The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is a program of the National Audubon Society and is over 100 years old. This community science project is a bird census wherein thousands of volunteers from across the US, Canada, and many other countries in the Western Hemisphere coordinate to systematically count the number of bird species—as well as the individual numbers of each species— seen within a specifically defined geographical area.
While Bird Counts will be happening in Whitewater Preserve and Mission Creek Preserve down the hill, along with the remote Long Canyon area of JT National Park, the largest Count will be centered in Big Morongo Canyon Preserve—one of the largest and most diverse bird sanctuaries in the country, and an internationally recognized birding site. The Bird Count is open to the public and begins this Saturday at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 4:30 p.m.
Volunteers are asked to meet in the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve’s visitor parking lot at 7:30 before breaking into groups, reviewing count instructions, and a group photo. Volunteers are asked to bring Lunch, water, binoculars, field guides, warm clothing (that you can shed). For virus protection, all participants should have a protective mask, hand soap and hand sanitizer. Stay with your assigned group, follow social guidelines, and do not share binoculars or spotting scopes.
Report your results by email or on eBird.
