Annual count highlights avian trends in the Townships
By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
The St. Francis Valley Naturalists’ Club, a cornerstone of birding and conservation in the Eastern Townships, is gearing up for its annual contribution to the Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count. Scheduled for Dec. 14, the event is part of a tradition that stretches back to 1900, making it the longest-running citizen science initiative in North America.
Gary McCormick, Vice President of the St. Francis Valley Naturalists’ Club and the compiler for the Sherbrooke Circle, emphasized in an interview the historical importance of this event. “It was started as a reaction to the traditional Christmas hunts in the United States, where hunters would shoot as many birds as possible,” McCormick explained. “Concerned conservationists with the Audubon Society decided to replace that with a bird count, and it’s grown across the Americas since.”
A tradition rooted in science
The St. Francis Valley Naturalists’ Club joined the count in 1953 and has participated annually since 1957. “We’re the second-oldest club in Quebec to take part,” McCormick shared, adding that the club’s involvement has provided valuable data for decades. The information collected each year helps researchers track bird population trends and understand broader environmental impacts.
“The strength of citizen science is in its numbers,” McCormick noted. “There are so many skilled people contributing observations that we can paint a much more accurate picture of bird populations and how they’re shifting over time.”
The bird count spans mid-December to early January, offering clubs across the continent a chance to organize and participate. Locally, the Sherbrooke Circle—a 24-kilometre diameter encompassing Sherbrooke, Lennoxville, Rock Forest, North Hatley, Waterville, and parts of Sainte-Catherine-de-Hatley—hosts its count on Dec. 14. “It’s our circle, and we’re the registry for it,” McCormick said proudly.
