The Ashland Christmas Bird Count will take place on Sunday, Dec. 17. The count circle is centered at the northwest corner of Emigrant Lake, including both the northeastern slopes of Mount Ashland and the western slopes of the Cascades (as far east as Little Hyatt Lake). Also included are the steep Siskiyou Mountain woodlands, extensive farmland, grassland and oak savanna habitats in the eastern section, as well as the entirety of the city of Ashland with its parks, gardens and riparian habitats.
Anyone living in the count circle can participate by doing a feeder watch and adding their sightings to the tally. CBC feeder watch instructions and a tally sheet can be obtained by emailing Cat Gould at cat.gould@gmail.com.
Under the guidance of an experienced area leader, teams go from dawn to dusk regardless of weather. While some leaders welcome volunteers of any skill level, others may need experienced, hardy birders who can cope with difficult terrain and a fast pace. Newcomers welcome! Area birds not sighted on count day but within count week (Dec. 14-21) can be added to the tally.
