This year marks the 126th anniversary of the nationwide Christmas Bird Count, a survey of winter bird species conducted annually from December 14 to January 5. 

This citizen science project is organized by the National Audubon Society and involves 10s of thousands of volunteers from Alaska to Antarctica, including a group of volunteers at your nearby Refuge. 

On Thursday, December 18, Sherburne’s volunteers will survey within a 7.5-mile radius from the intersection of Sherburne Co. Rd. 9 and Co. Rd. 5.

While additional volunteer counters are not needed, the Refuge could still use your help! If you live within fifteen miles of the count area, please clean and fill your bird feeders at least three days before the count. Be aware that vehicles may be driving slowly past your home with binoculars fixed on your property. There is no cause for concern; the observers are only interested in the species and numbers of birds on your property.

Reports from participating groups across the country are tallied by Audubon and other birding organizations, including the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union. The final tally provides valuable information on the number of bird species present during that 23-day time frame. 

Local data for the Refuge is used to track changes in our bird populations over time, and it can also be pooled with data from other areas to detect patterns over a larger region. Last year, the Refuge’s Christmas Bird Count observed 42 species of birds, including numerous common species such as trumpeter swans and black-capped chickadees, as well as less common species like one northern saw-whet owl and four northern shrikes.