Birdwatcher ready for surprises as Christmas Bird Count takes flight

Nature lovers across the Western Hemisphere including here in Alberta are marking a Christmas tradition that's more than a century old.

They're taking part in the annual Christmas Bird Count.

Participantsconduct their counts on a single day between Dec.14 and Jan.5within a 24-kilometre diameter circle that stays the same from year to year.

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Wildlife biologist Greg Wagner, who has co-ordinated the bird count in the High River area for many years, says it's always fun partly because there's always a few surprises.

"We had a Cape May warbler here a few years ago and the only other place they were found on the Christmas Bird Count was the southern tip of Florida. So it's always fascinating what you're going to find here," he said.

"We had people flying in from New York to see that. You would come to this park months after it was first seen and there'd be half a dozen people lined up to take pictures and to see it."

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Organizers estimate there will be about 460 counts across the Canada this year. The counts are an initiative of the National Audubon Society, with Bird Studies Canada serving as its Canadian partner.

Liz Purves with Bird Studies Canada says the long-term count helps researchers track issues like bird health and distribution.

"Data collected during the Christmas Bird Count over the years has contributed to hundreds of peer-reviewed papers in the scientific community, as well as conservation planning documents," she said.

Volunteers counted nearly three million birds across Canada last year, representing nearly 300 species.

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