NORTHAMPTON (MANO) CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT

CBC Forms, Leaders, Maps, History of the MANO CBC from 1934 - 2023

Here is the 2023 Compilation :  36 areas, 40+ Feeder Watchers.  86 species with 40,363 birds seen and heard by over 240 feeder watchers, participants, and leaders.    THANK YOU to all who help make this so successful.  

A very special thank you to a team of folks who help make the MANO CBC successful: Amanda Kallenbach, Iola Sylvan, Lesley Farlow Monique Dumais, Robert Brooks, Sally Hills, and Scott Surner.

The next MANO CBC is December 15, 2024

(MANO=Massachusetts Northampton)

When does the Christmas Bird Count  happen?

The largest birding event in Western Massachusetts is the Northampton Christmas Bird Count.  It covers 24 hours (rain, sleet, snow, or shine) midnight-to-midnight December 16h, 2024.The goal for the 24 hours is to find, identify, and count all birds within a 15-mile diameter “count circle” centered in the Hadley Cemetery on Cemetery Road.

Some folks start searching at midnight for owls. Others begin at sunrise. Some spend the entire day, others a couple of hours. No one is too young or too senior to participate. Beginners are welcome – we’ll make sure you join a group with at least one experienced birdwatcher.  We hope you’ll join us for this great day. You will probably make new friends, learn a bit, laugh a lot, and get a great workout.  We’ll be hosting a Zoom meeting for participants before the event. 

Can I sign up to be a Feeder Watcher?

You can even participate from home as long as you are within the CBC circle. You can count birds that visit your feeders. Check to be sure you are in the circle, and please get in touch with the compilers at cbc@hampshirebirdclub.org to be included.  Feeder watchers will receive the FEEDER WATCHER compiling sheet on Saturday afternoon.  If you did not receive one, email cbc@hampshirebirdclub.org , and we will send you one.

How do I use eBird for the CBC?

Here are our tips for making eBird part of your CBC tradition.

• Use eBird Mobile: while doing your CBC, eBird Mobile makes it easy to keep your tallies through the day and share them with other party members.
• Start a new list at each stop: we recommend beginning a new list every time you get into or out of a car. Use the Incidental protocol for lists you keep while driving between CBC birding sites.
• Report only one-way distance in your traveling counts both; CBC and eBird measure distance as one-way distance, especially if you backtrack or repeat portions of a route.eBird Mobile’s GPS tracking can help you calculate the distance traveled. Learn more about reporting accurate traveling distances.
• Only submit lists of birds observed by your CBC group: do not combine your lists with those from other birders in your section or different CBC sections. It is inappropriate to enter the CBC totals for the entire count circle into eBird.

What do I bring, besides binoculars?

The particulars: dress warm, carry water and snacks, know your limits, etc.

How can I sign up to participate?

If you want to join the day, have questions, etc., contact Janice Jorgensen and Amanda Kallenbach at cbc@hampshirebirdclub.org