Realizing that not everyone has the time, desire, or ability to walk or drive to a birding location, we welcome and encourage Backyard Birders to join the Christmas Bird Count!
If you prefer to bird from your favorite chair with a cup of hot coffee or later on in the afternoon with a cold beverage of your choice, we have a great deal for you. You can contribute to the Christmas Bird Count by counting the birds you see from your backyard!
Backyard Birding is fun, especially if you have young children or grandchildren who want to help. To participate, email us at vcht.birding.team@gmail.com with your name and the geographic location where you will be birding.
In addition to sharing your count list (e.g., four Green-throated Carib), we will also ask for a few other details, such as the time spent counting and the number of people in your counting party. It all happens electronically, however, so you can stay at home!
Counting is easy, and here are the directions!
Count no more than two times on count day between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Count no more than two consecutive hours in the morning and two consecutive hours in the afternoon to avoid the possibility of duplication.
Submit your master list of birds seen (morning count only, afternoon count only, or both counts together) on eBird or in written form to the CBC compiler at vcht.birding.team@gmail.com.
Include your street address or geographic address, or send a pin with a map so we know where you birded.
Please join us and make the Christmas Bird Count an annual event, and know that your participation as a Citizen Scientist is important!