Local Bird Enthusiasts Celebrate 50th Annual Christmas Count
'Look at all those birds': Bird enthusiasts traipse fields and forests in 50th annual Christmas Bird Count
The Winchester Star | Friday, December 20, 2024
By Laura Ruby
In the Northern Shenandoah Valley, about 50 bird enthusiasts, including local members from the Northern Shenandoah Valley Audubon Society and participants from towns like Charles Town and Harpers Ferry, engaged in the 50th annual Christmas Bird Count. This long-standing tradition, which helps monitor local bird populations and migration patterns, revealed significant habitat changes affecting species like the northern bobwhite quail and benefited others like wild turkeys. As scientists and volunteers compiled data at Blandy Experimental Farm in Boyce, they emphasized the importance of such counts in understanding environmental impacts and species trends, joining over 80,000 participants nationwide, as reported by The Winchester Star.