CBC Birders - Photo: Judith White
Sequim-Dungeness 2021 Christmas Bird Count
Date: Monday December 20, 2021
Cost: Free
Leader: Bob Boekelheide
Meeting place: Your meeting place is your specific count area of the CBC.
The Sequim-Dungeness Christmas Bird Count (SDCBC) occurs this year on Monday, Dec. 20. We have a great CBC covering a wide variety of habitats between the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic foothills. Within its 15-mile diameter circle, the SDCBC includes the "towns" of Sequim, Gardiner, Blyn, Diamond Point, Dungeness, and Carlsborg, plus all the habitats between. Despite COVID, last year the SDCBC recorded the highest number of species of any count in the Pacific Northwest.
The SDCBC will follow National Audubon Society and Clallam County COVID guidelines. For local CBCs this means encouraging vaccinations, smaller counting groups, discouraging carpools, and wearing masks when indoors or in vehicles with non-family members. Once again this year we will not have a compilation get-together at the end of the day, although we may have a "Zoom" compilation for counters sometime after the count.
The SDCBC usually has 30 or so "Field Parties" that cover specific regions of the count circle. Or, if you live within the circle and know backyard birds, you can also be a "Feeder Watcher," tallying up the birds you see in your yards and neighborhoods during count day. Or do both. No matter where you count, we ask that you keep close track of your times and distances, to help make comparisons with other counts and years.
If you wish to participate in the SDCBC, please contact Bob Boekelheide at bboek@olympus.net or call 360-808-0196. Bob will send you information about the count, along with tally sheets to record the birds. If you spot any unusual birds in the days before the CBC, please let Bob know so we can look for these birds during the count.
Other CBCs on the north Olympic Peninsula include Port Townsend (Dec 18) and Port Angeles (Jan 2). The compiler for the Port Angeles CBC is Barb Blackie (blackieb@olypen.com, 360-477-8028). The compiler for Port Townsend is Monica Fletcher (monicaflet@gmail.com, 360-821-8482). Please contact Barb or Monica if you can help with these counts. Unfortunately, there will not be a Neah Bay CBC again this year, because the Makah Reservation is still closed to non-residents as a Covid precaution.