The next Ann Arbor Christmas Bird Count (CBC), sponsored by the Washtenaw Audubon Society, will be conducted on December 15, and it is open to birders of all skill levels as part of a continent-wide effort coordinated by the National Audubon Society. About 1,700 counts are conducted across North America each year within a window of two-and-a-half weeks. Each count covers a circular area 15 miles in diameter. The object is to identify and count both the species of birds within the circle and the numbers of individuals within each species. The data is published each year by the National Audubon Society.

Volunteers may participate as a field observer or a feeder watcher, and at the end of the day there will be a fun potluck dinner get-together to eat, enjoy each other’s company, tell tales of the day in the field and officially report all the numbers to the count compiler.

There is no cost to participate. To sign up, visit Tinyurl.com/AnnArborBirdCount.