The conditions were promising for the Christmas Bird Count count — not too cold, not too windy and no fog — as 13 teams fanned out around the Island for the annual check-in with our avian community.
The conditions were promising for the Christmas Bird Count count — not too cold, not too windy and no fog — as 13 teams fanned out around the Island for the annual check-in with our avian community.
It would be a long New Year’s Day, starting before dawn and ending in darkness. The birds rarely stayed put, and neither did the birders.
Thirteen teams fanned out across the Island Sunday for the 62nd annual Martha's Vineyard Christmas Bird Count. The international event began in 1900.
We all have bird feeders to provide nutritious food for our feathered friends. Likely the feeders are fairly close to our houses, so the birds can be seen up close and personal. All well and good, but we can all do more! They need water to drink and to bathe in. To be most effective, the water needs to be shallow for the smaller birds like the chickadees, and deeper for the larger birds. A small pile of pebbles reaching up to the surface can provide the necessary varied depths.
The 61st annual Christmas Bird Count was held on Jan. 2, but the initial compilation of the data was started the next day when we all gathered via Zoom to review the species we saw in the field.
Carolina wrens were counted in large numbers during the annual Christmas Bird Count. There were more people too on beaches and trails.
