What a crazy year this has been! Even the Christmas Bird Count is affected by the Covid-19 pandemic! Na- tional Audubon has requested chapters to choose to have their count or to cancel it this year. They have strict guidelines that participants will follow. Because of social distancing, we can’t have our usual carloads of participants, nor can we invite the public or even additional UMBA members to join us this year. No pizza party afterwards to share tall tales or short tales of the day’s sightings. Sigh..
So, here is what we are doing. Past participants were asked if they could help this year and enough folks to cover our count circle can help, so UMBA is holding our CBC. However, because we are using a skeletal crew of counters, we hope that anyone not among that group will count birds in their yards! You can email or call Nora Gray to report your yard Count Day findings by Sunday, December 20. Remember, “Count Week” is 3 days before & 3 days after “Count Day”. During Count Week, we count species not seen on Count Day. If you have sightings on these additional days, please inform Nora! (Count Week: Dec. 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22)
We have set up a Zoom meeting on Monday, December 21 at 7:00 PM. Each area will give its Count Day highlights. I will have the total tally to report. This will give us all a chance to see each other and share our 2020 CBC & other bird sightings! Anyone can join us – yard counters, non-counters. One more chance to add some of those “count week” sightings.
You will need to download the free Zoom app from the App store on- to your laptop or computer before the meeting. You can also dial in on your mobile phone to a number listed. We hope you will join us!
If the weather is too inclement or new Covid-19 regulations affect our ability to drive and count, we will cancel the count.
For the birds and good health,
Nora Gray 781-4153, norafgray@gmail.com