A local bird expert is organizing a Ladysmith Christmas bird count and is looking for volunteers.
Bob Hay is conducting the count on Dec. 19 in the 15 mile circle extending from the Chemainus River estuary to north of Nanaimo Airport and from Thetis Island to inland areas.
Volunteers are needed to count birds by species in assigned areas (to prevent overlaps in counting). They can also watch their own bird feeders. He said he conducted a similar count last year.
“There were 43 participants who recorded 85 species of birds,” he wrote in an email.
Hay will need to know how long participants are bird watching that day and how far they’ve travelled by road, foot or boat. He’ll also need their names, addresses and contact information. He said instructions will be provided, including how to group participants in sub-areas.
The count is part of Project FeederWatch, an annual international event that allows people to contribute to scientific research from their own backyards. According to Birds Canada, the count of winter backyard birds helps identify which species need conservation attention.
Anyone interested in getting involved can contact Hay at rbhay2020@gmail.com or at 250-755-5745.
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