The Reserve and rural MoCo provide habitat for many creatures. This time of year, it is our fine feathered friends that draw the devoted humans out of bed on cold mornings with binoculars. Each year, birders take part in the international Christmas Bird Count (CBC ) sponsored by Audubon. Each CBC is conducted in a count circle, 15 miles in diameter on a single day between December 14 and January 4. On the day of each count, teams of volunteers go out in the count circle and count all the birds they can find, and the results are compiled by Audubon in a public database. This year’s CBC will be the 117th year!
There are two CBC count circles that overlap Montgomery's upcounty. The Seneca CBC will be held Sunday, December 18. The Seneca CBC count circle is centered on Violette’s Lock on the C&O Canal and covers a good portion Montgomery County closer to the Potomac.
The Sugarloaf Mountain CBC will be held on Monday, January 2. The Sugarloaf Mountain CBC count circle is centered on Sugarloaf Mountain and covers a good portion of Montgomery County bordering Frederick County. For a view of the two count circles See the map here. (when you go to the website type in “Montgomery County, MD” in the search box and it will zoom in to let you see the two count circles).
Both CBCs need additional folks, regardless of your birding skill level, to help count birds in the field. There is also an important role for folks who can’t get out in the field the day of the count but who live inside the count circle and like to watch birds in their yards and at their bird feeders. You can contribute very useful information to the CBC too. Doing a CBC can be a lot of fun. Both CBCs welcome newer birders to join their counts, and they will make sure you are teamed with a more experienced person for the count.
To get involved in either CBC, please contact the count compilers: Jim Nelson for the Seneca CBC at [email protected] andJanet Millenson for the Sugarloaf Mountain CBC at [email protected] They are happy to answer any questions you may have.
There are two CBC count circles that overlap Montgomery's upcounty. The Seneca CBC will be held Sunday, December 18. The Seneca CBC count circle is centered on Violette’s Lock on the C&O Canal and covers a good portion Montgomery County closer to the Potomac.
The Sugarloaf Mountain CBC will be held on Monday, January 2. The Sugarloaf Mountain CBC count circle is centered on Sugarloaf Mountain and covers a good portion of Montgomery County bordering Frederick County. For a view of the two count circles See the map here. (when you go to the website type in “Montgomery County, MD” in the search box and it will zoom in to let you see the two count circles).
Both CBCs need additional folks, regardless of your birding skill level, to help count birds in the field. There is also an important role for folks who can’t get out in the field the day of the count but who live inside the count circle and like to watch birds in their yards and at their bird feeders. You can contribute very useful information to the CBC too. Doing a CBC can be a lot of fun. Both CBCs welcome newer birders to join their counts, and they will make sure you are teamed with a more experienced person for the count.
To get involved in either CBC, please contact the count compilers: Jim Nelson for the Seneca CBC at [email protected] andJanet Millenson for the Sugarloaf Mountain CBC at [email protected] They are happy to answer any questions you may have.
