It’s almost December, and we’re counting down the days until the annual Northampton Christmas Bird Count! And the potluck dinner and countdown that happen immediately afterwards…

But NoHo isn’t the only count in our area. CBCs will also be taking place between December 15 and January 5 in Athol, the Quabbin, Greenfield, Springfield, Westfield, Westminster, Sturbridge, and three different sections of the Berkshires! And, if you’re traveling out of town, all over the rest of the country, and many other countries as well, See National Audubon’s CBC website for information on where and when counts are taking place and whom to contact if you are interested in helping out.

December also means the club’s annual members’ meeting, when any member can volunteer to step forward, show a few slides, and say a few words about them. And there are still a couple of field trips left before the CBCs begin, including the last Fort River Trail bird walk of 2018, and an excursion into the Moran and Peru WMAs to search for Northern Shrikes and other specialties from the far north that might have wandered down into the neighborhood…