Would you like to be a Citizen Scientist? Do you want to know more about local birds? Join the Newton Christmas Bird Count on Sunday, December 17. On that date, groups of birders head out in the morning to areas of Newton to count birds and report back. Data are collected from Newton and surrounding towns and compared with numbers from years before. No experience in birding is necessary, since you will be part of a group with an experienced leader.
If you wish to participate, please email lianehartnett26@gmail.com. Birders will meet at 1 Raeburn Terrace, Newton Highlands at 8AM to divide into groups and head out to count birds. For the early birders – who want to count owls – a group will meet at the same address at 5:30AM. If it’s raining, the owl count will not take place.
Some of the areas covered by the groups include:
- Newton South, Kennard, Saw Mill, Houghton Gardens, Hammond Pond and Webster Woods
- Newton Cemetery, City Hall, Edmands Park, Bullough’s Pond
- Cold Spring Park, Mason Rice, and Newton Centre Crystal Lake
- Newton Commonwealth Golf Course, Chandler Pond
- Charles River, Calvary Swamp, Avery Woods, Cheesecake Brook (meeting at 7AM at Daly Ice Rink)
The National Audubon Society organizes this event. The Newton count is part of the Greater Boston count circle, one of very many across the country and beyond. The most common question people tend to ask is: “How do you know you are not counting the same bird twice?” You can’t know for certain, but we try our best! We often do see seven swans a swimming or four calling birds. Be sure to read Liane Hartnett’s account of the history of the bird count and what birds were seen last year on pages 6-7 of the Newton Conservators January 27, 2023 e-Bulletin.
