Ken Wiersema participating in the PACBC—Photo by Bob Boekelheide

The Port Angeles Christmas Bird Count (PACBC) covers a 15-mile diameter count circle, so we need knowledgeable participants to cover as much ground as possible. If you are an experienced counter, we can use you by either joining another group or by helping to cover an area. If you are a new Christmas counter and can identify birds, you can count the birds around your neighborhood or backyards (assuming you live in a count circle). We must also keep close track of our times and mileages, to make comparisons with other counts and other years. To prepare, please go birding as much as possible before the counts, as well as join bird walks at the River Center in Sequim on Wednesday mornings and go on OPAS field trips.

The PACBC center is in the Olympic foothills south of Port Angeles, so it includes Port Angeles Harbor, several miles of the Elwha River on the west to Morse Creek on the east, plus all the way up to Hurricane Ridge, a huge elevation range for any CBC.

To learn more and to participate in the Port Angeles Christmas Bird Count, contact Barb Blackie (blackieb@olypen.com).