About this Event
Join the founder of the 1st Concord CBC for this year’s annual count. The CBC is the longest-running citizen science survey in the world and the bird population data is used to monitor important conservation studies. The Concord Christmas Bird Count is one of over 2,600 active count circles in the Americas and Pacific Islands. A count circle is defined by a center point and a radius of 7.5 miles.
Peter will provide checklists and guide our group through the process and our "circle", whether you are a beginner or experienced observer. We will observe in small groups, by driving and stopping, typically with a dozen or more stops. On each stop we will write down the consensus # followed by a comma. At the end, Peter will gather and compile the data for the area CBC director. Be sure to bring water, snacks, and plenty of clothing for layering. Optional: Join us for lunch at Peter Alden’s house in Concord, where we first gather that morning. See the history of Concord CBC below.
All levels of birdwatching experience are welcome!
Arrive: 7:30 am at 11 Riverside Avenue, Concord MA, 01742.
What to bring: Dress warmly and wear layers. Bring binoculars, camera, jacket, water bottle, a snack.
NOTE about registration: Please register as soon as possible as the event is limited to 9 participants. This is event is free with a tip to the leader as optional.
History of the Concord CBC - The first Concord CBC bird census in 1960 had seven small parties in Concord and a single volunteer representing neighboring Lincoln, growing in 50 years to become one of the largest count circles in the U.S. measured by number of participants, now about 280. Birder, author, online educator, and natural history impresario Peter Alden of Concord, the founding father of the Concord circle, was a teenager when he noticed that coastal Massachusetts and a few inland communities in the central and western part of the Commonwealth had count circles, but not the Concord area, home to many devoted birders and field ornithologists. Peter was judged too young to sponsor a new circle in the opinion of the National Audubon Society, but he persuaded Mary Sherwood of the Thoreau Lyceum to take sponsorship. Today Peter is serving as Concord’s town Coordinator Emeritus, humorist, and cheerleader, and a few of his volunteers from the early years are still Concord CBC stalwarts as well. [source: concordcbc.org]
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Peter Alden Residence, 11 Riverside Ave, Concord, United States
USD 0.00
