Every December, hundreds of Bay Area birders take part in Golden Gate Bird Alliance’s Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs). From before dawn until dusk, they trek through parks, neighborhoods, and wetlands, venture out in boats on the bay, and skirt reservoirs and bayside mudflats to identify the species and count the numbers of birds at every site.
Spend a fun day outdoors counting individual birds and species, and contributing to our understanding of bird populations! Both beginners and experienced birders welcome. You can participate as a field observer with a pre-assigned territory, or as a feeder watcher from the comfort of your own home!
Each count day culminates with an optional festive CBC dinner ($35) where final counts are tallied and stories exchanged about rare bird sightings and locations.
Golden Gate Bird Alliance is sponsoring the following THREE counts in winter 2023:
OAKLAND CBC
Sunday, December 17, 2023 The Oakland count circle extends from Treasure Island northeast to the San Pablo Reservoir in Contra Costa County, and south to St. Mary’s College in Moraga and the Oakland International Airport.
ORGANIZERS: VIVIANA WOLINSKY & DAWN LEMOINE
oaklandcbc@goldengatebirds.org
SAN FRANCISCO CBC
Wednesday, December 27, 2023 The San Francisco count circle includes the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge and all of San Francisco, and reaches down the peninsula to San Bruno Mountain and the wetlands north of the San Francisco International Airport.
ORGANIZERS: DAVID ASSMANN & SIOBHAN RUCK
sfcbcount@gmail.com
RICHMOND CBC
Saturday, December 30, 2023 The Richmond count circle covers Richmond and adjacent areas including Point Pinole, Point Molate, and the Miller-Knox Shoreline.
ORGANIZERS: KARYN NOEL & DEREK HEINS
Richmondcbc@goldengatebirds.org
The Annual Christmas Bird Count, sponsored by the National Audubon Society and conducted by volunteers, is the nation’s longest running citizen science bird project. Between mid-December and early-January, counts held annually throughout North America attempt to record every individual bird observed within a defined 15-mile diameter — about 177 square miles — during one calendar day.
