Final 2021 Christmas Bird Count can be found in the
February Western Grebe
Christmas Bird Count Saturday, December 18, 2021
If Covid cases in Lake County continue to go down or stabilize, we plan to participate in the Audubon Christmas Bird Count on Saturday, Dec. 18. National Audubon is advising participating chapters to follow the CDC guidelines and all State and local mandates to ensure the safety of all CBC participants.
They advise us to wait until Nov. 15 to determine if local conditions will allow a safe event, and ask us to follow these Audubon Covid restrictions:
• Masking in the field if social distancing is not possible
• Carpooling allowed only within existing familiar or “social” pod groups
• Compilation gatherings to be held outdoors, if possible. If held indoors, masking and other precautions must be taken.
Brad and Kathy Barnwell will again organize, lead, and compile the information for the event. Past par- ticipants will receive a save-the-date email in early November, and a confirmation email Nov. 15 when we are allowed to make our final determination based on our local Covid conditions.
More information will be available in the December Grebe Newsletter.
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Below is the information for December 2020 Christmas Bird Count
Information has been sent by the National Audubon Society regarding this year’s Christmas Bird Count. As of now, Redbud Audubon Society is planning its annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC) for Saturday, Dec. 19. Brad and Kathy Barnwell, who have been organizing Redbud’s CBC for the past several years will once again lead, organize, and compile the information for the event. You will be receiving your usual email from them if you are a former participant, but information will be available in our December newsletter if you would like to take part as a first-time participant.
Information from the National Audubon Society: Due to the COVID19 outbreak, this year’s Christmas Bird Count will require a few changes if your count is to take place at all. The two options for Christmas Bird Count compilers are as follows:
Option 1: Run a COVID-19 safe and socially distanced CBC, if local rules allow. [Must wait until No- vember 15 at the earliest to choose this option in order to better understand status of COVID outbreak in your region during the CBC.]
Option 2: If option 1 is not possible, cancel this season’s CBC for your location. [Can choose this option now if you wish.] If you choose option 1, below are the guidelines that we urge you to follow: (This is the option chosen by Redbud Audubon)
- Wait until November 15 at the earliest to confirm CBC will take place, if local regulations allow.
- Cancel all in-person compilation gatherings.
- Social distancing and/or masking are required at all times in the field.
- Carpooling may only occur within existing familiar or social “pod” groups.
- Activities must comply with all current state and municipal COVID-19 guidelines.
There will be a virtual bird ID presentation this year on Thursday, Dec. 17, and information to connect to the Zoom link will be sent via email to everyone on the chapter email list.
