This Saturday, Dec. 21, Bethel will call on community birders for a Christmas bird watch put on by the National Audubon Society, a non-profit dedicated to the conservation of birds and their habitats.
The watch is part of a 125-year-old national tradition of citizen science, asking community members to record the birds they observe as part of an annual survey.
The idea is that if multiple people are bird watching in an area at the same time, it limits the chances of counting the same bird twice. It’s a way to get a more accurate read on the local bird population in winter and create a real, nationwide data set that will be available on the National Audubon Society's website.
In Bethel, participants will be birding from all corners of town, counting from their backyard feeders, scenic areas, and even the landfill — a great spot for ravens.
Anyone can partake in the bird count and can find more information on the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge’s Facebook page. The community watch will happen during daylight hours on Dec. 21.