping list of likely winter birds can be found by clicking the photo to the right.

Dress for the weather! You'll be outside a lot - it's sometimes windy, sometimes it snows. Sometimes it's slushy. Please, dress accordingly.

 

 

Can you name the predator and the potential prey?

 

If you would like to help out by recording birds at your feeder (or anywhere in your yard) or in the field drop me an email. If you're new to participating, give us some idea as to your confidence in identifying birds (at your feeder or in the field, as appropriate).

Other NS counts can be found listed here.

R.F. Lauff
Department of Biology
St. Francis Xavier University
 

Antigonish, NS Canada B2G 2W5