Overview

Topic: The 56th Evergreen Audubon Christmas Bird Count is Coming!

Speaker: Chuck Aid, Evergreen Audubon Christmas Bird Count Coordinator
Date and Time: Tuesday, December 3, 2024 at 6:30 pm (doors open at 6:00 pm for socializing) 
Location-Hybrid: In person at the Church of Transfiguration & virtual attendance via Zoom

Presentation Details

Already in November our Evergreen world was briefly snowbound resulting in increased bird feeder activity, and a shifting in the bird community as some birds finally elected to head south and others arrived from the north. The aspens are bare and pines, firs, and spruces provide deep green winter hues.

These signs can only mean one thing: it is time to prepare for one of Evergreen Audubon’s most cherished traditions, our annual Evergreen-Idaho Springs Christmas Bird Count (CBC), held this year on Sunday, December 15, 2024.

And that can only mean that our Tuesday, December 3 chapter meeting will be devoted to getting prepped for the upcoming count by our Christmas Bird Count Coordinator, Chuck Aid. Crack open your field guide and get ready to learn the subtleties of the Rosy-Finch clan, the bounty and beauty of juncos, and the multitude of other birds we might see (and need to identify!) on the count.

Chuck’s presentation will get us primed for our CBC by providing an overview of our CBC count circle, reviewing the highlights of last year’s CBC, and looking at trends in our 55 years of data. There will be a visual review of the bird species we are likely to see during the count, with tips on difficult-to-discriminate species and other key identification hints. Chuck will then conclude with the ever-popular bird quiz, where we wait for each other to identify (read: guess) the correct ID. Chuck’s wish is that we go beyond the “aha” moments we experience as we review for the Christmas Bird Count, so that we  increase our enjoyment of our winter birds all winter long.

And don’t forget: After a full day of counting birds, all participants are invited to the post-count Tally Rally potluck, where we share our bird (and other critter) sightings from our day in the field, eat great food together, and tally up our collective count data.  Look for further details and potluck sign up information in a separate, upcoming Christmas Bird Count post.

So on Tuesday, December 3, be sure to arrive at the Church of the Transfiguration (or log on) when doors open at 6:00 pm so you can visit with your Evergreen Audubon friends & neighbors, have a cookie, get that good seat, and learn about our most recent bird and wildlife sightings. If attending virtually, consult the Zoom Meeting Details below. The meeting proper begins at 6:30 pm with brief announcements to catch you up on Evergreen Audubon’s jam-packed calendar of events and outings, immediately followed by the evening’s program.

About the Speaker

Chuck Aid earned his MA from the University of Colorado, conducting research in southeastern Arizona on the effects of fire on grassland birds, and, since retiring from teaching middle school science, was on the Evergreen Audubon board of directors for over twelve years. While on the board, Chuck focused on leading regular bird and flower walks, updating the Bear Creek Watershed Breeding Bird Atlas, and one of his favorite events, coordinating our CBCs.

Zoom Meeting Details