ItB次元官网网址檚 a special time of year for Ann Nightingale B次元官网网址� and not just because itB次元官网网址檚 the holidays.
December marks the beginning of the Christmas Bird Count in Greater Victoria. As part of the annual count, hundreds of residents head out into the community, including areas on the West Shore, to count the number and species of birds.
B次元官网网址淭here are over 50,000 people who participate in the Christmas Bird Count [across North America],B次元官网网址� said Nightingale, a Central Saanich resident and self-proclaimed B次元官网网址渂ird nerd,B次元官网网址� who has been involved in the count for the past two decades. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 always excited about it. ItB次元官网网址檚 so great to see so many people in the community come out and participate.B次元官网网址�
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The count originally started in 1900 by Frank Chapman who wanted to see an alternative to the traditional Christmas hunt in which hunters went out and shot as many animal as they could B次元官网网址� the majority of which were birds. Chapman wanted to maintain the competitiveness, but not at the expense of killing animals, and thus the Christmas Bird Count was born.
Locally, the Victoria bird count has been taking place since the 1950s. Volunteers are split into teams and assigned to cover a 15 kilometre diameter circle.
Last year, more than 200 birders across the region counted 75,000 birds. On the West Shore, hot spot bird-counting areas include Triangle Mountain, Esquimalt Lagoon, Mill Hill, Alberta Head and Langford Lake.
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The count also allows bird-watchers to keep track of local populations. Nightingale said there are a number of birds that were counted in the region years ago, but are rarely seen now, such as the city and ruffed grouse, black scooter and western screech owls. But there are some that are starting to reappear such as the white sprouted sparrow, swan sparrows, AnnaB次元官网网址檚 hummingbird and the barn owl.
On occasion rare birds can also be seen, such as the red wing or the turdus iliacus, that was spotted in the Strawberry Vale area in 2015, which Nightingale said normally lives in Europe and Asia and seems to have its B次元官网网址渃ompass turned around,B次元官网网址� and instead of flying south west for the winter, has been flying south east.
B次元官网网址淲hen IB次元官网网址檓 out birding, I am connected to the environment. I feel like I am where I belong, sharing the space with the plants and animals that call that place home,B次元官网网址� Nightingale said.
B次元官网网址淚 know that when IB次元官网网址檓 looking at the birds, they are looking back at me. If by recognizing and counting the birds, I can contribute to conserving them, so much the better.B次元官网网址�
The Christmas Bird Count takes place on Saturday, Dec. 16 in Victoria, Langford and Colwood beginning at 8 a.m. There are also counts in Sidney, Central and North Saanich, and South Salt Spring on Sunday, Dec. 17, and in Metchosin and Sooke on Thursday, Dec. 28.
For more information or to volunteer with the count visit or email victoriacbc@naturevictoria.ca.
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