The BLACK HILLS AUDUBON Annual Christmas Bird Count will be held on Sunday, December 14th, 2008. This count is part of a larger effort led by Audubon chapters throughout the nation during a two-week window around the Christmas holiday.

The mission of the Bird Count is to identify, count, and record as many different bird species as you see in a particular area. You don't have to stay in one spot all day, nor participate all day long. 

These events are more important than ever because the results are used to monitor the status and distribution of bird populations across the western hemisphere.

You can team up with experienced Christmas Bird Count Leaders all over the county.  Call or email George Walter at 360-459-8220 or gwalter@nwifc.org to be placed with a leader in your preferred area.

The success of our count depends on the intensive effort of participants willing to volunteer to spend the whole day in the field, regardless of weather, counting all the birds in their group's assigned count area.  That's the ideal, but we realize that people have busy lives....come for a few hours if that is all you have time for.

It's a serious commitment, and a lot of fun, too! The bird count concludes with the traditional chili feed shortly after dark at the Gull Harbor Lutheran Church at 4610 Boston Harbor Road.

Watch for information on the Backyard Bird Count (in February) and a Bird-a-Thon (in the spring).